PANJIM: The public hearing of Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP) in North Goa was riddled with problems right from the start.
The minimally set up marquee didn’t have a podium for first few speakers, rather filled in with stacked-up plastic chairs and a microphone was kept upon it the allotted speakers. Public questioned why a table wasn’t kept nearby knowing a speakers need to refer multiple documents and maps.
Public was also upset to see that there was no arrangement of a projector and large screen where the maps of individual areas could be screened. They pointed out that having one would have helped the speakers make his/her point clearer about the errors in his/her village.
The rain too became spoilsport during the hearing. The heavy downpour led water dripping inside the cloth-covered pandals. People standing outside the venue to complete their spot registration were in a fix.
The crowd was irked to see no arrangement of food or water for the participants in the venue, neither organised lunch break.
The situation became tense when Cecille Rodrigues asked the District Collector to explain why the north Goa venue did not have screens like the South Goa venue that could show the proceedings live to the audienceas it is being done in the South Goa venue. The fact that most of the virtual speakers could not connect due to network issues was another matter.
Soon a crowd gathered by the barricades and questioned why the Collector was not present. Manoj Parab of Revolutionary Goans also demanded answers from the authorities over the handling of the hearing.
When the Collector returned, he asked the crowd to cooperate and to allow the proceedings to continue. A section of the audience was unhappy with the disruption too and argued with those agitating. Eventually, the proceedings did continue but multiple speakers made it a point to express their displeasure over the poor arrangements and facilities at the district hearing.
Many in the crowd also criticised the authorities for not organising the hearing properly given that it was not easy for them to come for this and yet had to waste all day before they finally got their chance to speak. They felt a certain time should have been allotted to each speaker so that they could have come directly at that time only.
