BICHOLIM: The special meeting called by Bicholim people regarding the CZMP witnessed a heated discussion between the Environment Minister, Nilesh Cabral, environmentalists and residents who demanded scrapping of the plan even as the minister tried to convince the people and said that the meeting was held so that the public could give suggestions on the plan.
The meeting was held at Zantye College of Commerce at Vathadev in Bicholim.
After the PPT presentation the minister told the public that he has specially come to ask for suggestions from the people.
“Environment department is making a fresh plan and so all should participate with their suggestions, objections. The existing NCSCM plan is not proper and so I told the department to send it back for them to study.” said Cabral.
“Now our department is doing the exercise of making the corrections in the plan for the people of the State,” he said adding that the earlier plan of NCSCM was kept at the venue for the people to study.
He said his department is undertaking two exercises one of making a plan as per the 2011 and sending it to NCSCM and sought support and feedback from the people. He said they would later go to every village after the village level plan is prepared.
“Presently we are going to talukas and later we would seek suggestions and go at village level with the plan and they can make the necessary suggestions. “As per the new instructions the CRZ will also include the khazan lands and after scientifically studying it we have submitted the report to NCSCM,” he said.
During the question session some of the environmentalists and social workers said the entire issue prominently affects the fishermen and so their representitive should be a part of the team who will finally meet the central committee. Some of them also demanded to scrap the entire plan.
They also sought to know as to which agency had earlier given wrong information to the NCSCM and demanded that the locals should be involved in the entire process. The public asked to know the time-frame as to when the entire plan will be ready.
As the meeting was dragged because of questions some of the locals got furious and said they do not need environmentalists and they are capable to handle the issues related to Bicholim. A police force was pressed into service to pacify the situation.
The minister tried to answer all the queries of the people and assured that he wants to succeed in this matter and all the queries of the people would be met.
Bicholim MLA and who is also the Assemby Speaker, Rajesh Patnekar said there were some errors earlier and called for suggestions to improve the plan. He said in Bicholim and Mulgao there are some places where there is khazan land and it is the responsibility of the BMC and the panchayat to show the earlier width of the river. He said the entire motive is to protect the river and land.
