|
Understanding
Regulations (S. Gopikrishna Warrier, 1997, Business Line, 25 February)
The Coastal
Regulation Zone (CRZ) came into existence on February 19, 1991, with the
gazetting of the notification by the Union Ministry of Environment and
Forests (MoEF) under Sec. 3(1) and Sec. 3(2)(v) of the Environment Protection
Act, 1986, and Rule 5(3)(d) of the Environment Protection Rules, 1986.
Through the Notification the Central Government declared the coastal stretches
of seas, bays, estuaries, creeks, rivers and backwaters, which are influenced
by tidal action (in the land ward side), up to 500m. from the high tide
line (HTL) and the land between the low tide line (LTL) and HTL as CRZ.
In the case of rivers, creeks and backwaters, the Notification stated
that the CRZ could be modified on a case by case basis, on the basis of
reasons to be recorded during the preparation of the coastal zone management
plan (CZMP). However, the width of the CRZ from each bank could not be
less than 100 m., or the width of the water body, whichever was less.
Activities
Prohibited in the CRZ:
- Setting
up of new industries and expansion of existing ones, except those directly
related to waterfront or requiring foreshore facilities.
- Manufacture,
handling, storage or disposal of hazardous substances.
- Setting
up and expansion of fish processing units including warehousing (excluding
hatchery and natural fish drying in permitted areas).
- · Discharge
of untreated wastes and effluents from industries, cities, towns or
other human settlements. The existing practices would have to be phased
out by the concerned authorities within three years.
- Dumping
of ash or any waste from thermal power plants.
- Land reclamation,
bunding or disturbing the natural course of sea water with similar obstructions.
Exceptions are made for activities required for the control of coastal
erosion, the maintenance of water ways to ports; clearing sand bars;
and for the construction of regulators, storm water drains and structures
for the prevention of salinity ingress.
- Mining
of sand, rocks and other substrata materials, except those raw minerals
not available outside the CRZ areas.
- Drawing
or harvesting of groundwater and construction of mechanism within 200
m. of the HTL. Between 200 and 500 m. it will be permissible only if
done manually through ordinary wells for drinking, horticulture, agriculture
and fisheries.
- Construction
activity in ecologically sensitive areas.
- Any construction
activity between LTL and HTL except facilities for carrying treated
effluents and waste water discharge into the sea, facilities for carrying
sea water for cooling purposes, oil, gas and similar pipelines and facilities
essential for facilities permitted under the notification.
- Dressing
or altering of sand dunes, hill, natural features including landscape
changes for beautification, recreation and other such purposes, except
as permitted under the notification.
Regulated
activities (requiring environmental clearance from MoEF):
- Construction
activities related to defense requirements for which foreshore facilities
are essential. Residential office, hospital, workshops will not normally
be permitted in the CRZ, except in very special cases.
- Operational
construction for ports and harbors and light house.
- Foreshore
facilities of thermal power plants for transport of raw materials, in-take
of cooling water and out fall for discharge of treated wastewater or
cooling water
- All other
activities with investment exceeding. 5 crores.
Coastal
Zone Management Plan (CZMP): All the coastal states have to prepare,
within one year, CZMPs identifying and classifying CRZ areas as per the
Notification guidelines. These plans have to be approved by MoEF All further
development activities should be within the framework of these plans.
In the interim period, before the approval of the plans, development activities
should not violate the provisions of the Notification. Violations are
punishable under the provisions of the Environment Protection Act of 1986.
For regulating developmental activities, the coastal stretches within
500m of the HTL are classified into CRZ-1, CRZ-11 and CRZ-III.
CRZ-I
Areas that are ecologically sensitive and important (national parks, coral
reefs, mangroves, areas close to the breeding and spawning grounds of
fishes, areas of high natural beauty, historical heritage, high genetic
diversity, and those likely to be inundated by global warming, 'etc.);
and areas within the LTL and HTL.
Regulations
in CRZ-I
- No new
construction shall be permitted within 500 m of the HTL.
- No construction
activity except for facility for carrying treated effluents and waste
water into the sea or carrying sea water for cooling, oil, gas or similar
pipelines will be permitted between the LTL and the HTL.
CRZ-II
Areas that have already been developed up to or close to the shore-line.
'Developed areas' that come within municipal limits or other legally designated
urban areas which have been substantially built up and which have been
provided with infrastructural facilities like drainage, approach road,
water supply and sewage mains.
Regulations
in CRZ-III
- Buildings
will not be permitted in the seaward side of existing roads (or those
proposed in the CZMP) nor on the seaward side of the existing authorised
structures.
- · Reconstruction
of authorised buildings to be permitted subject to the existing floor
space and without change in existing use CRZ III Areas that are relatively
undisturbed and do not belong to either CRZ-I or CRZ-II. This will include
coastal zones in the rural areas and also areas within municipal limits
or urban areas that are not substantially built up. Regulations in CRZ-III
- Areas
up to 200 m. from the HTL earmarked as no development zone (NDZ). No
construction will be permitted within this zone except for repairs of
existing authorised structures not exceeding the existing plinth area
and covered apace. Raising of horticultural crops, gardens, pastures,
parks, play fields, forestry and salt manufacture from sea water permitted
in this zone.
- Development
of vacant plots between 200 m. 500 m. from the HTL, in designated areas
with prior approval of MoEF, permitted for hotels and beach resorts.
- Construction
or reconstruction of dwellind units between the 200m and 500m of the
HTL permitted so long as it is within the ambit of traditional rights
and customary uses such as existing fishing villages and gouthans. Building
conditions would be based on the conditions that the total number of
dwelling units does not increase more than double of the existing units;
the total covered area is not more than 33 per cent of the plot area;
the overall height is not more than two floors and 9 m. Guidelines for
development of beach resorts in the designated areas of CRZ-III · No
construction within 200 m. from the HTL and in the area between LTL
and HTL.
- The total
plot size should not be less than 0.4 hectare and the covered area should
not be more than 33 per cent. · The total height of the construction
should not be more than 9 m. and the building should not be more than
two floors. · Groundwater cannot be tapped within 200m of the HTL. Between
200 and 500 m. it can be tapped with the concurrence of the State or
Central Groundwater Board.
- Extraction
of sand, leveling or digging of sandy stretches, except for the structural
foundation will not be permitted within 500 M. of the HTL.
- The quality
of treated effluents, solid wastes, emissions and noise levels etc.
must be within the standards laid down by the central or state pollution
control boards. Untreated effluents and solid wastes should not be discharged
into the water or beach '
- To allow
public access there should be a gap of 20m. width between two hotels.
Two consecutive gaps should not be more than 500 m. apart.
|
