KOCHI: According to the Kerala Coastal Zone Management Authority (KCZMA), those living in areas under the Kochi Corporation need not have to worry about the draft Kerala Coastal Zone Management Plan (KCZMP), which will be implemented soon across the State.
The KCZMA also notified the several options that could be explored for the structures currently existing in areas under the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ), especially the residential buildings of econometrically backward people, so that they would not be affected badly while implementing the new CRZ norms in Kochi.
It also stated that the Corporation could give suggestions to modify the draft until October 5.
“If the Corporation finds any error in the draft plan or the draft CRZ map - like instances wherein a place is wrongly categorised in a particular CRZ zone - it could bring the same into the notice of the the KCZMA before October 5. Such suggestions will be considered by State and Central governments,” said P Harinarayanan, senior scientist at the Kerala State Council for Science and Technology.
He explained the draft plan in a three-hour-long presentation made before the councillors on Saturday.
The majority of Kochi comes under CRZ-II. As per the CRZ plan, Kichi is divided into different CRZ zones, based on the ecological sensitiveness of the area. The scientist explained that the draft plan has categorised most parts of Kochi in CRZ-II (areas developed up to the direct shoreline within the existing municipality lines), and some parts in CRZ-IV(water bodies). Only a few places like Mangalavanam have been included in CRZ-I (highly ecologically sensitive area), where no construction activity will be allowed in future, except those with special sanction from the Central Government.
In CRZ-II, constructions done before February 19, 1991 shall be allowed to be retained. Such structures do not need permission for reconstruction or modification, provided it adheres to the norms - such as ‘No Alteration with Purpose to Change Original Building Plan.’
No new construction will be allowed in future in CRZ-II. In CRZ-II, for constructions done between 1991 and the present, there are options for regularisation if there are other legally sanctioned buildings constructed before 1991 in their vicinity.
However, reconstruction or modification of such buildings will require environmental clearance. A lot of other buildings, mostly those constructed by reclaiming wet land, will be treated as CRZ violations.
Do-or-die Situation
The draft plan has landed the civic body in an absolute mess.
Now, it has to go through practically each and every survey number and ensure that they are correctly notified in a particular CRZ zone.
If the civic body fails in its act, the fate of development in any wrongly-identified area would be sealed. And, the Corporation has to notify such errors to the KCZMA within nine days.
