Crackdown on illegal businesses on Calangute beach promenade

Calangute: The Calangute panchayat on Saturday raided some shops that were allegedly carrying out multiple businesses illegally on the Calangute beach promenade. The food and drugs administration (FDA) also launched a drive against illegal biryani vendors in the Calangute market.

Calangute sarpanch Joseph Sequeira said the shops were raided as they did not have proper licences. “The owners of the premises would take a licence for a clothes shop and have other businesses, like a tattoo shop, a cafe, or cashew nuts outlet, within the same premises without permissions,” he said.

“Those who want to do business should take a licence. Five shops conducting unauthorised multiple businesses were closed today, and accompanying illegal structures were removed,” he added.

Sequeira said the drive has been carried out so that tourists are not harassed while walking to the beach. “Recently, our ward members and stakeholders cleaned the beach promenade because the tourism department is not bothered to clean this area,” he said.

The sarpanch added that the panchayat would continue to act against illegalities and unauthorised vendors at Calangute and Baga beaches and also in the Tito’s lane.

Meanwhile, the FDA conducted a raid on unauthorised biryani vendors in the Calangute market. “We carried out raids and found six vendors who didn’t have the required permissions and were preparing the food in very unhygienic conditions,” said FDA officer Richard Noronha.

“We have confiscated all such food items, their stands, and vessels of biryani, which they were selling for around Rs 100,” he added.

The FDA official said they had conducted a raid earlier also and stopped the vendors. “But with the tourism season, they’re back. Only people with proper FDA licence should run hotels,” he said.




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