05 Mar 2021  |   06:20am IST

NGO slams Draft CZMP for ‘hundreds of errors’

Goa Foundation objects to 30-day period to submit suggestions, objections to draft CZMP; Seeks extension by another 30-days as per the rules in force
NGO slams Draft CZMP for ‘hundreds of errors’

Team Herald

PANJIM: NGO Goa Foundation has alleged that the errors pointed out by villagers in the earlier draft Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP), have been ignored by the Chennai-based National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM) while redrafting the new plan, which has hundreds of errors. 

Goa Foundation in a letter to Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) member secretary has raised strong objection to 30-day time period granted to submit suggestions and objections to the draft plan and has demanded that a fresh public notice be issued extending the time by another one month, till March 30, as per the rules. The 30-days period lapsed on February 28. 

The Foundation alleged that several gross errors have been allowed in the draft CZMPs. Re-zoning of beach areas like Querim (Tiracol), Palolem, Cola have been carried out without any legal basis. 

“The drafts have hundreds of errors. On crucial features, they are a major disaster. The matter cannot be rushed in this manner. A bad and incompetent CZMP is worse than no CZMP. We are keenly interested in a CZMP that correctly records information about the coast and communities,” GF director Claude Alvares said.

The Foundation blamed GCZMA for putting up the maps for the public hearing without examining them first. “As a result, all the errors pointed out by village communities during the 2019 public consultation have remained in the new draft plans. This only means all village level inputs into the plan process have been ignored. This is wholly unacceptable,” Alvares pointed out.

Changes made to show several illegal constructions in the draft CZMPs (when several legitimate constructions have been left out) indicate indirect influence on the preparation of the draft CZMPs. This may require a criminal investigation, he said.

Alvares said that the 30-day limit was not legal, as it was contrary to the 60-day limit provided by the Environment Protection Rules, 1986, which is the basis for the public hearing procedures.

Alvares said that the 60-day period is unconnected with the public hearing process. He said that the people are welcome to make their point of view felt during the public hearing, scheduled on March 7, but also have the right to file detailed written objections before March 30 – the end of the 60-day period.

“The public consultation is the only forum available for the public – and environmental groups like ours – to voice their objections and concerns to the drafts. We need the time given,” he said. 



IDhar UDHAR

Idhar Udhar