Environment

KEY POINTS

Concerns with the draft

• CRZ – A major change pertains to the CRZ is the limits on land along “tidal influenced water bodies”. The proposed limit has been reduced from 100 metres to 50 metres or the width of the creek, whichever is less.
• This dilution will help builders and could make the coast more vulnerable to development.
• Authority – It makes the National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM) the final authority to lay down standards for High Tide Line (HTL).
• Also, only those projects located in CRZ-I and CRZ-IV shall now require MoEF clearance. All other projects shall be considered by Coastal Zone Management Authorities (CZMAs) in the states and union territories.
• These are perceived as a dilution of regulation and control over the coastal areas.
• Hazard Line - The hazard line has been delinked from the CRZ regulatory regime. It, instead, merely states that the hazard line should be used as a tool for disaster management.
• This means that one can build in these areas after preparing an environment assessment report. It has to just state that certain precautions have been considered.
• Strategic projects - The draft allows for construction of roads and roads on stilts, “by way of reclamation in CRZ-1 areas”.
• This can only be in exceptional cases for “defence, strategic purposes and public utilities”. However, it does not explicitly state what strategic projects are.
• Bifurcation of CRZ-III areas – CRZ-III areas have now been divided into two categories. But, the accuracy of data that is used for classification is being questioned.
• As per 2011 Census, only state-wise population density is available. So, the process of narrowing down to the coastal region population is unclear.
• Some of these common areas are used by fisherfolk to dry fish and park their boats. Opening these up would affect their livelihood related activities.
• Fisher folk – There are concerns that the draft has opened up fragile inter-tidal areas to real estate agents.
• It seems to be favouring the large-scale industry at the cost of fishing communities.