Uncertainty shrouds 2011 CRZ notification

Ignatius Pereira
KOLLAM,  
The Hindu, June 6, 2014 

Even as another World Environment Day was observed on Thursday, the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Notification 2011, announced with the aim of protecting the coastal ecology of the country, is yet to come into force in the State.

As a result, there is confusion within the departments concerned on whether the CRZ Notification 1991 is still in force.

No CZMP

Though it was announced that the 2011 notification replaces the 1991 notification, many believe that the latter is still in effect, the reason being that the State government is yet to submit its Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP) to the Union Ministry of Environment and Forest.

The plan is mainly to identify the hazard line, which involves assessing possible shoreline changes in the next 50 to 100 years.

When the 2011 notification was announced, all littoral States and Union Territories were asked to prepare their own CZMP through a qualified agency and submit it within two years.

That deadline ended in January 2013. But the State government dilly-dallied on it and entrusted the task to the Centre for Earth Science Studies (CESS) only two months ago.

The inordinate delay has resulted in an uncertainty over coastal ecology protection.

The 2011 notification was prepared with the objective of protecting the livelihood of traditional fishing communities, promotion of economic activity, and protection of coastal ecology.

The 2011 notification has special provisions for some regions including Kerala.

People’s involvement

The respective States and Union Territories were asked to prepare the CZMP with the involvement of local communities.

The environmentalists allege that the 1991 notification was replaced mainly for the purpose of facilitating the needs of the industrial and the tourism sectors. There was no need to replace bona fide fishing community members from the coastal ecotones since fishing community members did not engage in destruction of the coastal ecology.

They argue that fishing community members should be given rights on the coastal areas on a par with the Forest Rights Act provided to forest-dwelling communities.