Cansaulim gram sabha rejects draft CRZ notification, RP-2021

NT NETWORK

VASCO

The gram sabha members of Cansaulim-Arossim-Cuelim on Sunday unanimously rejected the draft CRZ notification 2018 and the latest Amendment to CRZ Notification 2011 done on July 2, 2018.

Villagers said that the draft CRZ notification is in gross violation of laws and violates Section 3 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. They said that the draft CRZ notification also violates the principle of non-regression which clearly states that environmental law should not be modified to the detriment of environment. The draft CRZ notification also violates the constitutional mandates under Articles 14, 19, 21 and 243, as well as the well established Rights of Indigenous Communities that free, prior and informed consent (FPIC) must be obtained from any indigenous community if any of their rights are to be altered, they observed.

The panchayat body and the gram sabha members unanimously rejected the Regional Plan-2021 and the provisions of Transfer of Development Rights (TDRs) in Town and Country Planning Act.

A gram sabha member Jose Fernandes stated that the Regional Plan-2021 has fraudulently converted orchards, fields, hills and CRZ land into settlement zone and it also includes land belonging to late Matanhy Saldanha.

“We appeal to the Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar to stick to his promise and de-notify the Regional Plan-2021 and people of Cansaulim-Arossim-Cuelim request our MLA Alina Saldanha to take up the issue with the Chief Minister Parrikar and resolve the same,” said Fernandes.

Another gram sabha member Olencio Simoes informed that if the draft CRZ notification 2018 is approved then the state’s environment, ecology and traditional communities like fishermen, farmers etc will be doomed as the entire draft including reduction of the No-Development Zone (NDZ) is against the people of
Goa.

“Therefore, we request the Chief Minister Parrikar, who is also the Minister for Environment, to work for the interest of Goans and not make twisting and cunning statements as the draft which is against law and environment if passed will be later amended to suit the corporate, Sagarmala projects, ports, builder and hotel lobby as and when required like done in the past where CRZ-1991 was amended 26 times and CRZ-2011 has been already amended 16 times, in a less than 7 years since the CRZ-2011 is in force,” added Simoes.