The Tourism Department has reported that illegal cottages have been built on Calangute Beach by intruding on the department's property. The Bombay High Court's Goa Bench inquired as to the timing of the demolition of these cottages. The Tourism Department was instructed to provide its response on July 5 after the hearing was adjourned. There has been a conflict with the traditional fishermen's boats moored on the coast, even as the bench verbally said that no encroachment may be made on the properties of the tourism department.
Calangute resident Inacio Kurraiya has petitioned the High Court, conducted a study of the coasts of Calangute and Kandoli, cleared encroachments, and marked the boundaries of the tourist department's jurisdiction place with stones.
The location had been encroached upon by Francis Kurraiya, it was noted, who had built cottages there. The Tourism Department was instructed to inspect it and provide a report during the hearing on this topic on June 20. Francis countered at this point that these huts haven't actually been built, only temporarily set up to hold motorboats used for water activities. During the rainy season, traditional fisherman also stores their boats on the beach. Therefore, if motorboat shacks are prohibited, the tourism agency also owns the land where the boats are docked. The relocation of the fishermen's boats docked in the tourist area should thus be ordered by the Goa bench as well. Francis suggested that because the water sports industry is closed during the monsoon, these huts were not constructed for commercial purposes but rather to shelter motorboats.
Encroachments are a serious matter
The Goa bench stepped in at this point and informed the administration that the encroachments on the coast are reappearing and that this is a significant issue. Francis Kurraiya has been ordered by the government to respond by tomorrow with a plan for how he would deal with the huts built by intruding on the tourist destination.
Boat sheds
The petitioner's claim was confirmed to be accurate during the examination carried out by the Tourism Department on June 30. Francis Kurraiya has built huts and stored motorboats for water activities in them after dismantling the prior encroaching construction. According to rumours, he also encroached on a portion of the eateries.
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