No development zone will be 100 mtrs
PANAJI
The Environment Minister Nilesh Cabral on Friday said that the extent of coastal regulation zone (CRZ) for the State in the draft coastal zone management plan (CZMP), to be prepared as per CRZ notification 2019 will be 500 metres from the high tide line (HTL) of the landward side of the seafront.
Speaking to The Goan, Cabral said that the CZMP 2019, the CRZ 2019 provisions will be incorporated wherein the CRZ extent will be 0-500 metres from the high tide line (HTL) of the landward side of the seafront and 0- 100 metres from the tidal-influenced water bodies like river and this will be no development zone.
Currently, as per 2011 plan, the NDZ is restricted from 0-200 metres from HTL.
The Minister said that the State government is committed to complete the CZMP 2019 in 2024; but failed to assure whether it would be within the time frame of May 2024, as sought by the State. “Finalising CZMP is crucial since it will bring CRZ 2019 provisions in force,” he explained.
“I cannot give any timeline for the completion of the plan but we will try to do it as soon as possible. Our CZMP in line with CRZ notification 2019 will be ready next year,” Cabral added while assuring that there won’t be an unusual delay like CZMP 2011.
Goa has already missed the October 31 deadline set by the National Coastal Zone Management Authority’s (NCZMA) to complete the plan. 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.
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.
Accordingly, the government had written to the Union Ministry for Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) seeking time till May 2024 to complete the plan.
