Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: After nearly two months of inactivity, the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has reconstituted the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA), with the Secretary (Environment) appointed as its Chairperson. The new committee has been formally notified on February 26 under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, and will serve a three-year term.
The GCZMA had remained non-functional since the previous committee’s term ended on December 26, 2025. The reconstituted authority includes senior officials as ex-officio members, such as the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Directors of Panchayats, Tourism, Industries, Urban Development, Fisheries, and Settlement & Land Records, Chief Engineer of Water Resources, and the Member Secretary of the Goa State Pollution Control Board.
In addition, the Centre has appointed expert members from academic and technical fields, including representatives from the National Institute of Oceanography (NIO), public works engineers, scholars, and environmental NGOs. The Director and Ex-Officio Joint Secretary (Environment & Climate Change), Goa, will act as the Member Secretary.
The GCZMA is responsible for reviewing project proposals in Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) areas, monitoring adherence to CRZ guidelines, regulating development activities, and taking action against violations. The authority is also empowered to issue directives, exercise powers under the Environment Act, and oversee cases of non-compliance to ensure sustainable coastal management.
