MARGO: The Orlim, Nuvem and Chandor gram sabhas on Sunday, objecting to the draft amendments to the Coastal Regulation Zone, demanded that the government construct a road 200 mts away from the High Tide Line along the entire coastline of Goa.
A road like this constructed on the lines of roads in Western countries will help immensely in protecting the environment as it will clearly demarcate where anything can be built or developed and where it cannot be done along the coastline.
The area to the west of the road will be totally no development zone while development will be permitted only to the east of the road and this will end all illegalities and litigations one villager argued.
Meanwhile, the Nuvem gram sabha also objected to the proposed amendment to the Coastal Regulation Zone. Pointing out that people were not taken into confidence over this matter, the gram sabha members said that the amendment is against all Goans and also against the environment of the land.
Meanwhile, the Chandor Cavorim Gram sabha on Sunday approved the Gram Panchayat Development Plan besides objecting to the amendments proposed for the Coastal Regulation Zone notification on grounds that it would block access to the beach to the common man.
The gram sabha witnesses some heated discussion over the issue of the road in Cotta ward not being asphalted before the monsoons. The panchayat explained the circumstances that led to the work not being completed as the monsoons started when only half the road was attended to.
The panchayat also revealed the various letters it had written besides the resolution taken to take up the work and regretted that instead of taking up that road first the contractor took it last and the onset of monsoons caused the problem.
However the gram sabha resolved that the potholes on the road be removed on top priority to give relief to the people.
The gram sabha urged the panchayat to carry out a survey of the street lights in the village as some of them are focused on the fields instead of the road. It was also pointed out that street lights were not fitted on the poles that had fallen down due to heavy rains some time back.
The gram sabha also objected to the amendment to the CRZ that seeks to permit development up to 50 mts from the HTL and said this was against the very principle of enacting the law to protect environment.
