Hon’ble Minister for Tourism, Govt. of Goa Mr. Dilip Parulekar hails MoEF amendment to 2011 CRZ notification

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Panjim, April 30, 2016 :  Minister for Tourism, Govt. of Goa, Mr. Dilip Parulekar has hailed the decision of the Union Ministry for Environment and Forests for the draft amendment to the CRZ notification of 2011 giving respite to shack operators   from dismantling their structures during the monsoons.

Mr. Parulekar  said, “This  move  comes after several recommendations and  persistent efforts put in  by the  Goa government,  Tourism  department and other stakeholders.” It may be recalled that the Tourism department had introduced revamped shack policy for three years for the first time in history of the state.

He further said, “The decision to allow shack operators  to  keep their  shacks on the beaches  even after the  end  of the season  is a big gift from the central government  to Goan shack operators.” Mr. Parulekar  expressed deep  gratitude  and thanked the   Central Ministry  for  Environment  and Forests  and  Union Minister Mr. Prakash Javdekar for  amending the  CRZ notification of 2011 giving this benefit to  shack operators in Goa.  Mr. Parulekar said that there  was a  big demand  from shack operators in Goa to keep their structures in place at the  end  of the tourist season and  the Goa government  through the  Department  of Tourism  has been  pursuing this issue vigorously during his visits to the Central Ministries in New Delhi.  He also mentioned that this would not have been possible without active support from the Defence Minister Mr. Manohar Parrikar, Mr. Laxmikant Parsekar, Hon’ble Chief Minister and Mr. Narendra Sawaikar, MP Lok Sabha.

Mr. Parulekar  has assured that adequate  measures will be taken  to ensure that the  shack  operators  follow all the guidelines of the  amendment to the CRZ notification of 2011 and has  urged the  shack operators in Goa to  co-operate  with the Department  in this  context. Mr Parulekar also mentioned that the new shack policy for public beach shacks and shacks and tourism huts on private lands would take the CRZ amendment into consideration and that he will be shortly convening  a meeting of stakeholders to discuss this issue.

Chairman  of Goa Tourism Development  Corporation, Mr. Nilesh Cabral also said, “Shack operators  in Goa had a  genuine  issue  concerning the dismantling of  shacks  at  the  end  of the season as the same was  resulting in  huge  costs. The Goa government and   Hon’ble Tourism Minister of  Goa had been working  to ensure that   such issues  are addressed and resolved in the best possible  manner.  The amendment  to the  CRZ  notification  of 2011  by the MoEF   will bring  cheer  to  the  lot of  shack operators  conducting business along the  beach belt of  Goa.”

In Goa, as many as 356 shacks   are  authorized by the  Tourism  Department, Government  of  Goa to  operate  shacks  between  October to May.  While 258  shacks  operate in North Goa as many  as  98 shacks   operate  in South Goa.

The  three  year  shack policy   which was   successfully executed   from 2013-2016 is  expected  to  be reviewed and  revised keeping in  mind the  amendment   to the  CRZ notification.

The  Hon’ble Union Minister  for Environment  and  Forests, Mr. Prakash Javdekar announced  the said proposed   of  amending  the CRZ  notification 2011  to media  in  New Delhi on Wednesday.

 

 

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