Team Herald
PANJIM: Indicating that the public outcry against the Draft CRZ notification 2018 was uncalled for, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar stated that the notification, even after being finalised, cannot be implemented without public consultation.
Parrikar also claimed that the apprehension on reduction of NDZ in new draft notification is also uncalled for. “The Draft CRZ notification 2018 proposes a reduction in NDZ only for land areas along the rivers and coastal areas where population density is more than threshold of 2161 per square kilometre and Goa has no such panchayat,” he said replying to the cut motions in the House.
He added that there is no relaxation to any hotel and apprehensions that Goa’s coastal areas being destroyed by hotel project are unfounded. “Draft CRZ notification 2018 does not give any special permission or exempt for hotel projects viz-a-viz CRZ notification 2011,” Parrikar said.
Further, he continued, in any case a simple reading of draft CRZ 2018 makes it very clear that for the provisions contained therein to come into effect, the Coastal Zone Management Plan of the respective State has to be revised following public consultation.
“The plan what we are doing is based on 2011 notification so if I want to implement, even if they are finalised, then I will have to do full public consultation. So why shout that public is not consulted, when the process itself has not started?” he asked.
He said the draft notification has come but what will be implemented is not known. “It is very simple, there is a clause in notification which says CZMP has to be revised to 2018 in public consultation,” the chief minister contended adding, “So where is the question of people not being consulted, it is only in a very initial phase.” Parrikar also expressed willingness to make a presentation to all MLAs post the Assembly session.
To a query by Deputy Speaker Michael Lobo, Parrikar said that the CZMP 2011 will be out in few months which will help clear projects which are on hold.
