PANJIM: Relenting under intense public pressure, the State Government has decided to urge National Coastal Zone Management Authority (NCZMA) to remove the controversial depiction of port limits from the final Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP). As the December 31 deadline set by National Green Tribunal (NGT) inching closer, the draft plan has been sent to NCZMA for final approval.
Despite the recommendation from the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) – the decision taken during its meeting held in March, the Chennai-based National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM) continued to show port limits on the draft CZMP 2011.
If you enjoyed reading this article, you can help support our journalism by adding OHeraldo as a preferred source.
Speaking to Herald, Director Environment Dashrath Redkar confirmed that NCSCM has depicted port limit on the draft plan and the same would be dropped from the final plan.
“We will take up the matter with NCZMA to remove the port limit from final CZMP,” Redkar said adding that the draft plan has been sent to the National body for approval.
Several apprehensions were raised by the people that the Port Authority proposed to be constituted under Major Port Authorities Bill may acquire their land shown within port limits under the draft CZMP. Some local bodies have also expressed apprehensions regarding dilution or overlapping of their jurisdictions.
As explained by the experts, since Mormugao is a major seaport, the draft CZMP 2021 specifies that large areas along the seafront and within the saline rivers will henceforth come under the jurisdiction of the port authority. As such, from Aguada to Cansaulim, and from Varca to Loliem in the south, the seafront will hereafter “belong” to and be classified as the property of Mormugao port.
Meanwhile, the GCZMA on Monday had held a special meeting to discuss and approve the draft CZMP. Sources informed that the Technical Scrutiny Committee of the CZMA has recommended retention of port limits in the draft plan; however the same was rejected by the GCZMA.
“The GCZMA was of the firm view that the port limit depiction be removed from the final plan. Also, no structures, apart from those on the foreshore, will be part of the draft plan,” sources said.
The NCZMA, will now make the necessary changes, based on State recommendation, sources said.
