the goan I network
PERNEM
The first public hearing on the draft Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP) at Pernem witnessed high drama on Friday, after public boycotted the hearing and gathered outside the venue to voice their strong opposition against the plan.
Environment Minister Nilesh Cabral tried to persuade the people to attend the hearing, even going to the extent of assuring to cancel the plan and drafting a new one after public consultation, but it was to no avail.
The meeting was organized at the Sant Sohirobanath Aambiye hall in Pernem at 5.30 pm and a large number of people and organisations began gathering at the venue well before the start of the public hearing.
The people then unanimously decided to boycott the public hearing by gathering outside the hall with placards demanding justice.
Incidentally, a number of panchas from Mandrem constituency were also present among the public to oppose the public hearing.
Mandrem MLA Dayanand Sopte, was also present on the occasion, tried to calm the people.
Cabral, who reached late for the public hearing, also tried to tackle the situation after public began demanding
the cancellation of CZMP. The minister and the MLA requested the people to sit in the hall for the public hearing, but nobody was willing to listen to the two leaders.
Cabral appealed to the people, gathering outside the hall, to attend the public hearing and to participate in the hearing for a better plan.
“I request you to please attend the meeting and I will answer your every question. Let this hearing take place and we will draft the plan on the basis of how people want it,” appealed Cabral.
The public was in no mood to listen to him and instead, asked him to cancel the CZMP, alleging it had been drafted for the ‘welfare’ of ministers and not of citizens.
Cabral then assured the people that he would finalise a correct plan after taking suggestions during public consultations. But his appeals fell on deaf ears and people boycotted the public meeting.
Virtually no one from the audience was present in the hall and officials present tried to conduct the public hearing process.
Among those local elected representatives from Pernem taluka present along with the people outside the hall included Arambol Sarpanch Daniel D’Souza, Mandrem Sarpanch Pradip Hadfadkar, Deputy Sarpanch Dennis Britto, Keri Sarpanch Ratnakar Harji, Morjim Sarpanch Vaishali Shetgaonkar and Deputy Sarpanch Amit Shetgaonkar.
