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For conserving and protecting the coastal environment, the Ministry of Environment and Forests issued the Coastal Regulation Zone Notification on 19th February 1991 under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. This notification regulates developmental activities within the Coastal Regulation Zone. Under this notification, the coastal States and Union Territories demarcate the ecologically sensitive areas such as mangroves, coral reefs, coastal forests sand dunes etc. and protect them. No developmental activities are permitted in such coastal eco-sensitive areas. In fact, India’s coastal zone regulations are one of the most stringent measures anywhere taken in the world.
Further, for the purpose of monitoring and enforcing the notification, the Ministry has also constituted a National and 13 State/Union Territory level Coastal Zone Management Authorities, who are empowered under various provisions of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 for initiating punitive action against the violations of the Coastal Regulation Zone Notification, 1991. These authorities not only regulate development activities outside the coastal eco-sensitive areas and also take punitive actions against violators. The number of court cases (more than 800) filed in the Supreme Court, High Courts and lower courts challenging the decisions of the ministry with regard to the implementation of the Coastal Regulation Zone Notification, 1991 are one indication of the stringent stand taken by the Ministry and the State Governments.
Since, the promulgation of the Coastal Regulation Zone Notification, 1991 the Ministry has been receiving several representations from the coastal State Governments, Central Ministries and community based organizations requesting for amending the notification to permit development or to protect the eco-sensitive areas by further regulating activities. Taking into consideration these representations, Ministry has constituted an Expert Committee under the Chairmanship of Prof. M. S. Swaminathan to review the notification in a holistic and scientific manner. This Expert Committee is reviewing the Coastal Regulation Zone Notification, 1991 based on international best practices which include identification of eco-sensitive areas and important geomorphic features for effective management of coastal zone including delineation of setback limits based on coastal vulnerability and disaster management aspects. The report of the Committee is expected by end of January 2005. In this regard, it has been alleged that this Ministry’s intentions in constituting the Expert Committee under the Chairmanship of Prof. M. S. Swaminathan are to dilute the provisions of the notification. This is completely baseless.
Apart from implementing the Coastal Regulation Zone Notification, 1991, the Ministry has taken several proactive measures in protecting the coastal areas by initiating programmes such as mangrove development schemes, coral reefs protection measures and shelter bed plantation along the coastal areas. The Ministry has identified 35 potential mangrove plantation areas and four coral reef areas for conservation and management. Financial assistance of Rs. 4.5 crores annually is provided to the concerned State Governments. During the year 2002-2003 an area of about 3,500 ha was afforested with mangroves.
The Ministry has also initiated urgent steps in wake of the recent tsunami catastrophe. The tsunami has not only caused destruction of life and property but also serious damage to the coastal ecological resources. The coastal communities are directly or indirectly dependent upon these coastal resources for their livelihoods. In view of this, a high level meeting on 5th January, 2005 was organized in the Ministry to assess the damages caused to these ecological and geomophological features in the coastal and marine areas. In the meeting, it was decided that the assessment of the ecological and geomorphological damages caused by the tsunami would be carried out in two phases. In the first phase, a rapid assessment based on satellite imagery would be done by scientific institutions such as Space Application Centre, Ahmedabad, Institute for Ocean Management, Chennai, Centre for Earth Science Studies, Trivendrum, Centre for Advance Marine Studies, Chidhambram, Zoological Survey of India, Botanical Survey of India and Forest Survey of India. This rapid assessment would be completed by 6th March, 2005. Based on the rapid assessment studies, a detailed programme would be worked out for detailed evaluation of coastal ecological resources, which are important for livelihoods and/or coastal protection, and which have suffered long-term damage and the damage may be remedied. This detailed valuation would lead to an Action Plan for restoration of the ecological and geomorphological features.
AKS/rs
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