the goan I network
PANAJI
Goencho Avaaz on Saturday expressed their grave apprehension about the draft CRZ notification 2018 that they said would be detrimental and destructive to the fragile socio-economic and environmental fabric of the entire Indian coast.
The group, an umbrella organisation of social groups, voluntary organisations, NGOs, and civil society groups, called the Draft CRZ notification “draconian”, and voiced their displeasure that the government wasn’t presenting the draft to the citizens in black and white.
“Indigenous communities have toiled for centuries on this land,” explained Viriato Fernandes, co-convenor of Goencho Avaz, “and these measures of the government are going to be detrimental to fishing communities, bunds, fields, khazaan lands, and natural sluice gates.” Goencho Avaz said that the government wanted to benefit from the real-estate lobby and that there was a five-star culture that had developed in the State.
The draft CRZ notification proposes to reduce the no development zone on coastal areas from 100 meters to 50 meters. Zarina Da Cunha from the group also pointed out that the CRZ exists to protect people living in coastal areas and not to benefit businessmen.
It also called the new draft notification a “constitutional violation of our rights.”
The draft notification affects 250 million people living on India’s coast, and 3,200 villages from Gujarat to West Bengal.
