MARGAO
Enraged by the hasty closure of the public hearing for finalization of CZMPs on Thursday, citizens from South Goa called on the Director of Environment on Friday noon to demand answers and to ask to ensure that all the affected people, especially those who had registered, could participate in the hearing.
They claimed the Director refused to reply to any of the questions stating that the Government had taken the decisions and tried to pacify the people.
“The Director further admitted that the data was not collected on the ground or placed on the maps and said that committees would be sent to the villages to collect data. Shockingly, he further said that the plans on which the hearing were held were not draft CZMPs, but pre-draft CZMPs and that the draft CZMPs would be prepared after data was collected and verified on the ground,” the people claimed.
The people have condemned the Government of Goa for trying to push an admittedly incomplete, anti-people, anti-Goa pre-draft CZMP plan and for denying tens of thousands of Goans their right to submit their views on the CZMPs which will directly affect their lives and livelihoods.
“As admitted by the Director of Environment, the pre-draft CZMP is totally incomplete and inadequate. We warn the Government that if they try to push these incomplete CZMPs which promote the agenda of crony capitalists to displace Goans and destroy Goa for their greed by showing non-existent jetties and port limits, the people will teach them a lesson they will never forget,” stated activist Abhijit Prabhudesai.
Earlier in the day, they called on South Goa Collector, Ruchika Katyal, IAS to demand that the 650 odd remaining registered speakers to be given a chance to speak as per the law.
As they raised a host of issues during their interaction with the District Collector, the people claimed the Collector could not answer any of the questions in respect of the non-stop hearing, 15 minutes restrictions, absence of arrangements for dinner and the failure to allow people to present their views.
In fact, they pointed out that the Collector washed her hands off stating that she was only implementing the orders of the Director of Environment and that the people should obtain their clarifications from the Director. Diana Tavares (representing Goyant Kollso Naka), Maria Fernandes, Zarina Da Cunha, Gina Pereira, Ilma Dias, Philipa Furtado, Carmen, Inacio Vaz, Abhijit Prabhudesai (General Secretary, Federation of Rainbow Warriors), Xavier Fernandes (Convener of Citizens for Coastal Communities), Cruz Silva, Jack Vaz, Remedious Crasto, Sandesh Telekar, Venzy Viegas, Adv Surel Tilve, Silvester Colaco are some of those who vent their anger at the authorities.
