MAPUSA
Minister for Environment, Nilesh Cabral on Wednesday told the Goa Legislative Assembly that the notification of Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP) will not impact the local fishing activity and the State government was bound to protect the local fisherman and their houses existing prior to the 1991 notification.
Cabral also informed the House that the government has submitted the draft Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP), 2011 to the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) for approval and notification in July, 2022.
“The Coastal Regulation Zone Notification 2011 provides for protection to local fisherman, their houses existing prior to the 1991 Notification and fishing activity and the government will ensure protection of the same,” Cabral said.
The Environment Minister was replying at the Calling Attention motion over the delay in finalizing the CZMP, the identification of sand dunes and the impact it will have on local fishing activity, trade and environment moved by opposition MLAs Vijai Sardesai, Carlos Ferreira, Venzy Viegas, Viresh Borkar and others.
Cabral informed that the State government and the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) insisted on removal of port limits, structures and notification of CZMP in 1:4000 scale in view of the objections raised during the public consultation process which was finally agreed to by the National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM), Chennai and MoEF&CC.
“The Centre has now, in principle, agreed for removal of port limits, structures and notification of CZMP in 1:4000 scale,” he said.
He also informed that all heritage structures identified by the Department of Archives and the Department of Fisheries have been shown in the Draft CZMP 2011.
“Only archaeological heritage sites, structures like lighthouses, beacons, infrastructure pertaining to fisheries and ramps of the river navigation department are depicted in the plan,” he said.
Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai said that most of the sand dunes were shown in South Goa.
“The traditional fisherman is in a fix. They can neither do fishing activity nor carry out shack business. If sand dunes are shown then the fisherman will not be able to put a shack or even a beach bed,” Sardesai said.
Cabral assured the House that the sand dunes would be re-surveyed in the coastal areas and submitted to the NCSCM.
