GCZMA blasts WRD for its ‘hidden agenda’

PANJIM: Slamming the Water Resources Department (WRD) for providing incorrect information on the proposed construction and repairs of a bund at Siolim, which now turns out to be a jetty for anchoring vessels, Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) has said that the ‘hidden agenda’ of WRD stands exposed.
GCZMA expert member Dr Antonio Mascarenhas, castigating WRD over alleged violation of Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) norms during the construction of bund and also development of river front along the Chapora River, has cast aspersions on the department functioning.
“Considering the public funds that are involved in such projects ostensibly for societal benefit, all the recent activities of WRD may need a review. This issue also brings to the fore the very mandate of this department – whether to augment and conserve the precious water resources of the State of Goa, or whether to indulge in rampant concretization of the rivers and beaches in the guise of ‘erosion control’ (where there is no erosion), or ‘flood control’ (where there is no flood), and without any prior scientific investigations,” he stated in a fresh report submitted on Thursday.
“The concerned WRD officials are feeling insecure as their ‘hidden agenda of sorts’ is now exposed,” Mascarenhas said responding to allegations by WRD as to who leaked the GCZMA inspection report on the project to media and why no inquiry was conducted.
“We also need to note that in coastal management, the ultimate beneficiary is the common man and not the business man,” the GCZMA expert member said urging the authority’s Member Secretary to make the new report public.
GCZMA has come down heavily on WRD for providing incorrect information about the projects. “Although WRD officials categorically informed us that this structure being built is not a jetty/not meant for boats/has no provisions for anchoring, a site visit on June 8, 2016 clearly showed that this construction is indeed comparable to a jetty, and further, it will have a higher level than any other normal jetty. It is not known as to why WRD is projecting a wrong image,” he stated.
As per GCZMA’s earlier report, Siolim bund area falls under the ambit of CRZ 2011 regulations. The long bund that is about 5-6 metres in width is a ‘double’ No Development Zone (NDZ) by virtue of the tidally influenced river Chapora in the north and the narrow creek in the south.
The WRD written reply mentions about projects below 20,000 m2. “These rules are applicable to housing in CZR II only. The Siolim river bank cannot be classified as CRZ II. As such, the area criteria cannot be applied to this case. The WRD has fumbled yet again,” expert said.