Perennial defaulters of the CZMP, the Goa government is seeking an additional two months beyond the new deadline, to complete the coastal plan
On August 28, the National Coastal Zone Management Authority asked states to update and notify their coastal plans (CZMP in two months), otherwise no coastal projects would receive CRZ approval; The Goa government is not in a position to meet even this deadline
Herald Team
PANJIM: Despite the Bombay High Court in Goa asking the state government to finalize the Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP) as soon as possible, the latter seems to be on the verge of failing to do so again as it is in the process of seeking more time to complete it. .
“We will write to the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) seeking two months’ time to finalize the coastal zone management plan. We will make the same request to the ministry during the inter-state meeting likely to be held next October. Minister (Environment) Arun Kumar Mishra told O Heraldo: “We will seek time until December of this year.”
It is noteworthy that Goa State has lagged behind other states in finalizing the Caribbean Management Plan.
The Ministry of Environment on 18 January 2019 directed all coastal states and UTs to update their Coastal Management Plans (CZMP) made under the CRZ Notification 2011. It stated that all projects related to coats should be evaluated as per the updated Coastal Management Plan compliant with the CRZ Notification 2019. If not completed By the end of October, projects on the coasts – private and government – will stop.
The Goa government has entrusted the preparation of the draft to the National Center for Geoscience Studies.
The Center has asked the States and Union Territories to prepare or update their SCS management plans by seeking services from reputed scientific institutions or agencies in consultation with relevant stakeholders. The CZMPs were supposed to be modernized somehow
In September last year, NCZMA had asked states and union territories to expedite updating or reviewing CZMP plans by December 2022, but the Goa government was unable to finalize the plan.
In 2019, the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, New Delhi issued the Coastal Regulation Zone Notification 2019 under which all states and union territories are expected to review or update their coastal zone management plans made under the Coastal Regulation Zone Notification 2011 and submit to the Government of India for approval.
However, activists have reacted sharply to the state government’s plan for more time claiming that due to “hypocrisy” in the department, two months time would not be enough to complete the CZMP as the 2011 CZMP itself took 11 years to get approval.
“I don’t know how they will complete the project in the next two months because they will need a public hearing as well. After two months again they will ask for more time. What happens in practice is that they will have to announce a public hearing for one month,” said Goa Foundation Director Claude Alvarez. The plan has to be prepared for that. They have to draft it and it has to be presented to a public hearing. They have to correct it and then they have to get it approved. At least six months will be needed if it is done faithfully.
“There are still some inconsistencies in the Mediterranean Zone Management Plan (CZMP), for example fishing areas have not been identified in several places, and the draft CZMP has not yet been finalized,” said Goinxia Ramponkarancho Ekvot (GREA) Secretary, Aulencio Simoes. Reservoir management, mangrove development plan and fishermen.” “.
“The government must start and complete this process. If this is done, it will be a win-win situation for everyone. Fishing areas up to 12 nautical miles have not been identified. Tomorrow there will be a problem of fishermen not being able to fish in the area because the port says it is Follow it.” He added: “We may be lagging behind compared to other countries, but that does not mean that we should have an incomplete nuclear-weapon-free zone action plan.”
Another activist, Roshan Mathias, said: “There seems to be a deliberate delay, especially since 2011 recently ended and there were not many changes to be made in the plan.”
Unfortunately, it seems like there is a planned effort by the government and they definitely have a side plan in this whole thing. Sincerity has always been lacking in this department.
(tags for translation) Goa News