THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala will present its suggestions and demands for bringing in amendments to the CRZ norms before a high-level Central team which will reach the state on Friday.
At the post-Cabinet press briefing, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said the officials have been asked to finalise their views and the Chief Secretary has been directed to coordinate them, to be presented before the expert team from the Centre.
Kerala has already registered its strong protest against the CRZ norms, formulated by the Union Government. In the past, Kerala had appealed to Union Ministers to make necessary changes in the CRZ regulations, as some of them pose practical difficulties in the case of a coastal state like Kerala, Chandy said.
Recommendations regarding the changes that should be brought in were passed in the Assembly also, the Chief Minister said adding that it was in the wake of Kerala’s appeal that the seven-member expert team from the Union Government is visiting the state.
“’The expert team will hold separate discussions with the officials and ministers. Four departments - Fisheries, Tourism, Industries and Local Self-Government - have been asked to come up with their suggestions in this regard. The Chief Secretary has been asked to coordinate these suggestions and give a final shape to it,’’ the Chief Minister said adding that a meeting of the ministers on Thursday evening would approve the suggestions.