The Hindu : Karnataka News : National Fishworkers Forum rejects draft CRZ notification

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Karnataka

Karnataka

National Fishworkers Forum rejects draft CRZ notification

Special Correspondent

It has been put up on Ministry of Environment and Forests website

NFF terms it mere eyewash and a ploy to rob traditional fishermen of land
It does not envisage protection for fishermen or environment: NFF acting chief

PANAJI: The National Fishworkers Forum (NFF) on Thursday rejected the draft Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Notification 2010 put up on the website of the Ministry of Environment and Forests.

The NFF has termed the new CRZ notification as mere eyewash and a ploy to rob traditional fishermen of land.

“Special consideration for Goa in the CRZ draft notification is an eyewash as merely mapping fishing villages and khazan lands does not entail protection for fishermen or environment,” NFF acting chairman Mathanhy Saldanha told The Hindu here on Thursday while reacting to the draft notification.

Given the fact that there are only cosmetic differences between the pre-draft notification and the notification pertaining to CRZ, it appears that either the Minister of Environment and Forests is trying to fool the people or the bureaucrats of that department are hoodwinking the Minister and the public while acting as puppets of the various lobbies and vested interests, said Mr. Saldanha.

Mr. Saldanha criticised the consultation process of the Ministry describing it as a “colossal waste of public funds”.

He questioned the purpose of the 10 consultations held across the country ostensibly to understand the views and opinions of the fishing and other communities living along the coast as, according to NFF, none of the recommendations made at these consultations reflected in the notification.

Even though at each and every consultation, fishing communities along with other traditional occupants of the coastline of the country had consistently demanded that the notification enshrine their right to live along the coastline that they have been occupying for centuries and their right to livelihood from what the coastal environment provides be protected, this demand has been ignored by the Minister and his officials, said NFF.

‘Without rationale'

Mr. Saldanha said that the notification neither protects the fishing communities nor the coastal environment as activities that do not need to be within 500 metres from the sea such as atomic plants, greenfield airports, “non-polluting” industries, special economic zones, large housing projects are all being permitted without any clear rationale.

Moreover, there is also no attempt to take account of the cumulative impacts of thermal power plants and ports along the coast, the NFF observed.

Rejecting the concept of “special consideration” to Kerala , Goa and Navi Mumbai in the proposed notification, Mr. Saldanha said there is no case for the special status sought to be given as the situation along India's vast coastline and its biodiversity differs so vastly.

“This will only serve to dilute the CRZ notification and open up the coast to builders, the tourist lobby, land sharks and industry, while offering no protection to the environment and the traditional inhabitants of the coast,” he stated.

Even the “special concession” granted to Kerala whereby the setback area in backwater islands is reduced to 50 metres appears to be for the benefit of hoteliers and developers who have acquired large chunks of land in these islands rather than in the interest of the local inhabitants, said NFF chief.

The NFF will meet shortly to plan its course and strive to ensure that the draft notification in its current form is withdrawn, said Mr. Saldanha.

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