Vasco: National Fish workers Forum (NFF) has declared a month-long national campaign from  February 23rd to March 23rd , 2019 in all coastal states against the new Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Notification 2019  issued by the Government of India on January 19  2019. 

NFF in association with Goenchea Raponkarancho Ekvott will kick of its first protest at Lohia Maidan, Margao on Feb 23rd at 3.00pm followed by National protest on February 25 at   Gujarat, Pondichery, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, on February 26 2019 at Tamil Nadu, on March 9 in Kerala, on February 27th at Odisha and March 23rd 2019 at Maharashtra and West Bengal. 

Olencio Simoes Vice Chairperson of NFF has appealed to each and every citizen of Goa to attend the national protest at Lohia maidan on February 23rd as the state is heading towards major catastrophe as the new CRZ notification 2019 will undo all special consideration which Goa had in the CRZ notification 2011.

The CRZ 2011 in section V(3) clearly stated the Government of Goa shall notify the fishing villages by which reconstruction, repair works of the structures of local communities including fishermen community would have been permissible in CRZ . The eco sensitive low-lying areas which are influenced by tidal action known as khazan lands shall be mapped. The mangroves along such as khazan land shall be protected and a management plan for the khazan land prepared and no developmental activities shall be permitted in the khazan land. 

Sand dunes, beach stretches along the bays and creeks shall be surveyed and mapped. Corals and coral reefs and associated biodiversity, Mudflats, Salt Marshes, Turtle nesting grounds at Mandrem, Morjim, Galgiba and Agonda, Horse shoe crabs habitats, Sea grass beds, Nesting grounds of birds, Areas or structures of archaeological importance and heritage sites all this eco sensitive areas which had to be mapped and surveyed  in the Coastal Zone Management Plans (CZMPs) will be now  open for haphazard development in the CRZ notification 2019.

Agnelo Rodrigues President of Goenchea Raponkarancho Ekvott has said this is a desperate attempt by the government to push Sagarmala plans which will concretize the entire 105 km of Coastline of Goa and 180 km of riverline of Goa.

Olencio Simoes stated the central government and the state government has purposely confused the people of Goa by inserting a new clause in section  2.3.2 CRZ-III B of the new CRZ notification 2019 that if the population density of Goa is less than 2161 per square kilometre, as per 2011 census base then the NDZ would be 200 mts and if the population density is more than 2161 per square kilometre  then the NDZ would be 50 mts.

NFF and GRE  called it a bluff as the previous notification has been already amended 37times and what  guarantee the state or central government will give us that the section 2.3.2 CRZ III B would not be amended ?

It’s just an eye wash as the government cannot put the new CRZ notification 2019 in force until they complete the Coastal Zone Management Plans(CZMPs) as per The NGT order on Original Application Nos. 11/2014 and 424 of 2016 issued on 22nd November 2017.So once the CZMPs is complete the new notification will be in force and  the government will certainly  amend the notification and will reduce NDZ to the entire state to 50mts , to the detriment of the coastal communities. Therefore, NFF n GRE has demanded the central and state government to withdraw the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Notification 2019 with immediate effect.