PANAJI
With hardly ten days left for the National Coastal Zone Management Authority’s (NCZMA) deadline of October 31 to lapse, the Goa government has approached Union Ministry for Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) seeking time till May 2024 to complete the Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP) 2019.
In its communication to the Joint Secretary MoEF&CC and Director (CRZ), the State government has informed that the Kerala-based National Centre for Earth Science Studies (NCESS), appointed to draft CZMP 2019, has sought time till May 31, 2024 to complete the entire exercise, including public consultation for CZMP 2019. It has requested Ministry to allow granting permissions under CRZ 2011 for developmental projects till that time.
The NCZMA during its meeting held in August informed all the coastal States including Goa that it won't grant any CRZ clearance to the developmental projects including that of the government along the coastal areas under CRZ 2011 notification from November, if CZMP 2019 is not completed by October-end.
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.
Goa Environment Department has informed Centre that the work on the new plan has been delayed due to non submission of correct CZMP 2011 on 1:4000 scale shape by National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM).
“The State of Goa had entrusted the task of preparation of CZMP 2011 to NCSCM, who submitted the plan in 1:25000 scale, however in spite of making full payment to NCSCM in March 2023, they have failed to provide correct CZMP 2011 in 1:4000 scale shape file as well as hard copies till date,” Goa said.
The State further said that since the public consultation for CZMP 2011 was carried out in both the scale, for 2019 plan too, the procedure will be adopted.
“In such circumstances, the NCESS would require time up to May 31, 2024 to complete the updation/modification as per CZM 2019. Therefore we request time till May 31, 2024 for completion of the plan and until then permit the approval for projects as per CZMP 2011,” the State requested.
The State has submitted a detailed chart by NCESS detailing out the time schedule for compilation of the plan.
