Mandrem: The Goa Tourism Department on Tuesday cancelled the licence of a beach shack at Arambol Beach and imposed a fine of Rs 25 lakh after the staff working there fatally assaulted a local youth.
The department has forbidden the shack owner from participating in any future auctions and has also instructed him to demolish the structure within seven days.
Amar Bandekar, a local youth, died after being attacked by a group of staff from the beach shack owned by one Manuel Espritaosanto Fernandes at Arambol seashore.
The youth had objected to the illegal placement of tables on the beach, after which he was attacked by the shack staff. Mandrem police have arrested three staff members of the shack.
A state tourism department spokesman told PTI that, acting on the complaint filed by Mandrem police, the shack licence has been cancelled, as it was found that the owner — Manuel Fernandes — had sublet it to another party, violating the law.
“The department of tourism has taken stringent action against a violation of the Goa State Shack Policy for the erection of temporary seasonal structures, beach shacks, deck beds/umbrellas, for the tourist season 2023-26,” the spokesman said.
He added that the department has imposed a penalty of Rs 25 lakh on Fernandes and forfeited the security deposit paid by him to the government treasury.
The spokesman also mentioned that Fernandes has been asked to demolish the shack within seven days. Failure to comply will result in the department demolishing it and recovering the cost from the owner.
Fernandes has also been permanently blacklisted from participating in any future shack allotment processes under the Tourism Shack Policy.
“The department remains committed to upholding transparency and strict enforcement of regulations to maintain the integrity of Goa’s tourism sector,” the spokesman said.
