The National Perspective Plan report dated April 2016 of the Sagarmala Project under the Ministry of Shipping, Government of India has identified 14 Coastal Economic Zones (CEZs) along the coastline of India. Each of these CEZs is mapped to the nearby ports. The tiny State of Goa is included in the Coastal Economic Zone (CEZ) of South Konkan-Maharashtra under the Sagarmala project. The South Konkan-Maharashtra CEZ layout under the Sagarmala project is mapped to the Mormugao major Port.
The development of Chapora River, Mapusa/Moide River and Sal River have been included along with the rivers of Maharashtra in Cluster-7.This is highlighted in the feasibility report of April 2016 for the Mapusa/Moide River prepared for the Inland Waterways Authority of India(IWAI). Why should these rivers of Goa be included along with the rivers of Maharashtra?
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CEZs in India have been proposed to promote large commercial development projects with industrial clusters and urban townships. The identified commercial development investment projects are to be implemented in Special Economic Zones (SEZs)/National Investment &Manufacturing Zones (NIMZs)/Special Investment Region with transportation connectivity of these development nodes to the nearby economic/industrial corridors.
The CEZ investment projects under SEZs/NIMZs/ Special Investment Region require massive multi-modal connectivity with logistics hubs and commercial complexes for implementing cargo transportation development plans. The economic viability of the unsustainable Mopa Airport is linked to such development concepts with unwanted urban townships. SEZs have been scrapped in Goa.
Is the water supply for unwanted urban townships in Goa linked to the construction of massive Kolhapur-type bandharas by destroying the river systems originating in the Western Ghats? Have these massive bandhara structures been included in the Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) for the diversion of Mhadei River for the benefit of Karnataka & Maharashtra?
The Sagarmala Development Company Ltd. (SDCL) set up under the Ministry of Shipping had listed 30 Sagarmala projects in Goa as on July 31, 2019. From the list of projects, at least 10 projects are for Mormugao Port modernisation. The national waterways NW27-Cumbarjua, NW68-Mandovi & NW111-Zuari are shown as one port connectivity project under implementation. The construction of jetties at Shiroda, Durbhat, Cortalim-Rassaim, Aldona, Sanvordem, Ribandar, Old Goa-Divar, Banastarim & Pilgao have been listed as 9 separate Port Modernisation projects.
Therefore in order to prevent man-made disasters in Goa, there is an urgent need to scrap the demarcation of the coastal jetties proposed under Port Modernisation and other unsustainable Sagarmala projects.
