PANAJI
Coastal village panchayats have approached the State government requesting amendment to the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) notification 2019 in a bid to allow the local communities to run tourism-related activities from their existing structures. The village bodies have demanded categorization of coastal areas as tourism zones.
Village panchayat of Sernabatim, Vanelim, Colva and Gandaulim in South and Morjim in North have made a detailed representation to the Environment department appealing to them to take up the matter with the Union Ministry for Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC).
The coastal panchayats have demanded that in the light of the existing tourism-related infrastructure and development, Colva, Vanelim and Sernabtim and Morjim be categorized as CRZ II in a bid to ensure balanced development. Also, they asked for villages to be categorized as tourism zones to promote regulated tourism development.
The existing population density criterion of 2,161 per sq km for CRZ IIIA under the 2019 notification is unrealistic. The village panchayats suggest using the Urban classification from the 2011 Census as a more reasonable and inclusive standard. Additionally, they proposed a residential FAR of 60 per cent to prevent the unchecked growth of high-rise buildings.
The panchayats said that in order to protect the livelihood of the local communities, commercial activities such as guesthouses, restaurants, showrooms and shops be permitted in the existing structures rather than restricting usage solely to homestays.
“This change will support tourism and provide economic opportunities for local stakeholders,” they said while demanding a dedicated comprehensive plan for fisherfolk as per CRZ notification 2011 be drafted to address the issues pertaining to their houses and infrastructure.
