businesspg6_Layout 1 5/28/2011 6:44 PM Page 1

>6
Goa I Monday, May 30, 2011 www.oheraldo.in

NFWF’s biggest fear is

the abuse of the clause
which would allow

estates
establishment of ports
in so-called stable zones.
--- Matanhy Saldanha

Manipulation is the name of the game

Coastal regulation zone notifiCation
The National Fish Workers’ Forum
suspect that the new Coastal Regulation
Zone 2011 offers ample scope for
government manipulation, which
eventually can have serious
ramification. L P Fernandes met NFWF
chairman Matanhy Saldanha to get an
insight into their apprehensions.

O
n paper, the demarca-
tions of CRZ from HTL
to 500 metres at the
seafront and HTL to
100 metres on the river
front seems non-problematic. How-
ever, there are several problems with
the CRZ notification when one reads
the fine print.
LOCAL
COMMUNITIES
Though the term local communities
included in CRZ notification by the
Centre seems to be harmless,
Matanhy Saldanha, Chairman of Na-
tional Fisher Workers Forum (NFWF)
says that it provides scope for abuse.
Within CRZ, reconstruction and re-
pair of houses of fishermen and so
called “local communities” is al-
lowed. However, Saldanha predicted
that irregularities would crop up in its
interpretations and monitoring.
The inclusion of other ‘local com-
munities’ is seen as a backdoor entry
for illegalities. He cites the instance at
Velsao and Colva where illegal con-
structions have come up within CRZ.
In the name of a tenant, a Delhi resi-
dent has started illegal construction at
Velsao. In the same village, Madras
Rubber Factory had put up a plinth
for a cottage, which was illegal and
construction stayed by the Coastal
Regulation Zone Management Au-
thority. After seven years however,
they showed it as an existing structure
and the structure was legalized. This
structure is within 10 metres from the
HTL. These are certainly not local
communities, but businessmen misus-
ing the provisions with a little help
from the authorities.
This apart, major irregularities are
allowed by the Director of Panchayats,
says Saldanha. Even if panchayats
stay the construction of illegal struc-
tures within the CRZ, it is the Director
of Panchayats who overrules them.
This, he alleged, was done on behalf
of ministers and politicians.
MAPPING VILLAGES
Goa’s coast is dotted with fishing
villages and therefore there is no
question of mapping villages. The en-
tire coastline should be declared as
comprising of fishing villages. “All
coastal villages viz –Cansaulim, Vel-
sao, Baina, Nerul, Candolim,
Calangute, Baga, Anjuna, Arambol,
Morjim are fishing villages so the
question of mapping does not
arise.Much will depend on how the
local bodies would interpret the pro-
visions, said Saldanha.
COASTAL
MANAGEMENT PLAN
Under the notification, the State
Government through the Coastal
Zone Management Authority has to
draw up the Coastal Zone Manage-
ment Plan, map khazan lands, man-
groves, sand dunes, turtle nesting
sites, etc. Saldanha reiterated that the
NFWF had prepared a primer on the
CRZ notifications to create awareness
among the fishing communities and
support organisations and the same
had been placed before the Central
Government prior to the finalisation
of the notification. “Our apprehension
about the provisions, giving power to
state government to map sensitive
zones such as khazan lands, man-
groves and sand dunes etc is that it
can be easily manipulated. The
NFWF’s first demand is that the plan
should not be changed for a minimum
of 10 years,” said Saldanha.
Our second demand is that the Cen-
tre should specify the criteria for iden-
tifying and mapping Khazan lands.
The moot question is who will iden-
tify them and what will be the criteria
for mapping them. Khazan lands can
easily be mapped as non-khazan
The 1963 notification which gives the
MPT this jurisdiction was given as a war
booty, when there was no government in
Goa. They now carry out any activity
without any permission.
lands, thus illegally allowing con-
struction activity and continuing the
destruction of the coastal ecology in-
stead of preserving it.
CONSTRUCTION OF
PORTS
The CRZ notification bans construc-
tion of Port and harbour projects in
high eroding stretches of the coast, ex-
cept those projects classified as strate-
gic and defence related in terms of
EIA notification, 2006 identified by
MoEF.
Saldanha expressed the Forum’s
biggest fear of abuse of this clause
which would allow establishment of
ports in so-called stable zones. Here,
the first issue is that once a port is es-
tablished, an entire stable zone will
become unstable. “The greed of the
corporate lobby will finish India’s
coastline. 350 ports are proposed to be
established along the Indian coast.
How can such a huge number of ports
be established when present ports are
not saturated? This creation of ports is
only based on corporate greed. Every
company wants to establish a port.”
To be concluded next week

Seven deadly sins …

Commit the oldest sins, the newest kind of ways

JIM MANJOORAN
While it is the client who often differs in opinion of
architectonic the contractor to oversee the ‘mundane’ task of
construction at site, the architect has come to be

O
ur introspection of present day architecture’s known as a ‘fixer’, with a wide range of ‘activities,
Seven deadly sins has moved on. From the first sin that include more ‘serious responsibilities’ like
of Pride which is the sin of designer egotism,
‘brokering’ construction approvals, ‘middling’ the
where we produce bad buildings because of our deluded
ideas of showcasing greatness of self, to the second sin of
sale of our ever popular ‘clear-title’ properties....
Envy, which is the sin of the ‘copy cat’ design method —
where we imitate, because we covet the qualities of an-
other. The sin of sloth is the sin of the inability, contributing to
We now, sample the third sin of Wrath and and the the apathy in our architecture.
fourth sin of Sloth. Incompetence has bracketed architects as “impractical”
WRATH: at construction and consequently classified, detailing for
better construction, as an unnecessary waste of time, that
Better known today as: ‘dogmatism’ (the intolerance of is best left to contractors and material suppliers to work
opinions that differ with ours) Architecture of sloth: Apathy in our architecture out and finalize, directly on site.
The sin of wrath is the sin of prejudice, with which we The consequence is that, while it is the client who, now
tarily withdraw and hope that the next client will not pig-headed behavior, which means that a good idea from often, differs to the opinion of the contractor to oversee the
be the same, or put up with these ‘expert’ clients who one side almost never finds its way to the other. ‘mundane’ task of construction at site, the architect has
won’t accept anything other than that, which follows It is naive to think that all clients and architects, today, come to be known as a ‘fixer’, with a wide range of ‘activ-
their own ideas of Ar- are open-minded, up-for- ities, that include more ‘serious responsibilities’ like ‘bro-
chitecture. debate liberals who would kering’ construction approvals, ‘middling’ the sale of our
Reversely, experi- want to discuss and hear ever popular ‘clear-title’ properties, ‘commissioning’ sup-
ences abound about out each other. pliers and contractors for confirmation in selection for
clients, attempting a So, while each side works works and ‘shadow partnering’ with contractors.
discussion of the pro- itself up against doing any- We hear of architects mockingly re-christened after their
posed design or for thing that may be seen as modus operandi, such as ‘5 percent’ who indicates to all,
clarity on consultancy crediting the others and by the art of skilful subtlety, a cover ‘commissioning’
fees claimed in lieu of into finding more ways to charge and ‘asli-nakli’ who hides incompetence of design
services rendered, and keep the others out from by fake decorative elements like dummy columns, dummy
Architecture of wrAth: Either you are with us or facing a sudden hostil- participating, Architecture arches, dummy cornices, etc., etc. - ’asli- nakli’ facades.
against us
ity, however honest suffers. The list of such slothfulness can go on and on.
express our opinions in a way that suggests they should and well intentioned, their SLOTH: to be concluded
be accepted without question. request may be.
Better know today as: ‘in-
Architects always serve at the pleasure of the client, but We are increasingly —————————————————————-
this is much confused with design being the prerogative stuck in this rigid dogma- competence’ (lacking in The author is a practicing architect based in
solely of the client and no one else. tism - a sort of ‘Either you Architecture of wrAth: Architecture suffers of skills and ability to do Carambolim, Goa.
In such a circumstance, either the architect has to volun- are with us or against us’ dogmatism something properly) jim.manjooran@gmail.com