MARGAO: Environmentalists have raised concerns about discrepancies in the notified Coastal Zone Management Plans (CZMPs), such as the omission of salt pans, khazan lands and sand dunes.
The Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority and the State Environment Department have also been criticised for not doing enough to address this issue as well as for failing to prevent violations occurring in the No Development Zones (NDZ). “In spite of objections and suggestions given by the people of Goa, there are massive changes in the newly-notified CZMP, which is a serious issue affecting the State. They even went to the extent of deleting saltpans, khazan lands, sand dunes and NDZ areas,” said one activist from South Goa. Others alleged that the National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM) was involved in the flawed CZMP in favour of the real estate lobby that is not bothered about the destruction of the environment. While the citizen groups are contemplating about when to approach the courts and National Green Tribunal (NGT) to challenge the CZMP, the traditional fishing communities are also upset about the statements made by Environment Minister Nilesh Cabral about removing fish breeding zones in the CZMP.
Activists also listed various places where the GCZMA is dismissing complaints filed about existing NDZ violations without conducting proper investigations.
