NT NETWORK
PANAJI
The Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has given a deadline of two weeks to the state government and asked it to submit the final names of the new members of the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) panel by August 16 for reconstitution of the Authority.
The communication in this regard was received on Friday by the state’s department of science, technology and environment. The state government has nominated names of five expert members on the 13-member committee – Dr A G Untawale, the executive secretary of Mangrove Society of India, Dr Sachin Tendulkar, a PhD in agriculture, Dr D B Arolkar, the principal of Dnyanprassarak Mandal’s College, Assagao, Suhas Godse, a zoologist, and a professor head from Chowgule College. However, the file is still pending with the Chief Minister for approval.
Meanwhile, the MoEF&CC, in its communication to the state’s environment department, has also rejected an extension to the 13 members, including the five expert members of the GCZMA whose term ended on July 22.
Official sources in the state administration said that the MoEF&CC has rejected the extension stating that in case the coastal zone management authorities are not in operation due to the authorities being reconstituted or chairman/member secretary not having been appointed, then it is the responsibility of the state’s department of environment, which is the custodian of the coastal zone management plans of the respective state/Union territory, to provide the comments and recommend the projects as per the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Notification to the MoEF&CC in accordance with para 3 (ii) of the CRZ Notification, 1991.
The department of science, technology and environment had in the last week written to the MoEF&CC seeking an extension of three months to the existing GCZMA panel till the new authority was constituted.
The GCZMA has become non-functional since the three-year tenure of the crucial state committee, which screens proposals in the CRZ, expired.