Relief for Goans staying along river banks as HTL modified

PANAJI: In a major relief to Goans living along river banks and estuaries, the environment ministry has amended the coastal regulation zone notification 2011 to demarcate the high tide line (HTL) along bunds in khazan lands, leaving out mangroves, for the coastal zone management plan (CZMP).
The new notification will benefit many dwellings in the no development zone (NDZ) as it would be reduced, taking these houses out of its ambit, a senior government officer said.
The Centre’s move comes after the state government made a representation to the environment ministry after a public outcry when the draft CZMP was put in public domain in July 2019.
A number of village panchayats and municipalities had earlier demanded that the HTL be demarcated along bunds and not around mangroves.
They had even submitted their respective CZMPs to the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA).
TOI was the first to report that the National Coastal Zone Management Authority (NCZMA) had accepted the state government’s request to demarcate the HTL along bunds and not around mangroves in khazan lands.
The notification also said that the eco sensitive low-lying areas, which are influenced by tidal action known as khazan lands, shall be mapped.
“Provided that in case there exists a bund or a sluice gate constructed in the past, prior to the date of notification issued on February 19, 1991, the HTL shall be restricted up to the line along the bund or the sluice gate and in such a case, area under mangroves arising due to saline water ingress beyond the bund or sluice gate shall be classified as CRZ-IA, irrespective of the extent of the area beyond the bund or sluice gate,” the notification said.
“Such areas under mangroves shall be protected and shall not be diverted for any developmental activities,” the notification said.