MARGAO: The demand for postponing the public hearings on the Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP), scheduled on July 7, is growing with Congress MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco and Comunidades joining hands for it and even AAP objecting to the plans.
Claiming that the Coastal Zone Management Plan for Goa, prepared by NCSCM, is nothing but a means to transport coal to Karnataka through Goan Rivers is well known, the Aam Aadmi Party cautioned that the plan would drive Goa and Goans to extinction.
Terming the CZMP in Konkani as “Collxeant Zollon Morpacho Plan”, AAP convener Elvis Gomes said it would bring untold misery upon the people particularly those living within the area marked under CRZ in the plan.
Stating that the plan is nothing but a means to displace Goans from their land, Gomes expressed surprise that the Opposition is silent on the matter and added that even the nationalisation of rivers that was done earlier was part of this “nefarious” plan to help the coal mafia.
AAP volunteers have been active in different villages sensitizing people on the plan with the help of some concerned Goans and Elvis cautioned that if the plans are approved, then, the 73rd and 74th Amendments to the Constitution giving powers to the panchayats and municipal areas will be nullified in areas demarcated as CRZ areas.
Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco: Meanwhile Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco termed the plans as half baked and aimed at giving sweeping powers to the Centre over the rivers and the land adjacent to that in Goa as where there is saline water found in rivers is brought under CRZ.
“All the villages in my constituency are adversely affected and the houses in Rachol which are on the river bank may face demolitions,” he said and pointed out that people from Raia, Curtorim and Carmorlim live on the fish they catch in the river.
He said he has already written to Environment Minister Nilesh Cabral about the matter and asked for immediate postponement of the public hearing on July 7 on simple grounds that the local people have not been consulted.
“I am an MLA, but nobody approached me nor were any of the panchayat members from my constituency consulted,” he said adding that preparing a plan without consulting the locals is against the rights of the indigenous rights of the people as envisaged by the United Nations.
Comunidades: President of Carambolim Comundade Capt Venzy Viegas who had organised a meeting of few comunidades of Salcete on June 23 is now mobilising more comunidades.
A meeting of comunidades from North Goa is scheduled on June 28 at 4 pm in the office of the Moira Comunidade while the comunidades from South Goa will be meeting on June 29 at 11 am at the Margao Comunidade office.
Venzy demanded documentary evidence from NCSCM that they consulted the locals and stake holders and failure to produce that should be sufficient reason to postpone the public hearings scheduled on July 7.
