Detailed background of the 1991 CRZ notification, and how it underwent as many as 25 amendments before the 2011 CRZ notification was passed and a detailed description of CRZ I-IV.
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Coastal & River Zone Management, Regulations & Development. -Prof. Shyam R. Asolekar
1. Coastal & River Zone Management,
Regulations & Development
Prof. Shyam R. Asolekar
Centre for Environmental Science and Engineering
Indian Institute of Technology Bombay
3. Coastal Zone of India (1/2)
• India has a coastline of about 7,500 km
• Nearly 250 million people live within a
distance of 50 km from the coast
• The coastal areas are also the place
where natural disasters are also
experienced
6. Importance of Coastal Zone (1/2)
Coastal environment plays a vital role in nation’s
economy by virtue of the resources, productive
habitats and rich biodiversity. It provides
• Commercial and recreational fisheries
• Mass coastal tourism
• Community and recreational services
• Ports and shipping
• Nature and adventure tourism
• Non-living Resources in Coastal and Marine
Areas
• Hydrocarbons
• Placers and other Minerals
7. • Salt and Chemicals
• Freshwater
• Renewable energy resources
• Areas of Scenic/Aesthetic Value and Heritage
• Marine Biodiversity
• Mangroves
• Corals
• Sea-grass beds
• Coastal Forests and Wildlife Areas
• Marine Parks and Sanctuaries
• Turtle Nesting Grounds
Importance of Coastal Zone (2/2)
10. Threats to Coastal Zone (1/3)
• The Super Cyclone had caused massive
destruction along the coast of Orissa in 1999
and its impact was felt several kilometres Inland
• The Tsunami, which occurred on 26th
December,
2004 was one of the most serious and
unexpected natural catastrophes to occur along
the Indian coast
11. Threats to Coastal Area (2/3)
• Pressures of development
• Recreational and housing activities
• Denudation of precious mangrove forests
• Large-scale sand mining
• Extraction of coral reefs
• Dumping of sewage and toxic wastes into the
sea
12. Threats to Coastal Area (3/3)
• Gradual and incremental exploitation of the
coast over a long time
• Till recently, problems more associated with
major cities on the coast
• Now rapid economic growth—enormous
pressure on the coastal space and coastal
resources
• Pressures from industrialization, port
infrastructure, tourism, coastal aquaculture,
expansion of urban areas, mining
14. CRZ Background (1/2)
• The Prime Minister Smt. Indira Gandhi in 1981,
after taking a note of unplanned development in
the coastal areas wrote letters to all the coastal
States to take adequate measures for protecting
the coastal environment
• She had proposed in 1981 that no permanent
constructions should be undertaken within 500
metres of the high-tide line
• As the follow-up of the PM’s directive, the then
Department of Environment & Forests initiate
preparation of a guideline for protecting the
beaches of the country
Source: M.S. Swaminathan Committee Report, 2005- “To Review the Coastal regulation Zone
Notification, 1991”
15. CRZ Background (2/2)
• However, none of the State/UT Governments
took the guidelines seriously since, it had no
statutory backing
• This suggestion was given legal content by the
Ministry of Environment and Forests through
the Coastal Regulation Zone Notification dated
19th
February, 1991 under the Environment
(Protection) Act, 1986
• The Coastal Regulation Zone Notification
issued in 1991 was the first major legislation
that was aimed at regulating various coastal
activities and protecting the coastal
environment
Source: M.S. Swaminathan Committee Report, 2005 “To Review the Coastal regulation Zone
Notification, 1991”
17. CRZ Notification, 1991
In the exercise of the power conferred by Clause
(d) of sub-rule (3) of Rule 5 of the Environment
(Protection) Rules, 1986:
The Central Government declared the coastal
stretches of seas, bays, estuaries, creeks, rivers
and backwaters which were influenced by tidal
action (in the landward side) upto 500 metres from
the High Tide Line (HTL) and the land between the
Low Tide Line (LTL) and the HTL as Coastal
Regulation Zone
(Source: MoEF, Govt. of India)
18. Prohibited Activities of CRZ
Notification, 1991 (1/4)
Following Activities were Prohibited in the CRZ
Notification
1.Setting up of new industries and expansion of
existing industries, except those directly related
to water front or directly needing foreshore
facilities
2.Manufacture or handling or storage or disposal
of hazardous substances specified in the
Hazardous Waste Management Rules, 1989
3.Setting up and expansion of fish processing
units including warehousing (excluding hatchery
and natural fish drying in permitted areas)
19. 4. Setting up and expansion of units/mechanism
for disposal of waste and effluents, except
facilities required for discharging treated
effluents into the water course with approval
under the Water (Prevention and Control of
Pollution) Act,1974; and except for storm water
drains
5. Discharge of untreated wastes and effluents
from industries, cities or towns and other
human settlements
6. Dumping of city or town waste for the
purposes of land filling or otherwise; the
existing practice, if any, shall be phased out
Prohibited Activities of CRZ
Notification, 1991 (2/4)
20. 7. Dumping of ash or any wastes from thermal
power stations
8. Mining of sand, rocks and other substrata
materials, except those rare minerals not
available outside the CRZ areas
9. Harvesting or withdrawal of ground water and
construction of mechanisms therefore within
200 m of HTL
10.In the 200 m to 500 m zone it shall be permitted
only when done manually through ordinary
wells for drinking, horticulture, agriculture and
fisheries
11.Construction activities in ecologically
sensitive areas as specified in Annexure-I of
this Notification
Prohibited Activities of CRZ
Notification, 1991 (3/4)
21. 12. Any construction activity between the LTL and
HTL except facilities for carrying treated
effluents and waste water discharges into the
sea, facilities for carrying sea water for
cooling purposes, oil, gas and similar
pipelines and facilities essential for activities
permitted under this Notification
13. Dressing or altering of sand dunes, hills
natural features including landscape charges
for beautification, recreational and other such
purpose, except as permissible under the
Notification
Prohibited Activities of CRZ
Notification, 1991 (4/4)
23. Classification of India’s Coastal
Zone (1/3)
Category I (CRZ -I) Ecologically Sensitive &
Important
a)Ecologically sensitive and important, such as
national parks/marine parks, sanctuaries,
reserve forests, wild habitats, mangroves,
corals/coral reefs, area close to breeding and
spawning grounds of fish and other marine life,
areas of outstanding natural beauty
b)Historical and heritage areas, areas rich in
genetic biodiversity, areas likely to be
inundated due to rise in sea level consequent
upon global warming
c)Areas between the Low Tide Line and High Tide
Line
24. Classification of India’s Coastal
Zone (2/3)
Category II (CRZ -II) Built-up Municipal Areas
The areas that have already been developed up
to the shoreline
For this purpose, developed area is referred to
as that area within the municipal limits or in
other legally designated urban areas which is
already substantially built up and which has
been provided with drainage and approach
roads and other infrastructural facilities, such
as water supply and sewerage mains
25. Classification of India’s Coastal
Zone (3/3)
Category III (CRZ -III) Rural Areas
Areas that are relatively undisturbed and those,
which do not belong to either Category I or II.
These will include coastal zone in the areas
(developed and undeveloped) and also areas
within Municipal limits or in other legally
designated urban areas which are not
substantially built-up
Category IV (CRZ -IV) The Islands of
Lakshadweep and Andaman & Nicobar
Coastal stretches in the Lakhadweep, Andaman
& Nicobar Islands, and small islands, except
those designated as CRZ I, CRZ II and CRZ III
27. Various Committees Constituted by
MoEF on CRZ implementation (1/11)
Committee Issues
Covered
Key
Recommendation/
Observations
Action by
MoEF
1. B.B.
Vohra
Committee
(January,
1992)
Tourism Reduction of
distance of the Non
Development Zone
(NDZ) in selected
coastal stretches for
promoting tourism
Reduced NDZ
area all along
tidal water
bodies from
100 to 50m
(amendment
dt.18th
August,1994)
Source: www.equitabletourism.org/stage/readfull.php?AID=45
28. Committee Issues
Covered
Key
Recommendation/
Observations
Action by
MoEF
1. B.B.
Vohra
Committee
(January,
1992)
Tourism Public access
between two resorts
to be 6m
Maintaine 20 m
distance
between two
resorts
(amendment dt.
8th
August,
1994)
Various Committees Constituted by
MoEF on CRZ implementation (2/11)
Source: www.equitabletourism.org/stage/readfull.php?AID=45
29. Committee Issues
Covered
Key
Recommendation/
Observations
Action by
MoEF
2. Prof.
N.B. Nair
Committee
(December,
1996)
Kerala
CRZ
Inclusion of census
towns and
panchayats, which
are substantially
built up to be
declared as urban
areas (CRZ-II)
None
Various Committees Constituted by
MoEF on CRZ implementation (3/11)
Source: www.equitabletourism.org/stage/readfull.php?AID=45
30. Committee Issues
Covered
Key
Recommendation/
Observations
Action by MoEF
2. Prof.
N.B. Nair
Committee
(Dec, 1996)
Kerala
CRZ
Storage of
petroleum
products in CRZ
area
CRZ amended
(amendment
dated 9th
July,
1997)
Kerala
CRZ
Reduction of CRZ
to 50m along tidal
water bodies in
Kerala
Not considered
Various Committees Constituted by
MoEF on CRZ implementation (4/11)
Source: www.equitabletourism.org/stage/readfull.php?AID=45
31. Committee Issues
Covered
Key
Recommendation/
Observations
Action by
MoEF
3. Fr.
Saldanha
Committee
– I
(Dec,1996)
Advice on
withdrawal
of ground
water and
extraction
of sand in
A & N
Islands
Extraction of
Ground water by
manual method in
50-200m from the
HTL for local
communities of
A & N Islands
Permitted
(amendment
dated 31st
January, 1997)
Various Committees Constituted by
MoEF on CRZ implementation (5/11)
Source: www.equitabletourism.org/stage/readfull.php?AID=45
32. Committee Issues
Covered
Key
Recommendation/
Observations
Action by
MoEF
3. Fr.
Saldanha
Committee
– I
(Dec,1996)
Advice on
withdrawal
of ground
water and
extraction
of sand in
A & N
Islands
Mining of sand in
the CRZ area for a
short period for 1-
2 years only
Permitted
mining of sand
in the CRZ
area, thereafter
MoEF has been
periodically
extending on
yearly basis
Various Committees Constituted by
MoEF on CRZ implementation (6/11)
Source: www.equitabletourism.org/stage/readfull.php?AID=45
33. Committee Issues
Covered
Key
Recommendation/
Observations
Action by
MoEF
4.
Dr. Arcot
Ramachan
dran
Committee
(1996)
Ocean
Regulation
Zone-activities
need to be
included in the
seaward side
of the coast
Inclusion of several
activities for
prohibition/regulati
on in the ocean part
of the coastal zone
No action
taken
Various Committees Constituted by
MoEF on CRZ implementation (7/11)
Source: www.equitabletourism.org/stage/readfull.php?AID=45
34. Various Committees constituted by
MoEF on CRZ implementation (8/11)
Committee Issues
Covered
Key
Recommendation/
Observations
Action by
MoEF
5. Fr.
Saldanha
Committee
- II (June,
1997)
- Construction of
dwelling units within
200 metres in CRZ-III
only for bonafide
traditional settlers
No
amendment
after issuing a
draft
dated 11th
January, 2002
Source: www.equitabletourism.org/stage/readfull.php?AID=45
35. Various Committees constituted by
MoEF on CRZ implementation (9/11)
Committee Issues
Covered
Key
Recommendation/
Observations
Action by
MoEF
6. D. M.
Sukthanka
r
Committee
- I (May,
2000)
Relating
to Mumbai
and Navi
Mumbai
Increase in Floor
Space Index (FSI) for
undertaking slum
redevelopment
schemes and
rehabilitation of
dilapidated
structures
No action on
the report
since the
recommendati
ons were not
in line with
the CRZ
Notification
Source: www.equitabletourism.org/stage/readfull.php?AID=45
36. Various Committees constituted by
MoEF on CRZ implementation (10/11)
Committee Issues
Covered
Key Recommendation/
Observations
Action
by MoEF
7. D.M.
Sukthankar
Committee-
II
(March,
2000)
Examine the
issues of
coastal zone
management
in a holistic
manner
prepare a
(NCZP)
Coastal zone should be
based on risk from
erosion and flooding,
environmental
clearance procedure to
be adopted for
developmental
No
action
taken
National Coastal Zone Policy (NCZP)
Source: www.equitabletourism.org/stage/readfull.php?AID=45
37. Various Committees constituted by
MoEF on CRZ implementation (11/11)
Committee Issues
Covered
Key
Recommendation/
Observations
Action by MoEF
8. Prof.
M.S.
Swaminat
han
Committee
-II
(February,
2005)
Review the
CRZ
Notificatio
n and
suggest
changes to
strengthen
it
Recommended a
new coastal
management
strategy, Integrated
Coastal Zone
Management
Approach,
Reclassification of
the coastal zone
into four Zones
The MoEF has
proposed to
replace the CRZ
Notification,
1991 with a
Coastal
Management
Zone
Notification
(CMZ)
Source: www.equitabletourism.org/stage/readfull.php?AID=45
39. Amendments to the CRZ Notification (1/5)
• During 1991 and 2009, 25 amendments have been
added to the CRZ Notification, 1991
• S.O.595(E), dated 18th
August, 1994 – Relaxed
Coastal Regulation Zone area to 50 mts along the
tidal influenced water bodies (this was based on
B. B. Vohra Committees report, The Supreme
Court in 1993 invalidated the above amendment
• S.O.73(E), dated 31st
January, 1997 – Permitted
mining of sand and drawal of groundwater in the
Coastal Regulation Zone area in Andaman and
Nicobar (A&N)
• S.O.494(E), dated 9th
July, 1997 – Permitted
reclamation within port limits, constructions for
operation expansion and modernization of ports,
Development of public utilities within Sunderbans
40. • S.O.730(E), dated 4th
August, 2000 – Permitted
storage of LNG in the inter –tidal area and
exploration and extraction of oil and gas in CRZ
areas
• S.O.329(E), dated 12th
April, 2001 – Permitting
setting up of projects and Department of Atomic
Energy, Pipelines and conveying systems in
CRZ areas
• S.O.550 (E), dated 21st
May, 2002 – Permitted non
polluting industries in the field of IT and other
service industries in the CRZ area of special
economic zones. Housing schemes of State
Urban development Authorities initiated prior to
19.2.1991 was also permitted
Amendments to the CRZ Notification (2/5)
41. • S.O.110(E), dated 19th
October, 2002 – Permitted
non conventional energy facilities, desalination
plans, air strips in CRZ of A&N and a
Lakshadweep, Storage of non-hazardous cargo
such as edible oil, fertilizer and food grain was
also permitted
• S.O.460(E), dated 22nd
April, 2003 – Project
costing more than 5 crores requires clearance
from Ministry of Environment and Forests
• S.O.636(E), dated 30th
May, 2003 – Permitted
construction of embarkation facilities for
Lakshadweep in Coastal Regulation Zone –I
areas
Amendments to the CRZ Notification (3/5)
42. • S.O.725(E), dated 24th
June, 2003 – Permitted
construction of trans -harbour sea links passing
through CRZ –I areas
• S.O.838(E), dated 24th
July, 2003 – Relaxed No
Development Zone to 50 mts from 200 mts from
HTL in A&N and Lakshadweep for promoting
tourism based on Integrated Coastal Zone
Management study
Amendments to the CRZ Notification (4/5)
43. • S.O.Nil (E), dated 25th
January 2005- The
amendment states that in A&N Islands, mining of
sand may be permitted for construction purpose
on a case to case basis by a Committee
constituted by the Lieutenant Governor of the
Adman & Nicobar (A&N) Islands consisting of-
(1) The Chief Secretary, A & N Administration
(2) Secretary, Department of Environment
(3) Secretary, Department of Water Resources
(4) Secretary, Andaman Public Works
Department
Amendments to the CRZ Notification (5/5)
45. Coastal Regulation Zone
Notification, 2011
The Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) notification of
1991 has been replaced recently in January, 2011
by the latest CRZ notification of the Ministry of
Environment and Forests (MoEF)
Apart from codifying the 25 amendments that
were made to CRZ notification between 1991-
2009, the CRZ notification (2011) has several new
feature
(Source: MoEF, CRZ Notification, 2011)
46. Features of CRZ, 2011
Notification (1/2)
1.It has special provisions for Goa, Kerala,
Greater Mumbai and critically vulnerable
coastal areas (CVCAs) like -
Sunderban mangrove area (West Bengal),
Chilka and Bhitarkanika (Orissa), Gulf of
Khambat and Gulf of Kutch (Gujarat), Malwan
(Maharashtra), Karwar and Kundapur
(Karnataka), Vembanad (Kerala), Coringa, East
Godavari and Krishna Delta (Andhra Pradesh),
Gulf of Mannar (Tamil Nadu)
2.Clear procedures for obtaining CRZ approval
with time-lines have been stipulated along with
post-clearance monitoring and enforcement
mechanisms
47. Features of CRZ, 2011
Notification (2/2)
3.Water area up to 12 nautical miles in the sea
and the entire water area of a tidal water body
such as creek, river, estuary etc., would now be
included in the CRZ areas, without imposing
any restrictions of fishing activities
4.The concept of a Coastal Zone Management
Plan (CZMP), to be prepared with the fullest
involvement and participation of local
communities, has been introduced
5.The concept of a hazard line to be demarcated
over the next five years has been introduced to
protect life and property of local communities
and infrastructure along coastal areas
48. Coastal Management Zone
• Based on the recommendations of the
Prof. Swaminathan Committee Report,
the Ministry of Environment and Forests
(MoEF) has prepared a draft notification
of Coastal Management Zone (CMZ)
49. Concerns About the Draft Notification of
CMZ
• As reported by many NGOs, Civil Society and
fishery unions, the following problems will be
faced, if the CMZ draft notification is
implemented:
– The forest land along the country’s coastline,
currently protected under the Forest Protection Act,
will be thrown up for development
– The move will lead to the development of resorts,
hotels and mega housing projects, leading to the
uprooting of fishermen
– Provision for the development of new ports which
might be disastrous for India’s ecological balance
– The proposed regularization of violations, such as
structures built on the seaward side of the existing
roads and structures built contrary to CRZ
51. Proposed Notification on River
Regulation Zone, 2011 (1/3)
• The notification could be similar to the CRZ
notification, and should restrict, regulate or
prohibit various activities in specified stretches
of rivers to a specified distance on both sides
from the natural levee
• The distance will vary from a minimum of 500 m
to the point reached by the 10- year peak flood
in the plains
• River courses need to be divided into various
"eco-zones" or ‘reaches’ depending upon their
climatic and geomorphic features, state of
degradation, human use and potential for
restoration
52. Proposed Notification on River
Regulation Zone, 2011 (2/3)
The activities to be regulated include:
• Various forms of encroachment on river beds
and floodplains
• Particularly all permanent constructions
• Further channelization by levees
• Disposal of solid wastes, and landfills in
floodplain
• Intensive agriculture using agrochemicals and
manure
• Uncontrolled extraction of sand; intensive
grazing and excessive harvesting of vegetation;
immersion of idols
53. Proposed Notification on River
Regulation Zone, 2011 (3/3)
• Disposal of dead bodies
• Religious offerings in indiscriminate
manner
• Even mass bathing, wallowing of cattle
and washing of clothes should be
regulated
54. Questions on the Table
• Do we need such regulated zones?
• Where our regulations stand today?
• What can be done to give justification?
• Is “People First” principle apply here?
• Who will pay?
• Who will monitor?
• Is there a requirement of an integrated
approach to protect our coastal zones?