Shacks are always open on Canacona’s beaches
For the shacks in Canacona, it is tourist season round theyear. Even during monsoon, the shacks on Palolem beach seem to be doing briskbusiness completely ignoring a High Court of Bombay’s Goa bench directive. Mostof the tourist stalls, shacks or tents, which were erected at Canacona beaches,within the coastal regulation zone (CRZ) continue to remain, despite beingasked to be dismantled. Thebeach is now a happy hunting ground for anti-social activities.
Police sourcesas well as locals confirm presence of drugs and prostitution in the area. Acouple of arrests were also made in the past three years. “Complains have beenregistered with Canacona Municipality Council and not us with regards to theseillegal shacks. Hence we cannot act” clarifies Canacona PI Harish Madkaiker.Madkaiker also confirms that despite this being the off season and only 40 oddforeigners having registered with his police station, the unusual number of 500odd foreigners is a testimony to a booming business being catered to by theseillegal shacks.
“It’s only the poor who have removed their structures infear of demolition,” informs Mahadev Desai, Councilor, Canacona MunicipalCouncil (CMC). Most of the seasonal tourist stalls and shacks erected atPalolem, Patnem, Columb, Rajbhag and Agonda beaches within the CRZ have notbeen dismantled even after expiry of the licence period on June 15. “Eventhough we have to invest more to restart our business next season, we havepulled down our shacks. But why are these people still being allowed,” said UdayPagi, a seasonal shack owner. “These people have paid hefty sums to a few councillorsand enjoy their patronage,” another shack owner Bhagat alleged.
More than fifty illegal permanent structures had beenconstructed within the CRZ under the Canacona municipality, with the blessingsof some politicians, informed a social worker Mahesh Sawant from Sawantwada.
“I have submitted more than ten letters about illegalconstructions to the Chief Officer of the CMC, but so far the municipality hasfailed to take action,” says Sawant.
Some years back, Canacona Municipality had demolished over 90 per cent ofillegal structures, especially those violating the CRZ norms.
According to outgoing CMC Chief Officer Pradip Naik seasonal licenses forshacks are issued for a period between October 1 and June 15. On expiry of thelicences, shack owners are expected to dismantle the structures and restore theplace to its original state. Those who fail to adhere to the rules are bannedfrom carrying similar activities in the next tourist season.
However, the CO refused to comment on why the illegalstructures continue to remain beyond the specified time this year. He onlysaid, “I am leaving” (transferred from the present posting).
“Inspections will be conductedwithin few days and accordingly the council will initiate action on thoseviolating rules,” said incoming CO, Prashant Shirodkar.
The Chairperson of the Canacona Municipal Council, RamakantNaik Gaonkar admitted removing the structures (shacks/stalls) involved a lot ofwork. But he insisted that the shack owners had sufficient time to dismantlethe structures.
The Agonda panch, Saplesh Desai informed that people have started to fileapplications in the panchayat for refund of deposits. “Refunds will be madeonly if the entire structure is dismantled,” he added. He confirmed that overtwenty percent seasonal structures were not dismantled till today.
“More than thirty illegal temporary structures have beenerected at Palolem beach at Canacona, in violation of the CRZ guidelines.Surprisingly CMC has refused to act against them,” said Mahesh Sawant fromSawantwada.
