WRD officials discussing with villagers of Loutolim, including representatives of tenants associations and farmers. Santosh Mirajkar
MARGAO: Water Resources Department (WRD) officials have fanned out to various villages for ground survey of sluice gates, bunds and khazans in view of the objections and suggestions lodged by the village panchayats and citizens groups in respect of the Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP).
If a WRD team was in Ambelim village on Tuesday to verify the complaints that the two village sluice gates and the Sapal island not being shown the CZMP, another team descended on Loutolim village on Wednesday after taking cognizance of the suggestions and objections lodged by the villagers.
A villager Ramiro Mascarenhas informed that WRD officials, including a Junior engineer, was deputed to Loutolim to take note of the sluice gates, bunds and khazans which did not find mention in the government CZMP plan. He said though the village plan had shown the sluice gates, bunds and khazana on the plan, they surprisingly went missing from the government plan. “During the public hearing, we had raised strong objection to the CZMP which was silent on khazan, bunds and sluice gates. The same officials had come last year, wherein we had shown them the entire belt from Rassaim to Ambora”, he said, but lamented that the plan was not fully implemented by the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority.
Former Sarpanch and Panch member Xavier Fernadnes said the WRD has taken cognizance of the suggestions and objections lodged by the villagers. “We only appeal to the government to take the suggestions mooted by the tenants Associations and farmers and incorporate them into the plan”, he said.
Chairman of a local Tenant Association Paul D’Sa the people have showed the WRD team what was missing on the plan, adding “let us wait and see. We have asked the team to ensure that the suggestions are all incorporated in the plan”, he added.
Loutolim villagers have been also demanded that the structures reflect on the plan, insisting they find a mention in the plan when even the shipyards and workshops are shown on the plna.
Meanwhile, a WRD team discussed with Ambellim Panch member Rafael Cardozo and former Sarpanch Cruz Silva over the sluice gates and the Sapal island which has not been shown on the CZMP.
