Incorporate suggestions, objections in CZMP: Loutolim locals urge govt

MARGAO: Loutolim residents on Wednesday urged the government to incorporate the suggestions and objections in the Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP), as the officials of the Water Resources Department (WRD) visited the village for ground truthing pertaining to the plan in the village.
A team of WRD officials visited the village for verification regarding the ground reality about the objections raised by the villagers pertaining to CZMP.
Speaking to the media persons panch Xavier Fernandes said a team of WRD officials visited Loutolim with regards to the CZMP. “It was our demand to send the concerned departments to the village to verify the actual situation regarding the plan. Many people have raised several objections to the plan, and today officials of WRD heard the grievances and noted down the objections and suggestions,” said Fernandes.
He urged the government to incorporate all the suggestions and objections in the plan before finalising itand Port limits and jetties should be removed from the plan.
Franky Monteiro, president of Loutolim Comunidade said they have pointed out objections with regard to the CZMP before WRD officials. “Our main objection is that one of the companies at Loutolim has a landfill area of approximately 16,000 sq mtrs belonging to Loutolim Comunidade, “said Monteiro.
He said that the land that belongs to the government cannot be shown as a shipyard.
“I have also pointed out that a company has landfill on both sides of the bundh and also paddy fields by compromising with the tenants. If structures are not shown on the survey plan then why jetties and shipyards are shown on the plan and why the decades old houses have been omitted from the plan,” asked Monteiro.
Jose Anton Gracias an office bearer of a tenant association said several important things are not shown on the CZMP.
“I urged the authority to depute the officials of the Public Works Department, as there are several issues related to the department, which needs to be rectified. Many cross-pipes are not shown in the plan, besides highways are also not marked”, he said.
Constancio Fernandes, attorney of one of the tenants associations of Loutolim, who attended the hearings, said several paddy fields are not shown in the plan. “The experts should come to verify the ground reality. PWD officials should also come to the people,” said Fernandes.