Drive against encroachments by shacks on beach

Calangute: The tourist police unit (TPU), along with the tourism department, launched a drive against illegal encroachments by beach shacks in Calangute-Candolim area.
A number of shacks, found to have encroached beyond the area demarcated for them, had to remove beach beds, chairs and other items.
The drive is a part of the ongoing crackdown on illegalities on the beach, TPU PI Jatin Potdar said. The coastal police have also been conducting random checks of water sports operations for effective and smooth functioning of water sports activities.
Beach shack owners said the action was unnecessary as they have hardly gone one or two metres beyond the areas demarcated for them and no obstruction is caused to anybody walking on the beach.
Tourism department officials said, “We have only asked them to remove their stuff, but in the future we will fine them if they keep on encroaching.” They added that the drive would continue.
Police patrolling of the Calangute-Candolim beach stretch is being done round-the-clock following the recent incidents of assault on tourists, with police ensuring that beach shacks shut down by 11pm “to create a safe environment for tourists”.