Panaji: To boost monsoon tourism, the state government has decided to permit water sports from June to September 15. However, water sports will be restricted to inland waters and fair-weather days.
On Tuesday, the department of inland waterways issued a notification stating that the Captain of Ports (CoP) has given the go-ahead for water sports during the rains in inland waters. The rivers Sal, Chapora, Zuari, Nerul, Sinquerim, Mandovi — at Diwar island away from the navigational channel — and Dona Paula Bay have been identified for monsoon sports.
While water sports activities are permitted across Goa’s beaches, they are banned during the monsoon.
The department has invited objections and suggestions from stakeholders within five days of the publication of the notification.
An operator seeking permission must have valid insurance, and the water sports activity must be carried out in sheltered inland waters. The vessel that will be used will need to have additional safety appliances.
The notification also mandates that operators seeking permission should operate in their village to avoid possible disputes and disharmony among operators.
An official said that the issue of jurisdiction gets raised when the number of operators increases in a given area and that despite queuing, fights occur between them.
It is specified that if there is an adverse advisory issued or any weather-related warning issued by the Indian meteorological department, or the CoP releases any notice, the activity will need to be halted until the warning is lifted.
The official said the CoP reserves the right to grant or deny an NOC for reasons such as congestion in river bodies, local issues linked to fishermen, or any other problem linked to navigational safety. In such scenarios, permissions issued could also be revoked.
It is also mandated that an operator will need permission from the tourism department after getting the required licence from the CoP.
As applicable to post-monsoon water sports activities, during the monsoon, the activity will not be allowed after sunset.
On Tuesday, the department of inland waterways issued a notification stating that the Captain of Ports (CoP) has given the go-ahead for water sports during the rains in inland waters. The rivers Sal, Chapora, Zuari, Nerul, Sinquerim, Mandovi — at Diwar island away from the navigational channel — and Dona Paula Bay have been identified for monsoon sports.
While water sports activities are permitted across Goa’s beaches, they are banned during the monsoon.
The department has invited objections and suggestions from stakeholders within five days of the publication of the notification.
An operator seeking permission must have valid insurance, and the water sports activity must be carried out in sheltered inland waters. The vessel that will be used will need to have additional safety appliances.
The notification also mandates that operators seeking permission should operate in their village to avoid possible disputes and disharmony among operators.
An official said that the issue of jurisdiction gets raised when the number of operators increases in a given area and that despite queuing, fights occur between them.
It is specified that if there is an adverse advisory issued or any weather-related warning issued by the Indian meteorological department, or the CoP releases any notice, the activity will need to be halted until the warning is lifted.
The official said the CoP reserves the right to grant or deny an NOC for reasons such as congestion in river bodies, local issues linked to fishermen, or any other problem linked to navigational safety. In such scenarios, permissions issued could also be revoked.
It is also mandated that an operator will need permission from the tourism department after getting the required licence from the CoP.
As applicable to post-monsoon water sports activities, during the monsoon, the activity will not be allowed after sunset.