ANJUNA: Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Tuesday said that all pre-1991 houses in coastal areas will be protected and a new law is being prepared for that.
Addressing villagers during Sankalp Patra Abhiyan meeting at Bandir Waddo, Anjuna, he said the State government is contemplating of making amendment to laws related to Town and Country Planning (TCP), Tourism, Panchayat and also to Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP) to save the houses and businesses of people in coastal areas especially those existing prior to 1991.
The Chief Minister said he has already spoken to Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) Bhupender Yadav over the issue and sought certain relaxation in Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP) for coastal States.
“We were not facing CRZ issues. We faced it because people began approaching courts. Earlier there was no CZMP. It came into existence after 1991. Because of this, actions are taken as per the directions of the High Court. I do not want to make false promises. CZMP is a central act. Last time, I and environment minister met Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) Bhupender Yadav and urged him to give certain relaxation in CZMP. Even our team visited Chennai to make some changes in the CZMP 2019. Those who are doing legal business and their structures existed prior to 1991 will be supported legally. The government is making an effort in this direction,” Sawant said.
Recently, the High Court of Bombay at Goa as well as National Green Tribunal (NGT) had come down heavily on illegal construction activities in coastal belt of North Goa. The court even ordered sealing and demolition of such structures.
While hearing a Public Interest Litigation suo motu in the matter of illegal construction, the High Court asked the Anjuna-Caisua Village Panchayat and the Bardez Block Development Officer (BDO) to seal as many as 175 commercial establishments situated on the beach stretch under the Anjuna-Caisua Village Panchayat and to submit an action taken report within the next 10 days.
