10 Gauree_Draft CZMP will require state govt approval for Centre’s projects in CRZ area

Panaji: The

draft

Coastal Zone Management Plan (

CZMP

) for Goa requires that the

Centre

take prior in-principal

approval

from the

state

government before any major

projects

are taken up in the state’s

CRZ

area, environment minister Nilesh Cabral said on Wednesday.

“Major infrastructure projects in which EIA studies, consultation etc are required, prior in-principal approval from the state government has to be taken before the project is placed in public domain. Without knowledge of the state some projects come. At least the state has to be intimated as to which projects are coming in the state,” said Cabral. He was referring to the AHOY Marina project planned at Nauxi, which was scrapped following widespread opposition.

The revised draft CZMP for Goa has recently been received by the state from the prepared by the National Center for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM) Chennai.

Cabral on Wednesday also said that under the draft CZMP, fishermen will not have to run from pillar to post to get approvals for construction and repair of their houses. All permissions will be issued by the local panchayat, the environment minister said.

The public hearing on the CZMP for the entire coastal stretch of the state, in terms of CRZ notification 2011, has been scheduled on March 7, simultaneously for North and South Goa.

“The draft CZMP is online. Noone has to go to deputy collector’s office or any other office to view the plan.They can view it online. I appeal to the people to go through it and come up with suggestions,” said Cabral.

The final CZMP will be prepared incorporating all the suggestion and objections received at the hearing. The plan will be then sent to Union Ministry for Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) for approval and notification.

The NGT, in September 2020 had given Goa government time till January 31, 2021 to complete the CZMP. Cabral has said that the CZMP for Goa will be ready by February end.


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