Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte has acknowledged that some beach shack owners have been abusing the system by unlawfully renting out their buildings to people who are not licensed, including non-Goans.
The minister said that in order to escape discovery, these operators do not use any official papers. But now, the agency will monitor and punish infractions using technology.
These days, subletting occurs without documentation, which makes it challenging for us to take action. Therefore, in order to track shacks and guarantee compliance, we shall implement technology-driven surveillance. He issued a warning: “Those found guilty of subletting will face strict penalties.”
The minister added that it is the duty of shack owners to operate their establishments in accordance with their license.
“We make it very clear that subletting shacks is not acceptable. From delaying fee increases to giving licenses and allotments prior to the start of the season, the Tourism Department has complied with the demands of shack owners. As long as they run their firm independently and don’t turn it over to unlicensed parties, we created the policy in accordance with their needs,” he said.
Violations are punishable by a fine of Rs 25 lakh, license revocation, and other measures.