MARGAO
Goans Against CRZ 18 has reiterated its demand for the scrapping of the CRZ notification with Betalbatim Sarpanch Constancio Miranda saying that a Kerala-type disaster may hit the coastal village in future if the sand dunes are destroyed to make way for development by reducing the No Development Zone to 50 meters.
“I come from the traditional fishermen community. The reduction in the NDZ to 50 meters will not only spell doom for the traditional fishermen communities, but other activities on the beach,” the Betalbatim sarpanch said, while addressing the meeting of Goans Against CRZ 18 at Betalbatim on Sunday.
The Sarpanch feared that the Betalbatim villagers may become strangers in their own land if the accesses to the beach are blocked by builders if the NDZ is reduced to 50 meters. “Betalbatim village has a two-kilometer coastline with four beach accesses. The village is protected by sand dunes which if destroyed will only pave way for the sea water to enter the village,” he said.
Addressing the 9th village protest awareness meeting of Goans Against CRZ 18, Kennedy Afonso reiterated the demand for scrapping CRZ 18 in toto so that Goa does not suffer a Kerala-type disaster. He further demanded that the CZMP plans must be completed, and the houses of the fishermen community must be regularized.
Olencio Simoes accused the BJP government of notifying the CRZ 18 for the reason that they want to open the sea corridor for their Sagarmala projects to transport the coal of Adani and Jindal.
Rui da Gama said that before tourism started, all coastal villages were fishing villages and these must be declared as same on the CZMP plans.
In his address, Ernesto Moraes said the government has failed on all fronts to protect Goa and questioned why they had deployed so many
police personnel for such a peaceful protest.
Goans Against CRZ 18 has vowed to take the protests to a new level if the CZMP plans are not prepared in a scientific manner.
