PANJIM: National Fishworkers Forum (NFF), along with its affiliated union, Goenchea Raponkarancho Ekvott (GRE), on Monday protested the draft CRZ notification 2018 claiming that it is scaling back on safeguards for the coastlines. The forum also submitted a memorandum to Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) member secretary objecting to the draft CRZ notification 2018 and urging him to send the objection on behalf of fisherman of Goa and GCZMA. (Photo on Pg 5) “GRE and NFF unanimously reject the draft, as this notification is scaling back on safeguards for the coastlines and therefore stands in violation of Section 3 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 which states that the Central Government shall take all such measures that it deems to be necessary or expedient the purpose of protecting and improving the quality of the environment and preventing, controlling and abating environmental pollution,” NFF vice-chairman and GRE general secretary Olencio Simoes said. He added, “In addition, this draft has been prepared without consulting the fishworkers, who are by far the largest primary non-consumptive stakeholders and natural custodians of the coastal natural resources.” The memorandum submitted to GCZMA states, “It is not clear why the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change is attempting to relax the CRZ Notification of 2011 to benefit builders and industrialists, given the fact that the environmental crisis facing our planet and our country is increasing.” It adds that the draft notification should make it clear that all activities that have been carried out in violation of the CRZ Notification of 1991 and the CRZ Notification of 2011 (as amended from time to time) will continue to be treated as violations under this notification as well, and that the letter dated 12.12.12 issued by MoEF would continue to be in force. GRE President Agnelo Rodrigues said that the CRZ notification 2018 will benefit only MPT and nationalisation of rivers as 53km of coastline and 200km of rivers will be converted into coal hub, coastal shipping traffic, economic zones, power, petroleum and manufacturing plants, industrial hub etc only for a few private players and that it will destroy tourism in Goa, as the State will lose its coastline if No Development Zone(NDZ) is reduced to 50mts as already 20 per cent of the 105 km of Goa’s coastline has already been affected by erosion. “We demand that the present notification be scrapped and the Coastal Zone Management Plans (CZMPs) under the CRZ, 2011 be completed including the demarcation of lines, zones, plans and the long-term housing needs of coastal fisher communities – in a transparent and accountable way, with community participation and wisdom being incorporated failing which there will be a massive agitation in the coming months,” Rodrigues said. ----- 80k fishermen will be affected: Simoes National Fishworkers Forum (NFF) vice-chairman Olencio Simoes on Monday said that almost 80,000 fisherman will be affected by the new CRZ draft notification 2018. “We are almost 80,000 fishermen so all of us will be affected and entire 105 kms coastline will be destroyed by allowing construction within 50 mts of HTL. There will be no CRZ left,” Simoes said. He added, “Because there will be no coast, it will eventually be a dead end for fishermen and tourism. Goa will lose its coastline if No Development Zone (NDZ) is reduced to 50mts as already 20 per cent of the 105 km of Goa’s coastline has been affected by erosion. The Colvale area in North Goa and River Talpona in South Goa are already affected by erosion.”