The Goa Church has demanded the withdrawal of the draft Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) notification 2018, stating that it seems more like “guidelines to facilitate projects rather than protecting the environment”.

The Centre for Responsible Tourism (CRT), an initiative of the Goa Church, claimed that the notification regularises violations to CRZ and opens way for further depredation of the coastal ecology and environment.

CRT’s general secretary Fr. Freddy Braganza, in his letter sent on June 9 to Arvind Nautiyal, director, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, has raised objections over the proposed amendments in the notification.

Seeking comments and suggestions from the general public within 60 days, the ministry had released the draft notification on April 18.

“The way the draft is framed seems more like guidelines to facilitate projects, rather than to protect the environment. In view of this, the draft CRZ notification 2018 should be categorically withdrawn,” CRT said in its five-page letter. It also alleged that the draft notification, in terms of its character and contents, in the nature and course of preparation, and the way it is being pushed across is a perfect assault on the environment and livelihood.

“The proposed notification regularises violations to CRZ and opens a way for further depredation of our coastal ecology and environment,” it said, adding that draft dilutes the existing CRZ norms.

 “The ministry should prepare and enact the draft through democratic consultation with all stakeholders, especially the fishing community,” Braganza demanded.  

Under the new draft, CRZ limits on land along the tidally influenced water bodies have been proposed to be reduced from 100 meters or the width of the creek to 50 meters or the width of the creek, whichever is less.