Parliamentary Question: Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Guidelines

Parliamentary Question: Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Guidelines

The Ministry has been implementing the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Notification since 1991 to protect coastal areas, conserve ecosystems, and ensure the livelihood security of fishing and other local communities, while allowing development based on scientific principles. The 1991 Notification was replaced by the CRZ/ Island Protection zone (IPZ) Notification in 2011, and later updated by the CRZ/Island Coastal Regulation Zone (ICRZ) Notification in 2019. Under the 2019 Notification, all coastal States and Union Territories have to update their Coastal Zone Management Plans (CZMPs), Island Coastal Regulation Zone Plans (ICRZPs), or Integrated Island Management Plans (IIMPs) and submit them to the Ministry for approval. Until these updated plans are approved, the provisions of CRZ / IPZ Notification, 2011 continue to apply. So far, updated CZMPs for Odisha, Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Kerala, and ICRZPs for Great Nicobar and Little Andaman have been approved. The updation of CZMP under the CRZ Notification, 2019 is in accordance with the guidelines stipulated in Annexure-IV of the CRZ Notification, 2019, which are applicable to the entire country without any difference between the East and West coasts. The required studies and surveys for updating the Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP), in line with the guidelines, are being carried out by the concerned State/UT CZMAs through institutes authorized by the Ministry.

Violations of the CRZ Notifications, 2011 and 2019, are liable to penal action under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. To ensure this, the Ministry has delegated powers to the State/UT Coastal Zone Management Authorities (CZMAs) under Sections 5, 10, and 19 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, for addressing violations and enforcing CRZ regulations in the country. As informed by the Andhra Pradesh Coastal Zone Management Authority (APCZMA), a total of 53 violation cases have been reported in Andhra Pradesh during the last ten years, none of which involves repeat offenders. District-wise details, including those for Bapatla district, are given below:

District

Number of Cases

Visakhapatnam

24

Anakapalli

02

Kakinada

02

Dr. B. R. Ambedkar Konaseema District

02

West Godavari District

06

Krishna District

01

Bapatla District

15

SPSR Nellore District

01

Total

53

 

This information was provided by UNION MINISTER OF STATE FOR ENVIRONMENT,

FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE, SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH, in a written reply

to a question in Lok Sabha today.

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