The government has made two important announcements ahead of the public hearing on the Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP) that if they are acceptable to the Central government will benefit the State in the future. Environment Minister Nilesh Cabral revealed that the government will be making prior State permission mandatory for central major infrastructure projects in CRZ areas, which require Environment Impact Assessment studies and consultation, before the projects are placed in public domain. Till now this is not required and as pointed out by the minister many projects are proposed in CRZ areas without the knowledge of the State government. The other major recommendation is that the State will not permit the increase the quantum of coal handling at Mormugao Port Trust from the current limit.
Both these are important issues that will be proposed and will be taken up separately with the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) after the public hearing, as these do not come within the purview of the National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM) that is drafting the plan for the State. This, therefore, is not final as the recommendations have to be accepted by the Centre, especially the one making a State nod binding for projects. Acceptance of this recommendation therefore depends on the Centre that is keen to fasttrack infrastrucutre and development projects across the country and would not want State concurrence to lead to delays.
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As stated by the Environment Minister, the State’s prior approval for such projects is a must. But, if the practice has been to decide and then inform the State, the Centre may not readily agree to the State’s recommendation. The Minister, however, asserts that the government will ensure that this recommendation is incorporated in the CZMP and notified, making it binding on all the projects in the State in CRZ area. That would be ideal as long as it is accepted by the Centre. Goa’s CZMP has been inordinately delayed by months and also faced opposition from the people, but if this gives the State the opportunity to bring about even some of the changes it is recommending, the delay could well be beneficial.
In the case of not increasing the coal handling capacity at MPT, it is pertinent to point out that over the past months there has been a sustained people’s campaign demanding that unloading of coal at the port be stopped completely. In November last year Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant had also stated that coal handling at the port would be reduced in a staggered manner and then brought to a stop, seeking at least a year to do this. In that respect, the CZMP should be stating that coal handling will be phased out and not including a statement or recommendation that there will be no increase over the current limit. The government has to come clear on the coal issue, especially since there is an ongoing agitation against the transportation of coal that has already lasted a few months.
As the CZMP finalisation comes to its last lap, there are expected to be various issues that will be brought up at the public hearing based on the draft. Nothing, however, should further delay the plan from being finalised. The plan is important for the future planning for Goa and various projects are on hold until the CZMP is notified. That, however, should not be a licence to overlook the suggestions that the people will make at the hearing. The plan has been contentious and the draft that is now out will undergo thorough scrutiny from the people, who will put forth their suggestions at the public hearing.
