PANAJI
Alike CZMP 2011, Goa's finalization of the coastal zone management plan CZMP 2019 is heading towards a never-ending saga with State all set to miss its May 31 deadline to finalize the coastal plan.
There has been a delay of almost five years since the CRZ notification 2019 was notified -- the Rules and Regulations of which are currently not applicable to Goa in the absence of the plan.
Sources informed that Goa will write to Centre seeking further two to four months time to complete the entire exercise, including public consultation for CZMP 2019.
State had in the past missed October 31, 2023 deadline set by the National Coastal Zone Management Authority (NCZMA), following which the Union Ministry for Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) stopped granting permissions under CRZ 2011 for developmental projects in the State.
Sources said that by the end of this month, State government is likely to receive the CZMP 2011 maps in a 1:4000 scale, after which it will start preparing the CZMP 2019 for Goa. The maps would be received from Chennai based agency National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM) that had initially shown reluctance to provide the same.
Sources said that State will inform Centre that the work on the new plan has been delayed due to non submission of correct CZMP 2011 on 1:4000 scale by NCSCM.
“The State of Goa had entrusted the task of preparation of CZMP 2011 to NCSCM, that 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. The agency has assured to submit it by May 31," sources said.
Kerala-based National Centre for Earth Science Studies (NCESS), appointed to draft CZMP 2019 has started doing preliminary works for field mapping, verification of morphology/ecosystem, and land use, for the CZMP.
According to sources NCSCM agreed to generate the CZMP 2011 maps in a 1:4,000 scale that will pave way for finalisation of CZMP 2019 for the state. "CZMP 2011 is going to be the base plan for 2019 plan. Unless we have CZMP in 1:4000 scale, we cannot go ahead with CZMP 2019 on the same scale," sources said.
The State government is of the clear view that since the public consultation for CZMP 2011 was carried out in both the scale, for 2019 plan too, the procedure will have to adopted to avoid any anamolies in the final plan.
Goa is the only State amongst 11 coastal States whose CZMP 2019 finalisation process has been prolonged.
