MARGAO
Ahead of the March 7 public hearing on the draft Coastal Zone Management Plan, public resentment is growing with several panchayats coming out openly against the plan urging authorities to scrap it and adopt the plan prepared by the village panchayats in 2019.
At a special meeting, Chinchinim-Deussua Village Panchayat on Friday resolved to request the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) to scrap the new CZMP and adopt the CZMP prepared by the Village Panchayat in 2019.
The meeting also demanded rescheduling of the Public Hearings and hold them at the Panchayat level after the CZMPs are explained at the Gram Sabha meeting.
The meeting deliberated over the new CZMP maps sent to the Panchayat by GCZMA and the notification announcing that a Public Hearing for the entire South Goa District on March 7 at Ravindra Bhavan, Margao from 10 am to 7 pm.
Betalbatim village panchayat also resolved to ask the government to scrap the new CZMP and adopt the plan prepared by the people and submitted in 2019.
Residents expressed their shock with the announcement by GCZMA that a public hearing will be held on March 7 for the finalization of the new plan.
Residents, members and the Sarpanch of the panchayat Constancio Miranda on Friday met on an emergency basis to study and discuss the new plan that was received.
The villagers discussed the CZMPs and noted that these plans will determine the survival of the local communities and the future generations.
