VASCO
Mormugao-based activists on Thursday welcomed the Central government’s in-principle nod to the State's demand not to depict port limits in the final Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP).The activists have, however, demanded that houses before 1991 be regularised and sand dunes must be marked in the CZMP before it is finalised.
Speaking to reporters, social activist Xencor Polgi said the State government must also press to withdraw powers given to the Mormugao Port Authority (MPA) under the Major Ports Authorities Act, considering the minuscule size of Goa state.
"Our voices have finally been heard and while we welcome this decision, we feel the port limits must not be allowed to cause concerns to anyone in a small state like Goa. Making MPA an authority is a conspiracy to suppress Goans, especially the fishermen along the coastal belt because tomorrow they could be banned from fishing in the sea once the port limits are put up.”
“What is the point in giving the port so much power when the State government actually benefits nothing from it? We fear that the MPA will soon claim our land, beaches, seas and rivers as well and almost everything will be privatised. The MPA must be stripped of these extreme powers and the State government must put this before the Centre," said Polgi.
Social activist turned politician Captain Viriato Fernandes said they had insisted that the government should not allow widespread powers to MPA because they are not the owners.
“We had doubts because the CZMP finalised in Kerala, Tamil Nadu or even Maharashtra did not have port limits despite these states having major ports and we wondered why should only Goa CZMP have port limits?”
“Our demand to make the CZMP on 1:4,000 scale as per their own guideline has also been accepted and we are happy,” said Fernandes.
Another activist turned politician Olencio Simoes demanded that houses existing prior to 1991 be regularised and sand dunes be marked while the CZMP was being finalised.
"It has been said that structures will be removed from the plan except for government authorised structures. As per CRZ notification, houses existing prior to 1991 but not regularised must be shown on the plan because the CRZ notification was issued to save the houses of fishermen, toddy tappers and tribals on the coastal belt.”
“Around 46 lakh square metres of sand dunes, water bodies, fishing villages and fishermen dwellings are not shown in the draft CZMP and they must be included in the final CZMP as per their own guidelines," said Simoes.
