The Dakshina Kannada district administration has constituted an executive committee to manage the maintenance of Panambur Beach till new bids are finalised for managing the beach as the contract with Jyoti Advertisers has ended, after a protracted legal battle.
Deputy Commissioner K.V. Rajendra in his order issued on Wednesdy has said that the Panambur Beach Maintenance Executive Committee would be headed by the Joint Commissioner of Mangaluru City Corporation with Tourism Department’s Assistant Director as its member-secretary.
There would be nine members, including representatives from environment, forests, police, NMPT, revenue and the corporation, on the Committee.
The committee, after taking over Panambur Beach as it was from Jyoti Advertisers, would post required number of life guards (at least eight) to ensure the safety of tourists on a temporary basis.
Honorarium to the life guards have to be paid from funds generated through parking and shop licence fee, while the existing parking and shop licence fee may be continued till new bids are finalised.
Financial dealings should be carried out in the name of the Deputy Commissioner and Chairman, District Tourism Development Committee, the order said. The committee was formed to continue tourism activities on Panambur Beach where thousands of tourists visit every day, Dr. Rajendra said.
He said that the administration had entered into an agreement with Jyoti Advertisers on July 22, 2008, for managing the beach on public-private partnership and it came to an end on March 23, 2018.
Legal proceedings initiated by the private partner came to be dismissed by respective courts. Issac Vas from Jyoti Advertisers had informed the Tourism Department on October 16 this year that the private partner would hand over the beach to the department and hence, the ad hoc arrangement.