The State government has extended the existing Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP) up to January 2017, pending the ongoing process to draft a new plan. The existing CZMP, drafted in 1996 (extended time and again) was valid up to January 2016, post which a new management plan for the coastal State has to be in place describing government and public authorities and potentially the private sector to address priority management issues in the coastal zone over a defined implementation period. A senior official confirmed that the government has extended the deadline of CZMP up to January 2017, by which the new plan would be drafted. The Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) is in the process of drafting the new plan, which will freshly map the mangroves, sand dunes and other ecological areas, official said. The State cannot be without a coastal plan. Hence the deadline of existing plan has been extended, official said. The new plan will also focus on identifying and demarcating the fishing villages thereby giving protection to the community under coastal regulation zone (CRZ) notification 1991. The plan will demarcate the HTL and LTL for the coastal State. The plan will help GCZMA in protecting traditional structures belonging to the traditional fishing communities from demolition under CRZ. The plan will also speak about pressure on the coastal ecosystem and community uses of the coastal zone.
2016 GOACOM