PANJIM: The committees and departments dealing with ground truthing, based on the suggestions and objections received to the draft coastal zone management plan (CZMP), have submitted their report to Chennai-based National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM) for it to undertake the necessary corrections to the plan.
The Expert Committee on demarcation of high tide line (HTL) and sand dunes, Mangroves Committee dealing with buffer zone for mangroves, Water Resources Department (WRD) handling khazan bunds and sluice gate and Fisheries Department submitted their report to NCSCM for incorporation in the final plan.
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The reports were approved by Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) at its meeting held on December 10 and 14 and directions have been issued to NCSCM to consider the recommendation in the final CZMP.
Noting “breach of mandate” by the Goa Government in finalising the CZMP for the last ten years, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) had in October, granted the State till December 31, 2021 to finalise the plan, failing which the Secretary Environment will not be entitled for salary from January 1, 2022 till the default continues.
Expert Committee on demarcation of HTL and sand dunes
Total sand dune area along the coast is 3.07 sq kms of which maximum sand dunes are along the South Goa coast which is 2.40 sq kms and North Goa comprises 0.67 sq kms. Polygons of non-existing sand dunes were deleted, while those representing continuous dunes across two villages were split into two along the boundaries.
Mangroves Committee dealing with buffer zone for mangroves
Based on the report, after deliberations it was decided to request NCSCM to give areas of those mangroves that are linear and existing along riverine areas of creeks of less than 50 meters width and which measure more than 1000 sq mtrs.
Fisheries Department
The department pointed out that there are no reports or scientific studies in respect of fish breeding areas and hence recommends to NCSCM that areas depicted as fish breeding may be identified as fishing zones.
The State government had received over 7,000-odd suggestions and objections to the draft plan during the two public hearings conducted in January and July, respectively.
The first CZMP of Goa was prepared in 1996 and was used as the base plan for 2011 CZMP. The NCSCM has been working on the plan since 2016.
