Panaji: In a major relief, the National Green Tribunal (NGT), Principal Bench New Delhi has granted extension till January 31, 2019 to the Goa government to submit the Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP).
NGT Chairperson Adarsh Kumar Goel in an order passed on November 14 has disposed off Goa’s petition by allowing extension to submit the CZMP to the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MOEF&CC).
NGT, through a country wide order in November 2017, had set deadline of April 30, 2018 for all coastal States and Union Territories to submit CZMPs. MoEF was granted three months till July 30, to approve the plans.
Meanwhile, the NCSCM scientists have arrived in Goa to conduct ground truthing of the CZMP. The study that commenced since yesterday will continue till November 24.
Ground truthing was one of the reason for delay in finalizing the plan.
