log on to thegoan.net @thegoanonline SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 22, 2024 Facebook.com/thegoan The Goan E-Paper (Playstore/IOS) 16 pages PRICE ` 10 PANAJI MARGAO GOA VOLUME X, NO. 95 Uneasy calm over hike in fees for beach weddings EVENT MANAGERS, PLANNERS FEEL 400% INCREASE LIKELY TO IMPACT BUSINESS THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI Following the whopping 400 per cent increase in charges for approval of plans for weddings and other events on Goa’s beaches, there is a sense of discomfort in the community of event managers and planners who help to organise these. Previously, event planners had to pay around Rs 1 lakh for five days, but now the fee has been raised to Rs 1 lakh per day. A top event planner based in South Goa expressed concern over the magnitude of the hike in fees saying it will impact business. He nonetheless added that the fee hike may not be of much concern to big budget parties of wealthy clients mostly from North India.  According to him, the  rich clients and corporate head  honchos, often host lavish weddings and events on beaches where such costs hardly matter. “The hike in fees may however impact business and lead to a drop in bookings in the low-budget layer and some may even shift their already booked weddings and events to other locations where costs are lower,” he said. NOT THE TIME TO DISCO „„Hike in fees may impact business and lead to a drop in bookings „„Some low-budget parties may even shift already booked weddings and events to other locations „„400% hike in fees from Rs one-lakh for a five-day event to now Rs one-lakh for each day beats all economic logic „„Hike should have entailed facilities such as CCTV-backed security measures, wash basins & mobile toilets The challenges, notwithstanding, its reputation and brand equity as a top coastal destination see Goa continuing to attract wedding and other beach events  here, he added. Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) Benaulim MLA, Venzy Viegas questioned the logic behind the massive quantum of the hike. “400 per cent hike in fees from Rs one-lakh for a five-day event to now Rs one-lakh for each day beats all economic logic,” said Viegas, whose Benaulim constituency has several beaches which host such beach weddings and events.    “Such a massive hike in fees should have entailed some facilities for the licencee such as CCTV-backed security measures and sanitation facilities like wash basins and mobile toilets,” Viegas argued. Meanwhile, there is another set of event managers and planners who feel the hike in fees may not impact their business much. “As against the size of budgets clients earmark to hold beach events here in Goa, this hike in fees is negligible and will not hamper the business,” said an executive of a top-league event management company. Earlier this week, the Goa government’s Environment Department that licence fees and permissions for weddings and events on beaches in Goa will now be Rs one lakh per day.  Until today, the fees were Rs one lakh per event of up to five days with an additional Rs 10,000 charged per day thereafter. The fees have been revised through a notification issued by the Environment Department wherein it said ‘scrutiny fees’ will be charged at the rate of Rs one-lakh per day when applications routed through the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) are approved. Formerly these fees were Rs one-lakh for each event and it could be stretched for up to five days without any additional charges. Patrol limitations leave govt helpless against LED fishing Only one patrol boat at hand with reach of 5 nautical miles, while LED fishing occurs 15-60 miles offshore THE GOAN I NETWORK >> SEE PG 3 PARCHED PARADISE: GOA’S WATER CRISIS MAGAZINE MAGAZ Punarutthan: Practicing eco-friendly way of life during Chaturthi 9 10 Home remedies for whitening your teeth 11 Food Engine: Igniting flavours on wheels IN SHORT >> Atishi takes oath as Delhi CM NEW DELHI: Delhi Chief Minister Atishi, along with five cabinet ministers took oath of office and requested people to ensure that Kejriwal, returns to the top post again. Atishi also hit out at the BJP for hatching a “conspiracy” against Kejriwal.  >> See pg 6 BPharm, Nursing admissions PANAJI: Directorate of Technical Education will conduct admission rounds for B.Pharm, Bachelor of Naturopathy & Yoga Sciences, Allied Health Science & BSc Nursing courses on September 26 and 27. PANAJI While the authorities woke up after a deep slumber to ensure hygiene at all fishing jetties after cholera and dengue outbreak at Cutbona, the Fisheries Department remains evasive on the long-standing menace of the otherwise banned LED fishing. With only one patrolling vessel limited to 5 nautical miles, illegal fishing thrives far beyond the department’s reach. Moreover, the department boasts about booking 19 violators but all cases have been quietly disposed off perhaps without any action. Despite government claims of having two patrol vessels for territorial waters, which extend up to 12 nautical miles, LED FISHING: BEYOND REACH „„Govt claims having two patrol vessels for territorial waters which extend up to 12 nautical miles „„The two vessels -- Ocean Queen a trawler for training students and Ave Maria, a patrol vessel -- cannot travel beyond 5 nautical miles „„Ave Maria was designed as a coastal patrol vessel, not for intercepting LED fishing boats „„LED fishing takes place between 15 to 60 nautical miles offshore, much beyond capabilities of Goa’s fisheries officials details with The Goan reveal that the available patrol boat can only operate within 5 nautical miles. The department has two vessels -- Ocean Queen, actually a trawler used for training students and not patrolling; and Ave Maria, a GSL-built patrol vessel that cannot travel beyond 5 nautical miles. “Ave Maria was designed as a coastal patrol vessel, not for intercepting LED fishing boats,” revealed an official source. >Continued on P6 Think before you litter! Hefty fines for illegal waste disposal on cards CM asks public to send photos to police THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI Chief Minister Pramod Sawant came down heavily on those involved in littering public places by issuing a stern warning to impose hefty fines as well as impounding vehicles caught in illegal dumping of waste. During his online interaction on ‘Swachhata Hi Seva’ Campaign on Saturday, Sawant also urged the general public to click photos of the menace and forward the evidence to concerned authorities including the police for appropriate action. “To curb littering and promote cleanliness, stringent measures will be in place such as against individuals caught disposing waste on roads will face hefty fines. Citizens are urged to be vigilant and report any such incidents,” he announced. Sawant also directed all contractors responsible for waste collection from hotels and industries to register their total waste collection along with disposal location with the concerned panchayats or the solid waste management authorities.  He warned that strict action would be initiated if any industrial waste is found improperly disposed. The campaign, launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi is being implemented across the nation from September 17 to October 2, as part of the 10th anniversary celebrations of the Swachh Bharat Mission. Sawant highlighted the importance of collective action and voluntary participation in achieving complete cleanliness (Sampoorna Swachhata) while acknowledging the >Continued on P6 Instagram.com/thegoanonline RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 Gill, Pant hundreds put India in command Pg8