VASCO: Goenchea Raponkarancho Ekvott (GRE) President Agnelo Rodrigues has lambasted the State government for approving the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) 2019 notification even after raising several objections against it.
He accused the government that it wants to put the entire State in ICU by destroying coastal communities’ livelihoods, Tourism dependents and State economy.
National Fishworkers Forum (NFF) Vice Chairperson and GRE General Secretary Olencio Simoes also expressed shock over the Central government approval to the CRZ 2019 notification despite assurance being given by the Central Minister Suresh Prabhu, South MP Narendra Sawaikar and several coastal MPs from Maharasthra, Kerela, West Bengal and Tamil Nadu who were present at an ‘Interaction with Parliamentarians’ and highlighted the objections to the draft CRZ Notification 2018 at the Deputy Chairman Hall, Constitution Club, Delhi.
Simoes stated that the Central and the State governments have violated the Constitution thereby violating Section 3 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
“This is a desperate attempt by the government to push Sagarmala plans which will concretise the entire 105 km coastline of Goa and 190 km of riverline of Goa under the National Waterways Act, 2016,” he said.
He said that the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) 2019 has completely diluted the very founding principles and objectives of protecting the coastal communities, coastal and marine ecology and restricting development of ports, industries etc which was done in CRZ 1991 and CRZ 2011.
“The Coastal Regulation Zone 2019 will be like a dark era for Goa as coastal communities like fishermen, toddy tappers, farmers, tourism, shack owners etc will be displaced as the NDZ is reduced to 50 mts and 20 mts subsequently,” Simoes warned.
He said that Goa had special consideration in the CRZ 2011 because of its ecologically sensitive and the geo-morphological features like mangroves, corals and coral reefs and associated biodiversity, sand dunes, mudflats, salt marshes, turtle nesting grounds at Mandrem, Morjim, Galgiba and Agonda.
