Team Herald
PANJIM: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the State government to complete the draft of the new Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP) by April 29 and submit it to the tribunal before May 9.
The National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM) has been entrusted the task of drafting the CZMP with a major focus on mapping of sand dunes, assessment of carrying capacity of beach with regard to temporary seasonal structures and demarcation of the High Tide Line (HTL) and Low Tide Line (LTL).
The old CZMP drafted in 1996 (extended time and again) was valid up to January 2017, post which a new management plan has to be in place describing the government and public authorities and potentially the private sector to address priority management issues in the coastal zone over a defined implementation period.
The plan will also focus on identifying and demarcating fishing villages, thereby giving protection to the community under the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ).
“The work of preparation has been granted to NCSCM. As per CRZ 2011 notification, areas which have a population of over 20,000 will come under CRZ II zone. Now, areas like Calangute, Colva, Candolim and other coastal villages, which are thickly populated, can be classified as CRZ II. It will give huge relief to fisher folk who have small structures at the coastal line,” sources said.
