MARGAO
Asserting that the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) area has been destroyed in the state by the hotel, builders and corporate lobbies, Salcete-based civic forums on Saturday questioned why the Goa government was not going before the National Green Tribunal, Delhi, against the proposal to reduce the CRZ area to 50 meters.
Addressing the media, social activist and convenor of Colva Civic and Consumer Forum Judith Almeida lamented that while the government of Kerala, whose backbone is tourism and fishing, is concerned about the likely adverse impact on the environment by the mindless and pro-corporate attempt of the MOEF to reduce the CRZ area, nothing has been heard from the Goa government till date.
“We demand that the Goa government intervene to stop further destruction of our coast. We are surprised that that the government, which has failed to stem or address various violations causing havoc on our coast, has not thought it important to intervene in a petition filed before the National Green Tribunal against the reduction of the CRZ area through the draft notification of the MOEF,” she stated.
Convenor of Cavelossim Villagers Forum Iris Passanha told the media that the State government doesn’t appear to be interested at all in protecting the CRZ areas, demanding to know why it has remained a silent spectator when it was expected to intervene and oppose the draft notification.
The forums also questioned the functioning of the
Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority.
Judith Almeida pointed out that the GCZMA has been ailing form several deficiencies on account of the willful short-sighted attempts by the State government for the sake of short-term gains. “The government which boasts of development lacks vision in providing basic infrastructure,” she said, while demanding that the GCZMA must be run in a professional manner and all complaints addressed in a time-bound manner.
Saying that the government has to show its seriousness to govern and implement the laws, Judith demanded that the GCZMA be empowered to execute its own decisions and not the Collector’s office, which causes unnecessary delays. “Setting up of the district level committees without availability of trained staff is simply an attempt to delay action on violations. Complaints filed even a decade ago have not been addressed till date, further making our coast vulnerable,” she said, adding that “like the tourism department, there should be an office in South Goa too for the purpose of receiving applications and complaints”.
Demanding that the government employ both well-trained staff, both legal and official, even if they are contractual on long-term basis so that it motivates efficiency, Judith said it is notified that the GCZMA has been operating with skeletal staff for many months causing inefficiency in the department.
She also lashed out at the government for the sudden transfer of the
Colva panchayat secretary after he inspected an alleged CRZ violation.
