Team Herald
MARGAO: The Opposition parties and activists on Sunday demanded that the State government before finalising the draft Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP) should take back the plans to the respective panchayats and start the planning process all over again by taking the villagers into confidence.
If you enjoyed reading this article, you can help support our journalism by adding OHeraldo as a preferred source.
In a turbulent public hearing, varied reactions, most of them to cancel and postpone the hearing to accommodate the coastal community and also consult the panchayats for the finalisation of CZMP echoed at Ravindra Bhavan, here.
Benaulim MLA Churchill Alemao, who was present throughout the hearing, said that the people have not agreed with what the authorities are doing today. Hence, one has to go to the panchayat level and plan.
Goencho Raponkarancho Ekvott led by Olencio Simoes submitted a memorandum demanding to call off the hearing as they claimed that the rules of the notification of the public hearing have not been followed.
Captain Viriato Fernandes said that there are panchayats after panchayats rejecting the plans, which leaves no meaning for the public hearing.
Abhijit Prabhudesai asked why is the government and authorities not reaching out to the panchayats? “Don’t run away from the panchayats. Come to the villages and plan,” he requested.
Digambar Kamat along with Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco alleged that initially they were not allowed to enter.
Referring to the police involvement, Curtorim MLA Aleixo Reginaldo said, “I advise the police and the bureaucracy to be with the people. This government is not permanent, remember you’ll are selling your motherland.”
“Be fair with the people of Goa. We will have to prepare the people to join forces for a bigger resentment,” warned Reginaldo.
Opposition Leader Digambar Kamat said, “You have called a public hearing and inside it happens to be a private hearing when the public is kept outside. Send the officials to the panchayats and plan the CZMP again.”
“This deals with the future of the State. People are of the firm opinion that the plan has to be done from the panchayats’ end,” he added.
“There is total dissent. Start the process all over again. Postpone the hearing. Also put in the minutes that many people were left outside as the hearing was happening inside,” insisted Digambar.
