CHENNAI: Almost a month after publishing the draft State Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP), the Department of Environment has asked the Institute of Remote Sensing (IRS) to carry out micro-level coastal mapping to identify fishermen assets, a detail that should have been in CZMP before being published for public comments.
In a series of orders, the National Green Tribunal has categorically said States are duty bound to strictly adhere to Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Notification, 2011 while preparing CZMPs. However, the State’s draft management plan, prepared by the National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM), lacks critical information mandated by the notification to protect the coast from unscientific exploitation, it is pointed out.
For instance, while classifying CRZ areas under hazard mapping, the States should identify the fishing villages, common property of fishermen communities, fishing jetties, ice plants, fish drying platforms or infrastructure facilities of fishing and local communities such as dispensaries, roads, schools, and the like. They should be indicated on the cadastral scale maps. States also should prepare detailed plans for long-term housing needs of coastal fisher communities in view of expansion and other needs, besides disaster preparedness.
However, community infrastructure of fishermen had not been included in the plan as plans have been prepared without consulting fisherfolk or any ground-level exercise. Some fisher villages are marked, but with no attention to any detail, said Pooja Kumar of city-based environmental group Coastal Resource Centre. The fact that the Department of Environment has approached IRS to update the draft CZMP proves that the draft is incomplete and in contempt of NGT orders.
Sources in IRS confirmed to Express that a MoU has been signed with environment department to conduct micro-level 1:4000 scale mapping to identify fishermen assets. “However, the funds have not yet been released,” the official said.
On November 22, 2017, the principal bench of NGT gave an ultimatum asking all State governments without default and delay to submit CZMP to Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change by April 30, 2018. In the event of State Governments and Union Territories not submitting the plan, they shall be liable for exemplary costs of `5 lakh, which should be recovered from the salary of the defaulting officer.
“Non-compliance would invite action for violating orders of the Tribunal. Within three months thereafter, by July 31, the environment ministry shall issue approval in regard to the fixation of hazard line and CZMP for respective States covering the entire coastal area,”the order reads.
Hasty work: Activist
Environmentalist Nityanand Jayaraman says that in the rush to comply with NGT deadline, incomplete and non-compliant documents can’t be uploaded as draft CZMP. “The plan lacks crucial features such as hazard line, land-use and long-term housing plan,” he said in a detailed letter to the State government, adding it should withdraw the plan