PANAJI
The issue of reconstituting the crucial Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) is now pending before the Union Ministry for Environment, Forest and Climate Change and the State's environment ministry has already dispatched its recommendation.
"It is for the MoEF&CC to now accept the recommendation and issue the notification constituting the new GCZMA," a senior official in the State environment ministry said.
The crucial watchdog of irregularities and violations of Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) rules along Goa's coast has overrun its term which ended on October 31 last and is technically without its prime powers.
It was headed by Environment Secretary Arun Kumar Mishra, IAS, and had Environment Director, Dashrath Redkar as its member-secretary. Both Mishra and Redkar continue to hold the fort and discharge routine functions only.
At least two judicial authorities -- National Green Tribunal (NGT) and the Bombay High Court -- during the course of proceedings related to CRZ violations have recommended that MoEF&CC constitute the GCZMA urgently.
A similar situation had emerged back in 2016, where the GCZMA had overrun its term and was left without a legal mandate to function. Then, the MoEF&CC instead of reconstituting the crucial body had permitted the Department of Environment of the State government to make temporary interim arrangements. The Environment Secretary was retained to act as chairperson with the Director of Environment as member secretary.
