Margao: Shack owners from the state met tourism director on Wednesday putting forward their requests to be provided with concession in fees pertaining to licenses for erecting shacks this tourist season. They have also asked for relaxations under the state’s shack policy.
Speaking about the meeting, All Goa Shack Owners Association president Cruz Cardozo said the shack owners had to wrap up their business early during the last tourist season due to COVID.
“We only had three months of business in the last tourist season. From March to May we had to keep our staff at home and we were in huge losses. Today (Wednesday) we met the tourism director and asked for some concession or waiving off fees for tourism license, and other fees for shacks, sun beds and excise fees. Under the shack policy, if a person does not put up a shack in one year they get debarred. We have asked for a relaxation in this rule for this year due to the pandemic,” he said.
He also added that while the director gave the association a patient hearing, they were also asked to approach the government and put forward their appeal. “We will have to ask the Chief Minister or the government also. We had reached out to the CM a couple of months ago and he was sympathetic to our issue but we will have to wait for him to act on it. Right now we won’t be able to meet him but we hope that our request will be considered,” said Cardozo.
When asked about this year’s tourist season, the association president said many shack owners were still unsure of whether to put up their shacks or not. “Every shack owner will have to decide for themselves on whether to set up their shacks or not. We cannot put a pressure on the government but can only ask that we get some concession. Around 72 to 75 per cent of the tourists who come to the state do so for the shacks alone. If there aren’t any shacks, tourists may not come. In case shacks do open, the owners will have to strictly abide by government rules and SOPs,” added Cardozo.
