Aldona MLA Adv. Carlos Alvares Ferreira on Tuesday called for the deletion of port limits from the Coastal Zone Management Plans (CZMP) being prepared by the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA), stating that the authority has no jurisdiction to demarcate such limits.
Ferreira said the issue had raised concerns among residents regarding the proposed demarcation of port limits within the CZMP.
He pointed out that port limits are governed by the Major Port Authorities Act, 2021, and the Indian Ports Act, and therefore fall outside the jurisdiction of the GCZMA.
“This is an apprehension by the people on the demarcation of the port limits on the CZMP. We have got a Major Port Authorities Act, 2021. Even for a major port, there is no delineation because it is subject to any right of private property,” Ferreira said.
He added that under the Major Port Authorities Act, the port authority assumes control only over areas that fall within notified port limits.
“And then you may have a town planning authority or a PDA, they will have no jurisdiction because under the Act it is only the authority which will control any development including land appurtenant to that,” he said.
Ferreira maintained that the CZMP should not include any demarcation of port limits as these matters are governed by separate statutes.
“The CZMP should not have any port limits demarcated because that will fall under the statutes. The GCZMA cannot make a CZMP identifying port limits in the CZMP,” he said.
He further clarified that the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) provisions do not override existing port laws.
“The question of CRZ usurping the jurisdiction does not arise. In CRZ the NDZ shall not be applicable within areas falling under notified port limits,” he said.
Following his intervention, the Chief Minister agreed that port limits would not be demarcated or delineated in the CZMP.
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