Report from Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Panaji (SP)

Panaji, Sep 20: Goa government today opposed the draft notification of the Coastal Management Zone (CMZ), claiming it to be detrimental to the interests of the state.
 
"It appears, that this notification takes into account the development or land use plan for coastal village panchayats upto the administrative boundary, which is detrimental to the interests of the people of Goa," Goa chief minister Digambar Kamat told reporters.
 
The chief minister had convened an all-party meeting at his official residence here, which saw the presentation of CMZ notification after which, a consensus was arrived at, to oppose the notification.
 
The meeting was attended by leaders of all the political parties, leader of opposition Manohar Parrikar, transport minister Ramakrishna Dhavalikar, environment minister Aleixo Sequiera and state chief secretary J P Singh.
 
Kamat said, that the power of the state to regulate development gets snatched away and practically it will be taken over by the union ministry of environment and forests, if the CMZ is implemented in toto.
 
The state has 105-km long coastline which is currently regulated by the coastal regulation zone (CRZ) act.
 
The Goa chief minister had, expressing his apprehensions over the notification to the participants, said that the prime minister Dr Manmohan Singh should call for a meeting of the chief ministers from the coastal states to discuss the issue.
 
"Last week, I had called on the prime minister and explained to him, that this regulation requires detailed deliberations and had suggested that a meeting of the chief ministers of coastal states should be convened for the purpose," Kamat revealed.
 
The chief minister also added, that he had discussed this issue with his counterparts from Maharashtra, Pondicherry and Assam, who too came out with similar views.
 
"Maharashtra chief minister told me that he has already written a letter to the centre, expressing similar views," Kamat said.
 
In today's all-party meeting, it was decided to address another memorandum to the prime minister, expressing opposition for the CMZ notification.
 
"There is no need for the Goans to feel panicky over the notification. The government is seized of the problem and will take appropriate measures," the chief minister assured.