PANJIM: Following directions from High Court, the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) has decided to rope in Centre for Environment Education (CEE) to prepare Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP) to protect turtle-nesting grounds along the beaches of Mandrem, Morjim, Galgibag and Agonda.
The High Court, in September, directed GCZMA to prepare management plan for protection of the turtle nesting sites within next three months.
The GCZMA during its recent meeting deliberate and decide on preparation of management plan for protection of turtle nesting sites in villages of Mandrem, Morjim, Galgibag and Agonda.
The members were of the opinion that there could not be a blanket ban on the entire beach stretches and that there should be a proper management plan to strike a balance between environment and livelihood.
“Without human intervention there won’t be proper protection and growth of the endangered species,” the authority noted.
Hence it was decided to rope in CEE Goa, which is a recognised institution of the Union Ministry for Environment and Forest (MoEF) to prepare a report.
As per CRZ Notification 2011, Clause 8 (3) (vii) provides that the beaches of Mandrem, Morjim, Galgibag and Agonda have been designated as turtle nesting sites and protected under the Wildlife Protection Act 1972 and these areas shall be surveyed and management plan prepared for protection of these turtle nesting sites and that no development shall be permitted in the turtle bleeding areas referred to herein above.
