Objections to finalization of Coastal Management Plan without preparing comprehensive plan for fishermen communities

 ALL GOA SMALL SCALE RESPONSIBLE FISHERIES UNION 

190, Nauxi, Bambolim, Tiswadi, Goa. 403 206 Mobile: 8805074643 

______________________________________

Date: 14/07/2021 

To, 

The Member Secretary,

Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority,

Panjim, Goa

Email: goacoastalzone@gmail.com

Subject: Objections to finalization of Coastal Management Plan for Goa without prepararing comprehensive plan for fishermen communities

Sir, 

We call upon your office to let you know that the Public Hearing on draft Coastal Management Plan held at your behest in North as well as South Goa on July 08, 2021 was without enforcing the Order no. GCZMA/GEN/MISC/13-14/Part VI/1445 issued by department of Environment and Climate change dated 04/03/2021 calling for comprehensive plan for fishermen community living in CRZ area in collaboration with Goa Fisheries Department. Non-implimentation of this order was confirmed to us by the Director of Fisheries department as no required survey was carried on northern bank of Zuari river nor any banks of Mandovi River due to prevailing restrictions due to Covid-19 pandemic. 

As a result of non-enforcement of the above order several issues pertaining to fishing communities all over Goa has remained without being attended to for the inclusion in the Coastal Management Plan for Goa. We wish to list out the following points for inclusion in the Coastal Management Plan: 

1. All the residential houses and fish landing sites of the fishing communities living within CRZ has remained without being surveyed and included in the draft Coastal Management Plan. This is true across Goa like Vitogem and Sinquerim in Diwar Island, Ribandar, Vanxim (Capao), Cacra, Odxel, Nauxim, Bambolim, Siridao, Marvel, Caranzalem, Goltim-Navelim, Naroa- Sao Mathias etc. 

2. The inputs provided by the Coastal communities to your office through maps are not included in the draft plan. It resembles as if enemies of Goa's Coastal people has prepared this drafy report. 

3. More dangerously several Coastal areas,  beaches, rivers, riparian lands are shown as Port Limits. This is true in case of rivers Sal, Mandovi and Zuari too. These rivers - heavily used for fishing by small scale fishing communities - were declared as National Waterways by Government of India without consulting fishing communities of Goa thereby making complete and thorough mockery of Democracy in India. We are completely opposed to demarcation of Goa's rivers and beaches, Coastal lands and riparian lands as Port Limits. If Port namely Murmagao Port Trust (MPT) cannot function in its existing limits in Vasco then et it fold up its operations and return its assets to people of Goa rather than turning itself into monstrous bully that intent to swallow large portions of  Coastal Goa and its rivers. Aggression over Goa by India's Ministry of Shipping, Ports and National Waterways that controls MPT must stop. Your office claims to have taken decision to drop Port Limits but they are still showing on her Maps of draft Coastal Management Plan. 

4. Draft Goa Coastal Management Plan does not adequately mark fish breeding sites. Zuari as well as Mandovi rivers are fish breeding sites and has to be declared as such. 

5. Plan to safeguard fish breeding sites in Goa must also be incorporated in Coastal Management Plan. Plan must include measures to eliminate dumping of plastic garbage in rivers, reviving and rejuvenating fish breeding sites that has suffered due to political decisions to locate off shore casinos in Mandovi River,  stop speedboats and yachts in Mandovi River at Diwar Island introduced  by cutting down Mangroves and digging riverbed destroying rich marine spaces known for big black and white Shells (Khube) as well as small Shells (Khubli) for the benefit of private company named Champions Island for its clandestine activities, Demolishing of all the concrete bunds in Diwar - as they leak and disrupt fish breeding process specially of the crabs - and replacing them with traditional mud bunds of locking system for tidal waters that facilitates fish breeding as crabs use bund mud for breeding purposes, plan must also demarcated spaces for fishing practices like Footauni, Hari, Gillnets, Stakes etc. 

6. In this regard People of Vitogem and Sinquerim which are fishing communities wards on Divar Island had already made their representation to Director of Fisheries in a letter dated 21/10/2020 given entry to the Fisheries department on 22/10/2020. Fisheries department was to forward it to your office. 

7. Comprehensive Plan for fishermen communities initiated by Director of Environment and Climate Change must be completed, shared with Coastal fishing communities for ground truthing and then synchronized with Goa Coastal Management Plan before finalization. 

We request you to include all the above points in Coastal Management Plan for Goa. 

We also wish to let you know that in case you failed to include the above points then we shall be constrainted to reject the Coastal Management Plan itself. 

Thanking you, 

Yours sincerely,

Roque Menezes 

President 

Copy to: 

1. Director, Department of Environment and Climate Change, Panjim, Goa 

2. Director, Department of Fisheries, Panjim, Goa 

3. Convenor, National Platform for Small Scale Fish Workers