Team Herald
PANJIM: Several Goans protested on Sunday at Gandhi circle in Old Goa the “draft CRZ notification 2018” that proposes to reduce CRZ area, measured from high-tide line, from existing 200 meters to 50 meters.
People under the banner Goans Against CRZ protested against the State Government for its anti-people act of granting nod to the notification, without taking the stakeholders into confidence.
At the protest, a number of green and political activists warned that the draft CRZ notification, if implemented, would have adverse effects on Goa, Goans and fishermen.
The speakers alleged that there was a capitalist agenda behind the notification and termed it the “beginning of the end” for Goa. They have asked Congress to take up the matter on the Floor of the House during the ongoing monsoon session.
Kennedy Afonso, alleged that the government ignored a 36-page document of objections pertaining to the draft notification sent by the Goencho Ramponnkarancho Ekvott (GRE). He also said that Government is ought to sale Goa and is working under pressure from Union Government, which is also ruled by BJP.
“The government wants to destroy the coastline, so that they can use the water for their own gain,” he charged.
Meanwhile, while the protest was on, there was an attempt to disrupt the same. A car, with tinted glasses, with BJP flag on it, came at the site. After taking three rounds of Gandhi circle, it was parked in the middle of the road thus blocking the entire traffic. The situation was normalized with intervention of police.
The protestors have named Old Goa Panch Vishwas Kuttikar and BJP office bearer Saieesh Amonkar behind the entire incident.
The meeting concluded with planting of coconut samplings within 200 meters boundary of CRZ.
Simultaneously, Congress party in a letter to Chief Secretary IAS Dharmendra Sharma has demanded that the views of all the stakeholders be taken into confidence, before taking any final decision on draft notification.
The party has urged government to ‘solicit and elicit views and opinions of the people of the State including all stakeholders and local self governing bodies before finalizing governmental stand and decision on the draft CRZ notification 2011’.
