VASCO: Residents of Sao Jacinto Island and Chicalim on Sunday visited the Chicalim Panchayat and met sarpanch Sebastiao Pereira to raise objections to the exclusion of their houses, underground tunnel, chapel, etc, in the draft Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP).

Deril D’Souza, a resident of Sao Jacinto Island said, “We have been raising the issue of the flaws in the CZMP since 2019 that our houses, church and other structures are not shown in the plan. We raised this issue with the panchayat and we were the first panchayat to send this new draft with all suggestions to Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) but nothing has been incorporated and same old plan has come back. Therefore, today people visited the Chicalim Panchayat and we learnt that sarpanch has sent the new revised plan to the GCZMA.”

D’Souza thanked the Sarpanch and Panchayat Minister Mauvin Godinho for supporting the people.

He said the people questioned why the old plan with their suggestions, etc., was not implemented and why the important structures on Sao Jacinto Island were not shown in the draft CZMP.

D’Souza said he would request the GCZMA to go as per the old plan which was prepared by Chicalim villagers.

Later, speaking to the media persons, Chicalim sarpanch said, “The CZMP was ready by taking the villagers, senior citizens, fishing community and other concerned persons with their suggestions and was forwarded to the concerned authority expecting that all things will be shown in the CZMP. Most of the suggestions given by us were considered, but certain things were not shown in the CZMP such as Sao Jacinto Island and private land in Port Limits.”

He mentioned that panchas have discussed the issue at the meeting and a resolution was taken as they raised objections to certain things shown in the Port Limits stating that people have opposition to the same.

“We have informed the villagers that as soon as possible they should put forth their suggestions/objections to the authority,” the sarpanch added.