CHENNAI: Emphasising on the need for greater accuracy and public engagement, the southern bench of National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the Tamil Nadu Coastal Zone Management Authority (TNCZMA) and the National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM) to undertake ground truthing in ecologically sensitive areas before finalising the Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP).
The order comes after concerns were raised by coastal communities and environmental groups about the accuracy of the draft CZMP maps and omission of key environmental and community features.
“TNCZMA is directed to collect all the inputs received from the collectors of all the coastal districts forwarded to the member secretary of TNCZMA and the director of environment and climate change, Chennai, and appropriately correct, add, modify, etc. in the draft CZMP. The member secretary is directed to ensure that the addition/ omission/ correction/ suggestion given by these stakeholders are appropriately incorporated in the draft CZMP map before publishing the same,” states the order.
After addressing all shortcomings pointed out, the draft CZMP maps may be published as per the CRZ Notification after giving the mandatory period required for stakeholders to review it. The date of the public hearing may be announced by following the due process of law, the order concludes.
The bench comprising Justice Pushpa Sathyanarayana and expert member K Satyagopal had in the previous hearing expressed displeasure over the response and compliance by authorities with their previous orders.
The draft CZMP maps lacked crucial details - fishing zones, village boundaries, fish breeding areas, and common properties vital to the livelihoods of coastal fishermen. Additionally, they highlighted that important ecological areas had not been marked, which could undermine the protection of these zones.
The applicants - Jesu Rethinam and K Saravanan - also alleged that the draft CZMP failed to comply with orders from the Madras High Court and previous directives from the NGT. They criticised the absence of a detailed written plan alongside the maps, making it difficult for the public to interpret the maps and participate effectively in the consultation process. Moreover, concerns were raised about the accessibility of the maps, given their large file sizes and the lack of scaled local-level maps.
In response, TNCZMA argued that the draft maps were prepared in compliance with the CRZ Notification, 2019, and that missing features, such as long-term housing needs for coastal communities, would be added in subsequent revisions. They assured that public consultation processes had been followed correctly, with the draft maps made available online and in local offices for review.