Cabinet clears coastal regulation zone notification

Cabinet clears coastal regulation zone notification

News:

Cabinet’s clearance to new Coastal Regulation Zone Notification, 2018 to regulate the developmental activities on the coast

Important Facts:

• The Cabinet approved the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Notification, 2018 on ground that it will “lead to enhanced activities in coastal regions” thereby “promoting economic growth” while “respecting conservation principles of coastal regions.
• The salient features of the draft CRZ Notification, 2018 and changes with respect to CRZ Notification, 2011
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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 Coastal Zone Management Authority (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 are also proposed to be permissible in the No Development Zone (NDZ) of the CRZ-III areas.
  • Regulated limestone mining is proposed to be permitted, subject to strict Environmental safeguards, in areas adequately above the height of HTL

Additional Facts:

• To regulate the developmental activities on the coast, the notification classified the landward side into four categories:
  • Coastal Regulation Zone –I: Ecologically sensitive and important areas, areas of outstanding natural beauty or historic importance or genetic diversity, areas which could sink as an effect of rising sea-levels and the area between the High Tide Line and Low Tide Line (LTL).
  • Coastal Regulation Zone -II: Already ‘developed’ areas on or very close to the shoreline i.e. areas that have buildings and roads right on the beaches.
  • Coastal Regulation Zone -III: Seaside areas that do not fall into CRZ I or II categories, including rural areas.
  • Category IV Coastal Regulation Zone -IV: Coastline of the Indian islands that do not fall into CRZ I or II or III categories.