MARGAO
The Coastal zone management plan CZMP public hearing for South Goa concluded at the SGPDA ground late Thursday night after the panel heard the last registered speaker Custodio D'Souza at 11.46 pm.
Though a whopping number of people had registered for the hearing, around 732 to be precise, including 655 pre-registrations and 77 spot registrations, only 43 persons made their submissions at the hearing, including 36 physical and 7 virtual.
Additional Collector-II Sanjit Rodrigues, IAS announced at 11.46 pm that the speakers present at the venue and those virtually have made their submissions.
He said the officials were now on the job to compile the minutes before the same is read out at the venue past midnight, which will bring down curtains on the CZMP public hearing for South Goa.
The panel was bracing up to conclude the hearing by reading the minutes of the hearing, indicating that the entire process will end past midnight.
This assumes significance and comes against the backdrop of the fact that people, who had staged a walkout from the venue earlier in the day, had promised to all come at the SGPDA venue on Friday morning.
Amongst the last few speakers who made submissions late Thursday night wee Curtorim MLA Reginald Lourenco and traditional fishermen from Vasco Custodio D'Souza.
In his submission, the Curtorim MLA has said the administration and the bureaucrats, including the scientists has failed to properly guide the government on the Coastal zone management plan.
Making his submission at the hearing at 11.25 pm on Thursday, the Congress MLA also urged the government not to bulldoze with the CZMP against the wishes of the people.
While making a submission to protect the interests of the people of Curtorim while finalizing the CZMP, Reginaldo said the government should take cognizance of the views presented by the people.
'The scientists should be guiding the government, but you have failed, he said.
Custodio D'Souza said the CZMP should declare Kharewado, Baina and Destero as fishing villages.
He called for measures to protect Baina beach from erosion, submitting that the fish landing sites should be shown on the plan.
He questioned why the administration is holding the hearing late night by keeping them hungry. 'When weddings require police permission, how come a public hearing is being held till late night', he added.
Charles D'Silva, Roy Barreto, Dr Ashish Kamat, Capt. Viriato Fernandes, Ana Smriti Paes also made their submissions.
