PANAJI
All the developmental works “ government and private “ along Goa's coastal belt will come to halt from November, as the State is all set to miss the October-end deadline to complete the Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP) 2019. The National Coastal Zone Management Authority (NCZMA) has decided not to issue any CRZ clearance to the projects along the coastal areas under CRZ 2011 notification from November.
Goa, who has appointed Kerala-based National Centre for Earth Science Studies (NCESS) to draft CZMP 2019, has apparently set May 2024 deadline to complete the plan. NCESS team is likely to make its visit to Goa in the second week of this month.
Goa is the only State amongst 11 coastal states which is yet to kick- start the process to prepare the CZMP based on 2019 Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) notification. And such, pending drafting and finalisation of CZMP 2019, the CRZ notification 2019 and its rules and procedures are currently not applicable to the State.
“And from November, NCZMA won’t grant any approvals under CRZ 2011 notification. This means, not a single developmental project will be permitted in the coastal belts,” sources said.
NCZMA during its meeting held last month pointed out that “it has been repeatedly advising State governments to finalise their respective CZMPs as per the 2019 notification. However, as on date, only Odisha, Karnataka, 2 district of Maharashtra (Mumbai City and Mumbai Sub-Urban), and Great Nicobar, Little Andaman have finalised their CZMP”.
As such, “NCZMA directed that all Coastal States / UTs whose CZMP / ICRZP are yet to be finalised as per CRZ Notification 2019, must complete the same within two months. It was also directed that if CZMPs as per CRZ Notification, 2019 are not submitted within given time-line of two months, no projects i.e. Private / Government should be considered for CRZ clearance as per CRZ Notification 2011 in such areas”.
Sources informed that NCESS team will visit the State most likely after Ganesh Chaturthi festival. “State has set a May 2024 deadline to complete the plan and if possible even to hold a public hearing. NCESS was appointed in November, last year; however till date no work has commenced,” sources said adding NCZMA had initially granted time till December 2022 to complete the process.
Sources said that NCZMA is very clear that until and unless the CZMP is revised or updated, provisions of CRZ 2019 notification will not be applicable to Goa.
