Lokayukta examines documents on beach cleaning contracts

Posted on May 10, 2016 by crtgoa9020

The Goa Lokayukta has begun examining documents filed by Independent legislator Rohan Khaunte as part of his complaint alleging multi-crore scam in beach cleaning.

The legislator, in a complaint filed before Goa Lokayukta, Justice (Retd) P K Misra, had alleged involvement of state Tourism Minister Dilip Parulekar into the “scam”. He had alleged fraud in awarding of contracts and in their execution.

However, Parulekar had rubbished the charges and said he would welcome any kind of investigation.

“The process to scrutinise various documents produced by Khaunte as part of the complaint has begun. The documents submitted by him are voluminous and it will take time before the scrutiny is completed,” a senior official in the Lokayukta office said today.

In his complaint, Khaunte had alleged that the scam involving the minister caused a loss of Rs 14 crore to the exchequer.

Khaunte, who represents Povorim constituency, said the complaint is based on the information obtained under the Right to Information (RTI) Act and replies submitted by the government in the Assembly.

In the complaint, he has also named officials of the ranks of director and deputy director in the Tourism Department.

The contracts for cleaning the beaches have been awarded to Bhumika Cleantech Services and Ram Cleaners and Developers.

The legislator has demanded the contracts be terminated immediately so as to prevent further “drain” on the exchequer, and the money already paid to the contractors for “the works not done” be recovered.

He has also demanded a fresh tender be issued after scaling down the minimum requirement for bidding so that local contractors could also participate.

“The cleaning job is not being done properly and bills are being inflated,” he alleged in the complaint.

Khaunte said the tender was issued when Manohar Parrikar was chief minister of the state.

“Parrikar had noted on the file that tender is messed up, but did not stop it,” he alleges. COR NP TIR

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‘Beach shacks won’t benefit from CRZ amendment’

Posted on May 7, 2016 by crtgoa9020

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/Beach-shacks-wont-benefit-from-CRZ-amendment/articleshow/52158174.cms

The proposed amendment to Coastal Zone Regulation (CRZ) regulation, 2011 to allow temporary structures beach and private shacks

to remain during the monsoon, as and when it becomes a ruling, is less likely to bring any benefits to beach shack operators. The amended regulation will be more of help to private shack operators, stakeholders said.

Under the beach shack policy of the tourism department, a shack allottee is not permitted to erect concrete structures on the beach. They have to use wood or bamboo erect the structure. The roof is thatched.

If left standing off-season, shack operators believe the structures will not able to withstand the onslaught of waves and windy monsoon weather. Some opined if they were allowed to use iron poles instead of wood or bamboo then the structures would not be damaged by the elements of nature.

“Weather causes wood and bamboo poles to whither. As it is, we lose four-five poles when we dismantle shacks at the end of the season,” secretary, Shack Owners’ Welfare Society (SOWS) John Lobo said, adding that on an average it costs 25,000-30,000 to erect or dismantle a shack.

A shack operator from Candolim, Cyril Silveira, said it didn’t make sense for them to leave their structures on the beach during the rainy season unless they were permitted to use iron poles.

Some shack operators had demanded that they be allowed to retain the structure of their shacks during the off-season as demolition and reconstruction at the end and beginning of every season, respectively, entailed additional costs.

Tourism director Sanjeev Gauns Dessai, who was of a similar opinion, said that beach shack operators are likely to suffer more loss if their shacks are left to stand on the beach during the monsoon. The proposed amendment, Dessai feels, will accrue more benefits to private shacks operators.

The proposed amendment is yet to become a law, but the All Goa Private Property Shacks/Hut Owners Association has wholeheartedly welcomed it.

 Private shacks are erected beyond 200 metres of the high tide line.
During the monsoon, large scale erosion takes place and beaches get reshaped. Tidal waves lashing the shore beyond their usual limits, pose the danger of washing away anything on the beach.

 

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Goa gets top honors from TripAdvisor’s Travelers’ Choice awards

Posted on May 6, 2016 by crtgoa9020

Goa may still be ranked high as travel destinations in the country by Trip Advisor. However the reality on the ground shows number of tourists dwindling. 

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/Goa-gets-top-honors-from-TripAdvisors-Travelers-Choice-awards/articleshow/52126821.cms

TripAdvisor, the travel planning and booking site has ranked Goa third amongst the top five Travelers’ Choice destinations in the country.

 TripAdvisor recently announced the winners of its Travelers’ Choice awards for destinations, recognizing travellers’ favourite places around the world .
Known for its stunning beaches, Goa is also the unofficial party place of India where Indian culture intertwines with Portuguese influences left over from a 500-year occupation. From scenic beaches such as Agonda_Beach , the beautiful Dudhsagar Falls to numerous churches, restaurants serving delectable local cuisine; there is plenty for the travellers to choose from.
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Parulekar hails move to grant e-visas

Posted on May 5, 2016 by crtgoa9020
Speaking to The Goan, Parulekar said that e-visas for medical tourists was part of the recommendation the State had sent to the Centre back in 2013 and even though it wasn’t included in the original notification, it was better late than never.   
“I had sent the recommendation way back in 2013 that e-tourist visas be also given to the medical tourists who seek cheaper non-emergency procedures to be done in Goa. We have many big hospitals here in the State and they will benefit from this,” Parulekar said.
  
“It was not done earlier because some formalities had to be completed and now, it seems it is being done. This is a welcome move,” Parulekar said.   
Reports emerging from New Delhi have indicated that the Centre is set to announce e-visas for patients seeking prolonged treatment in recognised health care centres.  
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has agreed to the move, on the intervention of the Prime Minister’s Office, and the announcement is likely to be made after the current session of Parliament the reports have said.   
Applicants from nearly 150 countries eligible for e-tourist visas will be able to send online applications for medical visas with scanned copies of medical prescriptions from a government-accredited hospital of his/ her country.
Nearly 85,000 tourists have visited the country using e-visas or ETVs through Dabolim airport since the facility was launched in 2015 with the biggest numbers coming from Russia, UK and Germany.

– See more at: http://englishnews.thegoan.net/story.php?id=16663#sthash.RWbD0h4R.dpuf

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Tourism department reluctant to grant private shack policy

Posted on May 5, 2016 by crtgoa9020

The reluctance of the government to grant private shack policy will only lead to discontentment and illegal operations.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/Tourism-department-reluctant-to-grant-private-shack-policy/articleshow/52118277.cms

 

The Goa private property shacks/hut owners association have been demanding a separate beach shack policy.

The tourism department is not inclined to have an independent shack policy for private shacks for a want of jurisdiction.

Tourism director Sanjeev Gauns Dessai told TOI that although there has been a demand for a separate policy for private shacks, they have not much say in the matter as private shacks are erected on private properties where jurisdiction lies with the respective village panchayat.

In fact, tourism department issues an NOC to a private shack applicant only after he has obtained permissions from all other authorities, most significantly, the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) and the village panchayat.

The association of private shacks and huts has been demanding a separate policy for quite some time on the grounds that tourism department collects fees from private shack applicants.

A tourism official who did not want to be named said, “Some persons erect private shacks even before asking for permission from us, thanks to their understanding with a local civic body”.

In the past, shack owners had obtained NOC from GCZMA. Some even had shacks operational without a permission due to delays in the part of GCZMA in issuing NOCs on time.

With the intervention of National Green Tribunal (NGT) these shack owners cannot circumvent GCZMA now.

The private shacks have also demanded a single window system of clearance to avoid the time-consuming task of availing permissions from several authorities.

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New 3-year beach shack policy will commence from next season

Posted on May 5, 2016 by crtgoa9020
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/New-3-year-beach-shack-policy-will-commence-from-next-season/articleshow/52118455.cms
Tourism department’s next beach shack policy will be applicable from the next tourism season, starting in October-November, and will be for a period of three years. The current beach shack policy, which remained in operation for three years, concludes at the end of this month.

There has been much anxiety among beach shack operators as to what kind of beach shack policy, the government will form for the next season.

Sanjeev Gauns Dessai, tourism director, told TOI that they will propose a three-year beach shack policy. The policy would be finalized after approval from the government.

It means there will be fresh allotment by August-September, and successful allottees will be given licences with a validity for three years with a rider that shacks should not be operated after the end of the season between June to August which is non-season period.

Around 350 shacks are erected along the 105km coastline of the state, but, maximum allotted along the Calangute-Baga-Candolimstretch.

Beach shack operators, who are into the business for a decade are of the opinion that shacks should be alloted for a longer period as prior to 2012, the validity of the licence issued for beach shacks was always limited to one year.

The 2012-13 beach shack policy had many provisions including CCTV cameras in the shacks. Even at the fag end of the three-year beach shack policy, not many shacks had CCTV cameras installed. Many resisted the move on the ground, that it will add to their cost of operation.

The tourism director said, “From next season onwards, we will be very strict. The liberty granted will not be extended any further”.

There was also a segment of shack operators, who favour yearly allotment of shacks, as it gives a chance to those who are unlucky to get selected in the lottery system. One provision of the beach shack policy that the tourism department has failed to implement is about sub-letting of shacks. Though beach shack policy prohibits sub-letting, it happens nonetheless. A shack operator said depending on the beach, the rent is fixed. In Baga-Calangute stretch, rent for the season can be as high as 3 to 4 lakh.

A tourism official said it is difficult to catch them, and prove the case even though they know that some locals participate in the lottery, not because they want to run shack business but to rent it and make money.

Posted in Shack Owners Welfare Society - SOWS Goa | Leave a comment