Team Herald
PERNEM: People from the Pernem coastal belt boycotted the public consultation meeting on Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP) which was organized at Government College of Arts and Commerce, Virnoda on Friday.
Initially the people gathered at the Government College and held a silent protest against the consultation meeting.
Later a delegation comprising Arambol Sarpanch Inacio Danial Dsouza, Morjim Sarpanch Vaishali Shetgaonkar, Keri Sarpanch Ratnakar Harji, Mandrem Sarpanch Pradeep Hadfadkar, Agarwada-Chopde Sarpanch Amol Raut and Legal advisor Adv Prasad Shahapurkar submitted a representation to Pernem Deputy Collector Chandrakant Shetkar demanding the scrapping of the whole Coastal Zone Management Plan.
People gathered at the venue also said that until the authorities don’t give a written assurance on
scrapping the Plan, the people will not enter the hall to attend the meeting.
While the people were holding a silent protest outside the meeting hall, Environment Minister Nilesh Cabral addressed the people who questioned him regarding the plan. People also demanded that the plan be scrapped and not to have the consultation meeting and a new draft plan be made at village panchayat level.
Cabral, while answering queries, said the draft plan has already been sent back to the National Centre of Sustainable Coastal Management for re-study. However, the consultation meeting was being held in each taluka for the people to know what it is all about, what role the people have to play and after studying the plan people can clearly submit their objections and suggestions which will be noted down and will be used while drafting the new plan. Cabral also stated that a new plan will be drafted at the State level which will be further sent to NCSCM.
“This is not a public hearing but a public consultancy meeting. We have come here to listen to public grievances. Their objections and suggestions which will be noted down and incorporated in the plan and the same will be forwarded to the agency concerned that will do the rectification,” Cabral said.
However, not fully satisfied with the answers given by Cabral, people continued to demand the scrapping of the entire plan and sought meetings at each village. People demanded that while making a new draft plan, local bodies, local residents should also be taken into consideration and while drafting the plan, government machinery should be provided. Cabral than assured to have meetings at village level.
Meanwhile, people from all over Goa extended their support. Activist Abhijeet Prabhudesai, Claude Alvares, components of comunidades were also present.
The consultation meeting later commenced in the presence of Cabral, Dy collector Chandrakant Shetkar, member secretary CRZ and Officials, however, the meeting was boycotted by the people.
