Salcete, where hundreds of structures are sought to be razed under the CRZ notification, surprisingly does not figure in the itinerary of the Union Environment Minister, Jairam Ramesh when he visits the State on Sunday.

People from nearly 8,500 dwellings, who are facing the axe on account of the CRZ notification, will get a platform to make their voices felt at a public consultation to be attended by Union Minister for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh at Fr Agnel Ashram in Verna on Sunday, August 30, between 2 pm and 6 pm.

Illegal constructions have been mushrooming in Mandrem, Morjim, Arambol and surrounding coastal belt in violation of Coastal Regulation Zone rules.
The locals have alleged that government officials and panchayats have turned a blind eye to the illegal constructions.

Most of the fishermen who participated in the public consultation on amendments required to strengthen the CRZ Notification of 1991 in Chennai on Wednesday, urged Union Minister for Environment and Forest Jairam Ramesh, who chaired the public consultation meet, to implement the original notification of 1991, and to scrap the 25 amendments made to it in the last 18 years.

Chief Minister Digambar Kamat today reiterated his claim that the government is trying its best to support the traditional fishermen, whose houses face demolition under CRZ, according to High Court orders.
Briefing the media about his Delhi visit, wherein he had three crucial meetings, Kamat said he impressed upon the Union Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh to re-think on the issue.

At long last, the Goa government has moved to protect the interests of coastal inhabitants whose houses are facing the axe for Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) violations.

CHENNAI: A draft Fishermen Rights Bill will be introduced in Parliament in December to protect the traditional rights of fishermen. It will be modelled on the Forest Rights Act, or The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006.

THE country's record on environment is pathetic, Union Minister of Environment and Forest Jairam Ramesh has admitted.

CHENNAI: The Union Ministry of Environment and Forests has initiated steps to let the draft Coastal Zone Management notification, 2008 lapse and strengthen the existing Coastal Regulation Zone notification.

This has been stated by Jairam Ramesh, Union Minister of State, in his letter of August 8 to Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi, according to an official release issued here on Wednesday.

In a major attempt to protect the interest of coastal inhabitants facing the axe for Coastal Regulatory Zone violations, the Goa government has requested the Union Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) to amend the CRZ regulations with relaxations to the State vis-