MARGAO
The water sports operators claimed that Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has assured to protect the fishermen huts (net mending huts) along the coast.
In fact, a delegation of water sports operators who called on the Chief Minister informed that the CM has asked the Director, Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) to file an affidavit before High Court asking to protect such structures under CRZ notifications 2011.
Water sports operators Roy Barreto and Pele Fernandes told the media that the Advocate General has also promised that after filing the affidavit, the GCZMA will mark fishing villages/ fishing wards, saying such a step will protect activities in the fishing villages under CRZ Notification 2011.
Roy pointed out that in view of the peculiar circumstances of the State including past history and other developments, the CRZ Notification has called for regulation of specific activities and undertake to regulate various measures, including the measure that the government of Goa shall notify the fishing villages wherein all foreshore facilities required for fishing and fishery allied activities such as traditional fish processing yards, boat building or repair yards, net mending yards, ice plants, ice storage, auction hall, jetties may be permitted by gram panchayat in the CRZ area; (ii) reconstruction, repair works of the structures of local communities including fishermen community shall be permissible in CRZ; and purely temporary and seasonal structures customarily put up between the months of September to May.
