Team Herald
PANJIM: In a major setback to the Goa government, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has ordered the conduct of fresh public hearings to finalise the Goa Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP), while extending the deadline to complete the process till August 31.
The NGT Principal Bench, in an order passed on May 31, directed the State to conduct the public hearing within one month at two different venues from the date of issue of notice in the newspaper.
“While it is true that there is urgency in the matter of finalisation of CZMP, which process is pending for the last 7 years, at the same time the salutary mandate of public hearing has to be followed in letter and spirit,” the five-member bench headed by chairperson Adarsh Kumar Goel, stated.
Goa Foundation had moved the NGT challenging the manner in which the public hearing to finalise the plan was held on March 7. The grievance of the applicant was that the public hearings already held were not meaningful. The notice period should have been 60 days as per the Environment (Protection) Rules, 1986, while State granted only 30 days time to submit suggestions and objections to the draft plan, it stated.
Goa Foundation had pointed out to the uproar that had taken place on the day of the public hearing after several stakeholders were denied permission to participate in the hearing. It had also brought to the notice of the tribunal the last minute change in venue for the public hearing in North Goa.
“Last minute change in venue certainly caused prejudice in conduct of public hearing,” NGT said.
NGT has directed State to ensure that the notice is issued within one week in the prescribed mode, including in newspapers, fixing a date for public hearing within one month from the date of notice.
“Two venues with adequate capacity may be specified which may not be changed. The modalities of conducting public hearing may be specified in the notice. Written objections may also be allowed to be filed, to be supplemented by public hearing of specified duration,” the green bench said.
Representations of all sections of affected people may be ensured without rending the situation unviable, NGT said.
“If necessary public hearing may be continued for more than one day but we do not fix any particular number of days. Idea is reasonable opportunity to all concerned sections,” the bench said.
The bench has extended the time of completing the process to August 31 as against the earlier date of January 31.
The CZMP was last drafted in 1996. Goa government appointed Chennai-based National Center for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM) in 2016 to draft the new plan.
Earlier the CZMP had been prepared in 1996 continued in force till 2016. The new CZMP will be valid for two decades. “It is, therefore, to be ensured that there are no errors. 80 per cent population will be affected by the CZMP,” Goa Foundation had contended.
