PANAJI
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Friday said the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) has increased the frequency of its sittings to twice a week and consequently complaints of violations along the coast are now being dealt with more expeditiously.
Standing in for Environment Minister Aleixo Sequeira, Sawant said the Authority has thus far disposed 200 cases referred to it relating to CRZ and other violations along Goa’s coastline.
He was responding to charges made by members of the Opposition during the discussion on the demands for grants pertaining to the Environment Department that the GCZMA has been abdicating its responsibilities leading to several matters related to CRZ violations and other matters along the coastline ending up for adjudication in the High Court.
Sawant also refuted allegations of the Opposition members that the department of environment was doing little to check environmental damage caused by developmental activity in the State which violates green laws and regulations. He also said that the department has completed a State wide survey on the quality of ground water and has done good work in notifying dozens of water bodies and wetlands in Goa.
