Nilesh Cabral faces people’s anger in Pernem over coastal plan

MAPUSA: Environment minister Nilesh Cabral on Friday had to face the wrath of people from Pernem who were demanding scrapping of a notification on Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP) and holding panchayat-level hearings on the issue.
Most locals deserted the venue before the proceedings of the taluka-level public consultation meeting on the plan could take place leaving Cabral, concerned government officials and a handful of locals at the venue.
Agitating people termed the plan in its present form as a bane for the village as it would have a non-reversible impact on Tiracol river and its thick mangrove vegetation. They also asked Cabral to seek inputs from villagers before taking any hasty decision on the plan.
People pointed out a whole lot of anomalies in the plan including no clear demarcation for Ganesh immersion sites, ways to chapels and Crosses, canoes and nets storehouses for fishermen besides traditional pathways linking to sea.
A few locals said that parts of Mandrem were shown as the turtle nesting sites without any specific evidence.
Cabral’s efforts to pacify the crowd turned futile despite assurance from him that their say will be incorporated in the plan provided they cooperate and give suggestions at the meeting that was scheduled at the public consultation centre of Pernem government college.
“As an environment minister, I am soliciting people’s views on the plan. I will take up the matter with Centre and protect Goans’ interest. Such consultations are a must,” he said.
“After feedback, the draft plan will be referred to the environment ministry. Thereafter, a fresh plan will be prepared and send to the CRZ authority for finalisation. We will demand changes to be notified for Goa as per the wishes of our people,” the minister said.
Before the arrival of environment minister, sarpanchas of seven coastal villages in Pernem submitted a memorandum to the deputy collector demanding village-level consultations.
The state government is holding consultative meetings in all talukas on Coastal Zone Management Plan to allay fears in the minds of people over its implementation.
In previous instances, too, public hearings were deferred and instead the government had directed the National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM), Chennai, to incorporate suggestions from public representatives and resubmit the plan.
It was for the second time the state had asked the Chennai-based centre to modify the plan based on the feedback of people’s representatives.