Coastal body appoints NIO to conduct revised beach-carrying capacity study

PANAJI
After almost seven years, the Goa government has initiated a process to conduct a revised beach-carrying capacity study of the coastal belt.

The Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) – the nodal agency for undertaking the exercise, has appointed National Institute of Oceanography for the detailed study, which is expected to be completed before the upcoming tourism season.

Sources confirmed that GCZMA has issued a work order to NIO for assessing the beach carrying capacity of the coastal belt and to recommend the number of shacks that could be permitted based on the saturation and considering the no development zone cum CRZ areas, ecologically sensitive areas, etc.

It was in 2017, that the last beach-carrying capacity study was undertaken through the Chennai-based National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM). The NCSCM had permitted 1,131 shacks for the entire coastal area; however, currently on an average 360 shacks are permitted on beaches.

NCSCM had recommended that only 33 per cent of the beach area can be made available for erection of shacks after deducting the ecologically sensitive areas, river mouth, creeks, fishing space and buffer area at entry points. The agency had advised the government to revise the carrying capacity study after five years.

The study is expected to take into consideration, State government’s recommendation that the temporary structures in no development zone along the coast and along the bank of rivers/ estuaries be permitted except in the eco-sensitive areas as shown in Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP) 2011 and CRZ 2019 notification.

The GCZMA will be adopting the guiding principles set by NCSCM for determining the carrying capacity of shacks and huts/ cottages, tents in privately surveyed plots.

With GCZMA revising the study, the Tourism Department, the prime stakeholder, has approached the green body demanding to take into consideration various recommendations made by NCSCM in its last report, but were not implemented like the 33 per cent FAR, 9 metres height with distance between structures be 2-3 metres as well as provision for swimming pool of 50 sqm.

The department has also requested to implement geo-coding of all shacks and huts/ tents/ cottages in private areas through an expert agency in order to monitor the area occupied by the shacks and other temporary structures.

The authority will be discussing the proposal during its next meeting.