PANAJI
As the October 31 deadline set by the National Coastal Zone Management Authority’s (NCZMA) to complete Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP) 2019 ends, Goa’s coastal belt will see no new developmental projects from now on, with national authority deciding not to grant any CRZ clearance under CRZ notification 2011.
Though the State government has approached the Union Ministry for Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) seeking time till May 2024 to complete CZMP 2019 and to allow granting permissions under CRZ 2011 for developmental projects till that time, there is no positive response so far.
“We have not received any communication from the Ministry. The decision on the extension will be taken only during NCZMA meeting,” sources said.
The NCZMA during its meeting held in August had issued a stern warning to the coastal States including Goa, granting final two-month time to complete CZMP 2019. NCZMA had said that it won't grant any CRZ clearance to the developmental projects including that of the government along the coastal areas under CRZ 2011 notification from November, if CZMP 2019 is not completed by October end.
Goa is the only State amongst 11 coastal States which is yet to kick- start the process to prepare the CZMP based on 2019 Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) notification. And such, pending drafting and finalisation of CZMP 2019, the CRZ notification 2019 and its rules and procedures are currently not applicable to the State, who is currently following CRZ 2011 notification.
“We will have to wait till NCZMA listen to our grievances. We have already started the work but it is not an easy process. Even today, we are yet to receive correct CZMP 2011 in 1:4000 scale shape file as well as hard copies from National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM). Now NCZMA will have to intervene in this,” sources said.
The State has appointed Kerala-based National Centre for Earth Science Studies (NCESS) to draft CZMP 2019 and the agency has sought time till May 31, 2024 to complete the entire exercise, including public consultation.
