PANJIM: The State government has appointed Kerala-based National Centre for Earth Science Studies (NCESS) to draft the new Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP) based on CRZ Notification 2019.

Environment Minister Nilesh Cabral said that the agency has been issued work order for drafting the plan. Goa was among the only coastal State who had not commenced work on CZMP 2019.

Cabral said that the first meeting with the NCESS officials will be held next week during which the timeline for completion of the plan will be finalised.

“The National Green Tribunal has granted deadline of March 2023 to complete the plan. But that is not practically possible for us,” the Minister said.

Goa’s much delayed CZMP 2011 was notified by the Union Ministry for Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) in September.

Meanwhile, the Minister has sought clarification from the Union Ministry over its decision to classify the areas with population density of more than 2161 per sq kms as per 2011 Census base as CRZ-III areas, wherein the No Development Zone (NDZ) measured from the High Tide Line (HTL) on the landward side has been reduced to 50 metres from the existing 200 metres.

“We want to know based on what did they arrived at the population figure of 2161. We have many villages with more than 1,500 population and needs to be considered as CRZ III. Goa is a special case,” he said adding that he will be soon visiting to Delhi to discuss the matter.

In the latest notification, Ministry has further amended CRZ Rules 2019 and allowed manual extraction of sand from sand bars and temporary seasonal structures without operation during monsoon.

During his Delhi visit, Cabral will also raise concern over Ministry’s delay to reconstitute the Goa Coastal Zone Management Committee (GCZMA), whose term ended in November.

Speaking on the noise pollution controversy, Cabral said that as per Central law, loud music in open, after 10 pm is not allowed.