Panchayats receive fresh letters despite GCZMA saying BDO memo was not meant for public consultation
MARGAO
The confusion, triggered by the Salcete Block Development Officer’s memorandum setting a January 20 deadline for the panchayats to submit objections and suggestions on the draft Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP) 2019, has refused to die down.
Even as the Director of the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority clarified to a delegation of citizens on Monday that the memorandum sent to the Panchayat BDOs was inter-departmental communication and not for inviting public suggestions to the plan, some of the panchayat bodies in Salcete received corrigendum letters from the Salcete BDO office on Monday to send their suggestions and objections by January 20.
Velim MLA Cruz Silva, who was part of the delegation that called on the GCZMA Director Sachin Desai on Monday morning, said that the Secretary of the village Panchayat of Chinchinim, falling in his Velim constituency, received a letter from the Salcete BDO to examine the draft CZMP plan and convey comments/suggestions directly to the office of the Department of Environment and Climate Change on or before January 20.
“We fail to understand what’s going on on the ground. The GCZMA Director told the delegation on Monday morning that the BDOs had sent the memorandum to the Panchayats due to miscommunication. If there was really miscommunication, how come the village Panchayat of Chinchinim received the BDO’s corrigendum on Monday with directions to send the comments on the plan by Tuesday?” he questioned, while demanding to know whether village Panchayats, which received the BDO’s communication, have any time left with them to call for public interaction.
Saying that people are indeed in a confused state over the situation, the Velim MLA has requested Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, who also holds the Environment portfolio, to shed light on the controversy over the draft CZMP hearings.
When The Goan called up Chinchinim Sarpanch Franky Viegas to shed light on the BDO’s corrigendum received by the Panchayat secretary on Monday, he pointed out that he was on leave and had returned to Goa only today. He, however, said that the corrigendum sent by the Salcete BDO was brought to his notice, adding that he would take a call after he assumes office on Tuesday.
