Curtorim villagers approve CZMP amidst objection from ex-ZP member

Team Herald

MARGAO: Curtorim villagers on Saturday approved the Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP) prepared by them and asked the panchayat to send it to the authorities amidst vehement objections from former Zilla Panchayat member and Curtorim Biodiversity Management Committee convener Santan Rodrigues.

Sarpanch Rui Menezes pointed out that the CZMP has been prepared with the help of knowledgeable villagers including Abhijit Prabhudessai who has been spearheading the movement against the arbitrary CZMP prepared by the Chennai-based company.

He explained that the plan prepared by the villagers has removed all the mangroves that were shown in fallow fields and also very clearly shown the “chokl” or the fish breeding site adjacent to the river with the bandh clearly demarcated.

He said Santan Rodrigues was objecting to this plan as he wanted the Biodiversity Plan to be incorporated in it and argued that the Biodiversity Plan was not prepared by taking the villagers into confidence.

However, at the gram sabha, Santan pointed out that at the last gram sabha on September 29 it was suggested that the canoe tying areas be shown in the map and that the CZMP should have been placed before the Village Development Committee before discussing at the gram sabha.

He argued that the plan had to be superimposed on the one presented by the government and pointed out that at the last meeting the expert promised by the government did not turn up to explain the plan to the people.

The sarpanch pointed out that the expert had not turned up even on Saturday for the continued gram sabha that was attended by around 15 villagers and there were heated exchanges between Santan and Deputy Sarpanch Simon Barretto.

Amidst the shouting and protests by Santan, the sarpanch moved to approve the plan and the same was done.