PANJIM: The much-awaited crucial public hearings to finalise the long-delayed draft Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP) will be held from 10 am onwards on Thursday at Campal Parade ground, Panjim in North and SGPDA ground, Margao for the people of South district.
With over 700 speakers already registered for the hearing and with government permitting spot registration, the State Environment Department has decided to extend the hearing beyond Thursday, if required, considering the number of speakers.
“Use of virtual platform/online facility shall also be employed in addition to the physical public hearing process,” Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) had said in the public notice issued on June 8.
Speaking to media persons, GCZMA member secretary Dashrath Redkar said that pandals have been put up at both venues to accommodate 1,000 participants each, following proper COVID-19 protocol of social distancing. “Those who have already registered for the hearing will be given first opportunity to put across their views. Spot registered participants will be allowed to speak only after that,” he said.
Redkar said that the hearing will go on till the last speaker concludes. “Every participant will be given an opportunity to put across their suggestions,” he said adding that each speaker will be given 15 minutes to speak.
GCZMA has asked participants to restrict their speeches only to the matter in question and that it should not contain any “political” or “personal” criticism of any nature as the same will not be permitted.
The State government through an order has deputed three civil service officers – Additional Secretary Home Srinet Kotwale, Commissioner of CCP Agnelo Fernandes and Director of Settlement and Land records Johnson Fernandes – for the public consultation.
Four scientists from the National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM) – Vimal K C, Balaguru B, Soundararajan K and Sukrit Dey – will also attend the public hearing.
This is perhaps the last opportunity before the State to finalise the plan latest by August 31 as directed by the National Green Tribunal (NGT).
The CZMP was last drafted in 1996. The Goa government had appointed Chennai-based National Center for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM) in 2016 to draft the new plan.
Earlier the CZMP prepared in 1996 continued to be in force till 2016. The new CZMP will be valid for two decades. The plan, which will be drafted based on the CRZ 2011, will remain in force till the State comes up with new plan as per CRZ regulation 2019.
The State Government has launched a massive campaign through social media to clear some of the major apprehensions raised by stakeholders with regards to the draft plan. In its series of tweets in English as well as in Marathi, the Department of Environment has also made efforts to enlighten the citizens on what exactly the CZMP is and what it highlights.
The department has already informed the public of the decision to remove the port limits from the final CZMP map and that no structures will be depicted on it.
GCZMA has also decided to carry out ground truthing before considering the suggestions and objections raised by the stakeholders to the draft plan.
