Manifest Pedagogy
Coastal Regulation Zone as a topic is studied as a part of Environmental Governance within Environment as a discipline. The new notification is out after many years. The question would possibly be on comparing it with earlier notification or about it being pro- development rather than pro-environment. The topic gets even more relevant in the context of recent floods in Kerala
In news
Cabinet has given nod to New Coastal Regulation Zone Notification 2018
Placing it in syllabus
Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment
Static dimensions
- History of Coastal Regulation Zone norms
- Classification of CRZ
Current dimensions
- New coastal Regulation zone draft
Content
History of Coastal Regulation Zone norms
- Coastal Regulation Zones (CRZ) were notified by the government of India in 1991 for the first time.
- Under the Environment protection act 1986 of India, notification was issued in February 1991, for regulation of activities in the coastal area by the Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF).
- As per the notification, the coastal land up to 500m from high Tide Line (HTL) and a stage of 100m along banks of creeks, estuaries, backwater and rivers subject to tidal fluctuations, is called the Coastal Regulation Zone(CRZ). CRZ along the country has been placed in four categories.
- The above notification includes only the inter-tidal zone and land part of the coastal area and does not include the ocean part. The notification imposed restriction on the setting up and expansion of industries or processing plants etc. in the said CRZ.
- The CRZ areas are classified into four categories under Coastal Zone Regulation Notification, 2011, they are;
- CRZ-I: The areas that are ecologically sensitive and where the geo-morphological features play a role in maintaining the integrity of the coast (Example: Mangroves, corals, sand dunes, biologically active mudflats etc.). This also includes the area between the Low Tide Line and the High Tide Line.
- CRZ-II: The areas that have been developed up to or close to the shoreline.
- CRZ-III : Areas that are relatively undisturbed and those do not belong to either CRZ-I or II which include coastal zone in the rural areas and also areas within municipal limits or in other legally designated urban area which are not substantially built up.
- CRZ-IV: This includes the water area from the Low Tide Line to 12 NM on the seaward side, as well as the water area of the tidal influenced water body from the mouth of the water body at the sea up to the influence of tide.
New norms and Changes made
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has framed a new draft Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Notification, 2018
The salient features of the draft CRZ Notification, 2018 and changes with respect to CRZ Notification, 2011, are as under;
- The High Tide Line (HTL) has been demarcated by the National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM) and shall be reckoned as a universal standard for the HTL for all regulatory purposes under the CRZ Notification, 2018.
- Hazard line mapping has also been carried out by Survey of India. The Hazard Line has, however, been delinked from the CRZ regulatory regime and shall be used only as a tool for Disaster Management and planning of adaptive and mitigation measures.
- CRZ limits on land along the tidal influenced water bodies has been proposed to be reduced from 100 meters or the width of the creek, whichever is less, to 50 meters or the width of the creek, whichever is less.
- A No Development Zone (NDZ) of 20 meters has been proposed to be stipulated for all Islands close to the main land coast and for all Backwater Islands in the main land.
- For CRZ-III areas, two separate categories have been proposed viz.: a) CRZ-III A – Densely populated rural areas with a population density of 2161 per square kilometre as per 2011 Census. Such areas shall have an NDZ of 50 meters from the HTL as against 200 meters from the HTL stipulated in the CRZ Notification, 2011. b) CRZ-III B – Rural areas with population density of below 2161 per square kilometre as per 2011 Census. Such areas shall continue to have an NDZ of 200 meters from the HTL.
- The procedure for CRZ clearances has been simplified and delegations have been made at various levels for recommending/according CRZ clearances to the projects/activities. Only such projects/activities, which are located in the CRZ-I & IV areas, shall be dealt with for CRZ clearance by the MoEF&CC. For all other project activities located in CRZ-II/III areas, CRZ clearance shall be considered at the level of the CZMA.
- As per CRZ, 2011 Notification, for CRZ-II areas, Floor Space Index (FSI) or the Floor Area Ratio (FAR) had been frozen at 1991 Development Control Regulation (DCR) levels. In the Draft CRZ, 2018 Notification, it has been proposed to de-freeze the same and permit FSI for construction projects, as prevailing on the date of the new Notification.
- Temporary tourism facilities such as shacks, toilet blocks, change rooms, drinking water facilities etc. have been proposed in Beaches. Such temporary tourism facilities are also proposed to be permissible in the No Development Zone (NDZ) of the CRZ-III areas.
- Wherever there is a National or State Level Highway passing through the NDZ in CRZ-III areas, temporary tourism facilities have been proposed to be taken up on the seaward site of the roads. On the landward side of such roads in the NDZ, Resorts/Hotels and other tourism facilities have also been proposed to be permitted subject to the extant regulations of the concerned State.
- Under the new norms regulated limestone mining is proposed to be permitted, subject to strict Environmental safeguards, in areas adequately above the height of HTL, based on recommendations of reputed National Institutes in the Mining field.
Note: The relaxations/amendment proposed in the CRZ Notification, 2018 shall, however, come into force only after the respective Coastal Zone Management Programme (CZMP) framed to the CRZ Notification, 2011 have been revised/updated by the States/UTs, as per the provisions of the CRZ, 2018 Notification and approved by the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change.
The Ministry had constituted a Committee under the Chairmanship of Dr. Shailesh Nayak to examine the various issues and concerns of Coastal States/UTs and various other stakeholders and to recommend appropriate changes in the CRZ Notification, 2011. The report submitted by Dr. Shailesh Nayak has been examined in the Ministry and consultations have been held with various stakeholders in this regard.
The MoEF&CC had received representations from various coastal states/UTs, besides other stakeholders, for a comprehensive review of the provisions of the CRZ Notification, 2011, particularly related to the management and conservation of marine and coastal eco-systems, development in coastal areas, eco-tourism, livelihood option and sustainable development of coastal communities etc.
Test Yourself : Mould your Thoughts
(From now on question’s will posted in our free MANIFEST VLOG initiative)
Prelims Questions
1. Consider the following statements regarding CRZ notification 2018
- All the economic activities including Eco-tourism activities are prohibited in CRZ1-A
- Projects located in CRZ-2 and CRZ-3 require approval of Coastal Zone Management Authority
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) Neither 1 and 2
2. Consider the following statements regarding CRZ notification 2018
- The coastal Zone management plants(CZMPs) are approved by Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC)
- The Hazard line has been delinked from CRZ regulating regime and shall be used as a tool for Disaster Management.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) Neither 1 and 2
