Team Herald
VASCO: The Mormugao Municipal Council (MMC) at last kept the newly made Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP) for display in the Council premises for the locals for their suggestions and objections, which will be incorporated in the Draft and sent to Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA).
In a special meeting organised by MMC on Friday, after discussions and the presentation given by the civil society representatives, the Council decided to display the CZMP Draft for two days.
To discuss and to decide on CZMP Draft, Savio Correia, social activist, from Vasco stated that the Environment Department had asked all the local bodies to prepare their own CZMP plan of the area within their jurisdiction and submit to the GCZMA.
The preparation of CZMP is the most critical environmental protection plan that is bound to impact future generations to come”.
Correia in his presentation further said that some portion of the municipal area is impacted by CRZ Regulations. The plan should have measures to restore Vasco Bay (Kharewaddo) beach that has seen massive erosion due to haphazard dredging and berth constructions by Mormugao Port Trust.
“The fishing wards at Baina and Kharewaddo need to be accurately marked to ensure protection to houses of traditional fishermen. Some years back there was a beach at Kharewaddo which is now not visible. There is a need to give justification to what happened to this beach since 1991 to 2011,” he mentioned.
He further opined that as per his study, there is a need to create natural barrier to avoid sea water from entering interior parts of the settlement areas around Vasco. Precautions need to be taken by each individual to decrease the emission of greenhouse gases which are responsible for global warming.
Captain Viriato Fernandes, who was coordinating the presentation, said, “His team of civil society has identified four tentative shelter stations in case of sea level rises or any natural calamity situation. These four spots are Sateri Temple, New Vaddem; Deepvihar School, Sada; St Theresa School, Vasco and Government Primary School, Baina.
Later, MMC Chairperson Nandadeep Raut and the councillors present decided to put the draft for public suggestions and objections which will likely be approved if there are no objections and this approved draft will be sent to CZMA by Tuesday.
