Will Seek Amendment To NGT Order On CRZ Construction, Says Parrikar

Seeking an amendment to a National Green Tribunal (NGT) order, the Goa government may soon move the green panel as well as approach a legal forum, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar said while addressing the State Legislative Assembly. Parrikar was responding to a query by party colleague Carlose Almeida over the construction of a fishing jetty in Mormugao Port Trust (MPT) in Vasco town.

In a recent order to different states, the NGT had banned any new activity in the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) till a Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP) was finalised.

Parrikar, during Question Hour, said, "If required the state will approach NGT to amend their order so that it is not applicable for certain important projects. We can decide the permission for these projects on a case-to-case basis."

"If required we may go to any legal forum," he added.

Parrikar said that the restriction imposed by the NGT order was in force between April this year to March next year and added that the state will have completed its documentations about the jetty project by then.

The construction of the fishing jetty project is being funded by the Centre.

Parrikar said that the operational control of the jetty will remain with the state government while MPT will monitor its construction as the project is financed by the union government.

Responding to a question about frequent clashes between MPT and local fishermen over the jetty, Parrikar said that the jetty was within the port jurisdiction and there were complaints from MPT authorities that the fishermen were intruding in its area.

The chief minister claimed that 99.9 per cent people working on these trawlers are not Goans and are mostly from Jharkhand and Odisha, which makes it difficult to verify their credentials.

With inputs from Housing News