MARGAO: Twenty-two panchayats in Salcete have rejected the draft Coastal Zone Management Plans (CZMP) sent to them by the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) and have demanded that the plans be prepared as per the recommendations and suggestions made by the gram sabhas in 2020.
The CZMP maps were not sent to Aquem Baixo, Davorlim Dicarpale, Nuvem, Paroda, Sao Jose de Areal, Seraulim, Sarzora and Rumdamol Davorlim panchayats as they have no coastline. But some villages have a river passing through them while, others have ponds and lakes.
Navelim, Sarzora, Dramapur Sirlim and Telaulim villagers have not yet decided on the CZMP maps sent to them as no gram sabha has been held in these villages due to the Code of Conduct in force as these villages form part of the Navelim ZP constituency which will go to polls.
Rejecting the plan submitted at present, the Cavelossim gram sabha demanded that the time given to submit suggestions be extended by at least a month as people need time to study the new map.
These 22 villages have rejected the CZMP maps as the authorities have sent the copies of the same which were sent earlier in 2020 and not a single suggestion made by the gram sabhas has been incorporated.
In what appears to be an attempt to complicate matters and confuse people, the GCZMA has at places prepared separate CZMP maps for revenue villages of the same panchayat. For example Chinchinim Deussua is one panchayat but, two separate CZMP maps have been prepared for the two revenue villages of Chinchinim and Deussua.
Similarly, separate CZMP maps have been prepared for Gandaulim, Sernabatim and Colva revenue villages as all these form part of the Colva panchayat which is actually known as Sernabatim, Vanelim, Colva and Gandaulim panchayat.
A separate CZMP map is prepared for Gonsua, which is actually a part of Betalbatim panchayat and is not even a separate revenue village.
