from Daijiworld Special Correspondent – Panaji (GA)

Panaji, May 4: An all party delegation from Goa will soon leave for Delhi to seek the legal opinion on Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) issue as around 2,500 houses in the coastal belt fear demolition following the High Court order.
 
State environment minister Aleixo Sequeira will lead the delegation which will have the representatives of Bharatiya Janata Party, Nationalist Congress party and Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party.
 
“Government had given assurance prior to the (Lok Sabha) elections that it will take up the matter with legal experts,” Sequeira said.
 
He said that they have sought appointment of Fali Nariman and Sham Diwan, India’s best legal brains, to find out solution for the vexed issue.
 
The Goa Bench of Bombay High court in their order had asked the state government to demolish the houses in CRZ, constructed after 1991. Many houses and work sheds which existed in the state prior to 1991 also faced the threat of demolition as they had no document to prove their year of existence.
 
State chief minister Digamber Kamat in the run up to the Lok Sabha polls had assured to look into the issue. The press conference to announce the state government’s support to the beleaguered citizens had earned notice from the election commission to the chief minister and four other ministers including Sequeira.
 
Sequeira said that the state government will discuss the issue with legal experts and will try to find out the solution.
 
The CRZ issue was one amongst the crucial local topics debated during the recently held Lok Sabha election in the state. Matanhy Saldanha, leader of fishermen community, who will be mostly affected with CRZ issue, had contested election on united Goans Democratic Party (UGDP) ticket, with CRZ issue as a main plank.