Goa's Coastal Zone Management Plan Faces Significant Delays
The finalization of the Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP) for 2019 in Goa has encountered substantial delays, primarily due to the non-submission of crucial environmental and management reports by key agencies. The National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) has yet to provide the required environment management plan for ecologically sensitive areas and an integrated island management plan. Additionally, the state's tourism and forest departments have failed to submit the necessary eco-tourism plan, further stalling the process.
Pending Reports Halt Progress
According to official sources, the National Centre for Earth Sciences (NCESS) in Thiruvananthapuram was tasked with preparing the CZMP, 2019, and has already forwarded a draft to the government. However, the Department of Environment and Climate Change, which circulated this draft to various state departments, corporations, and autonomous bodies for feedback, has received objections and suggestions from only three departments as of the March deadline. A senior officer confirmed this limited response, highlighting the lack of comprehensive input.
Public Consultation on Hold
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has stated that objections and suggestions will be invited once the plan is ready for public hearing. However, this step cannot proceed until the pending reports are finalized. The CRZ notification of 2019 mandates the preparation of multiple coastal zone management plans, including the environment management plan for ecological sensitive areas, which the NIO was appointed to develop. Despite this, the draft plans from NIO remain unreceived.
Eco-Tourism and Island Management Plans Lagging
The tourism and forest departments' failure to prepare and submit the eco-tourism plan is another critical bottleneck. This plan is essential for permitting temporary tourism facilities on beaches, such as shacks, toilets, washrooms, changing rooms, shower panels, and walkways constructed with interlocking pavers or blocks. Without it, the state cannot move forward with sustainable tourism initiatives.
Furthermore, the NIO was also tasked with preparing an integrated island management plan for smaller islands in Lakshadweep and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, as per the island protection zone notification. This plan, too, has not been submitted to the government, adding to the overall delay in coastal management efforts.
Implications for Goa's Coastal Governance
The delays in finalizing the CZMP, 2019, have significant implications for Goa's coastal governance and environmental protection. The state government emphasizes that once all pending plans are received and finalized, public consultations will be held to incorporate feedback and finalize the CZMP. Until then, the process remains in a holding pattern, awaiting critical inputs from multiple stakeholders.
