KOCHI: The draft notification will facilitate the inclusion of Vembanad Lake and Kol wetlands in the list of critically vulnerable coastal areas in the country. An integrated management plan will be prepared to conserve mangroves, protect needs of local communities and keep tabs on impact of rising sea levels. The plan should be prepared by the state and submitted to the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEF and CC) for approval, said National Centre for Earth Science Studies (NCESS) principal scientist K K Ramachandran.
Another important feature of the draft notification is the provision to curb disposal of plastic waste in the coastal areas. The new norms will bring curbs on development activities in the coastal areas. All development activities in CRZ I and CRZ IV have to be cleared by the MoEF and CC.
Stringent regulations have been introduced on according sanction to construction activities in CRZ II and CRZ III areas. This makes it mandatory to get prior clearance for construction. It will be permitted only on the landward side of an existing road. Live fencing and barbed wire fencing will be allowed around private properties on condition that it won’t hamper public access to the beach.