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The Expert Committee set up under the Chairmanship of Prof. M.S. Swaminathan to review the existing Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Notification has recommended a 3-tier structure to strengthen national capacity in the area of environmentally and socially sustainable integrated coastal zone management.
These structures include a National Board for Sustainable Coastal Zone Management headed by the Minister of Environment of Forests for policy guidance, a professionally led Sustainable Coastal Zone Authority for task implementation, and a National Institute for Sustainable Coastal Zone Management supported by two island centers for serving as repositories of policy and legal decisions and guidelines, undertaking conflict resolution studies and for promoting ecological literacy as related to sustainable coastal zone management,
The report of the Expert Committee, which was set up in July 2004 as part of the Government’s initiative to review all environmental regulatory systems, was presented to the Minister of Environment of Forests, Thiru A. Raja, by Prof. Swaminathan here today.
The report of the Committee will be examined by the Ministry for taking appropriate time bound action. Meanwhile a copy of the report has been put on the website of the Ministry of Environment and Forests ( http://envfor.nic.in ).
Observing that Coastal Zone Management requires cohesive, multi-disciplinary approaches as well as multi-dimensional vision, the report states that sustainable human security in all its dimensions - ecological, economic, ethical, cultural and human well being, in terms of the health and happiness of both man and nature, should be the goals of an enlightened Coastal Zone Management policy. The implementation of such a policy will require appropriate regulations supported by effective monitoring systems as well as education, public and political understanding of risks and benefits of development activities and above all, social mobilization through Panchayati Raj institutions.
The Committee has also recommended a National Coastal Zone Management Action Plan with an objective “to protect the coastal zone with peoples participation, the livelihood security of the coastal fisher and other communities, and the ecosystem, which sustains the productivity of the coastal areas, while promoting sustainable development that contribute to nation’s economy and prosperity.”
The Committee has further recommended the reclassification of the coastal zone into four Zones i.e.:
1. Coastal Management Zone-I – consists of areas designated as Ecologically Sensitive Areas such as Mangroves, Coral reefs, Sand Dunes, Inland tide/water bodies such as estuaries, lakes, lagoons, creeks & straits, Mudflats, Marine parks and sanctuaries, Coastal forests & wildlife, Coastal fresh water lakes, Salt Marshes, Turtle nesting grounds, Horse shoe crabs habitats, Seagrass beds, Sea weed beds, Nesting grounds of migratory birds.
2. Coastal Management Zone-II – consists of areas identified as Areas of Particular Concern such as economically important areas, high population areas and culturally/strategically important areas. The administrative boundaries of these areas would be boundaries of CZM-II.
3. Coastal Management Zone-III – consists of all other open areas including the coastal seas but excluding those areas classified as CMZ-I, CMZ-II and CMZ –IV.
4. Coastal Management Zone-IV - consists of Islands of The Andaman and Nicobar and Lakshadweep.
For the purpose of managing the above areas, the Committee has suggested Integrated Coastal Zone Management Approach. After taking into account the recent Tsunami, the Committee has laid emphasis on demarcation of vulnerability line all along the coastal areas and has suggested developmental activities to be regulated on the seaward side of the vulnerability line. The Committee has laid special emphasis on developing bio shields all along the coastal areas by intensive plantation of mangroves, casuarinas, etc.
AKS/rs
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