Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh assured protection for homes of traditional fishermen, toddy tappers and those existing before 1991 in CRZ areas of Goa. "However, commercial properties violating rules will have to go," he said.

The Union Minister of State for Environment and Forests, Mr Jairam Ramesh said the Union government would bring suitable amendment to protect the dwellings of traditional fishermen and toddy tappers living along the coastline of the state. But he categorically ruled out possibility of protecting any commercial buildings (particularly starred hotels) that fall under the ambit of CRZ violations.
Mr Ramesh toured the coastal areas of the state to study the problem of CRZ violations and said the problem was "a human issue."
The Union Minister, however, ruled out protecting the interest of owners of commercial buildings. “I am not here to protect the interests of owners of commercial buildings,” he said.
The central authorities will have to make an in-depth study of the situation in Goa. A fresh survey would have to be conducted to verify the existence of houses to be protected prior to 1991. He further said that the new legislation could take 4-5 months.
The Minister told the state government to seek more time from the Bombay High Court, which is hearing the cases regarding violation of CRZ in various parts of the state’s coastline.

Complications
Mr Ramesh urged the traditional dwellers affected by the judgement to provide some documentary evidence in support of their case.
However the villagers pointed out that not all the affected people will be in a position to provide documentary evidence. They informed that most of the affected people have been living on tenanted land and the landlords were not allowing them to register their houses. Secondly, they being poor could not even afford electricity, while others added that their thatched roof houses were not registered in the panchayat.
Some villagers informed the minister that in villages there used to be big families living in a small house, hence in many cases they have rebuilt their houses or have built another house close to their original house, in this case, they cannot comply with CRZ law.
Mr Ramesh pointed out that he understands their plight and that the government will do its best to protect the people, however it has to abide by the law.

'Nobody will bulldoze your houses'
Mr Ramesh, seeking to reassure the gathered fishing community said, “I reiterate that nobody will demolish your houses. Koi bulldozer aanewala nahin hai (no bulldozer will come)...Let me assure you that we are not going to protect 5-star hotels, even if they are owned by MLAs or MPs...(there won’t be) commercial property protection. Goa is a sensitive place where (protection of) environment assumes top priority and the central government will provide all support."

NGOs present their cases
The Chicalim Villagers Action Committee pleaded for urgent intervention from the central government, demanding a scientific study of breeding habitats and ecological sensitivity of Chicalim estuary. The Goa government is seeking to convert the estuary into an industrial zone to establish a shipbuilding yard.
The Mahadayi Bachao Abhiyan pointed out that the state government has not disseminated to the public the low tide line and high tide line demarcation report prepared by NIO. As a result, the destruction of eco-sensitive coastal zones had been accelerated.
Speaking on behalf of MBA, Dr Nandakumar Kamat questioned the rationale behind a blanket 500mtr CRZ delimitation.
Dr Kamat said the delimitation could be traced to a letter sent by the former prime minister, Indira Gandhi to chief ministers of coastal states suggesting that beaches have to be kept clear of all activities upto 500 metres from the high tide line. Thereafter the 500 metre delimitation has been religiously adhered to without any scientific or eclological justification.
"Coastal ecosystem boundaries extend beyond 500m. No ecological indicators have been specified to delimit CRZ to 500m." Dr Kamat said.
The Goenchea Ramponkaramcho Ekvott and Coastal Peoples’ Organization hailed the dropping of CZMA draft notification, however they pleaded with the union minister to regularise all the 8500 houses and work places built before December 2007, by bringing an amendment to the CRZ notification 1991. However, Mr Ramesh rejected the plea and assured that only those structures, prior to 1991 would be regularised.