Lok Sabha Question No. 3346 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-12-16
Subject: Development of Coastal Zones
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Shri Maddila Gurumoorthy

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3346

TO BE ANSWERED ON 16.12.2024

## Development of Coastal Zones

## 3346.   SHRI MADDILA GURUMOORTHY:

Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government intends to convert the 'National Coastal Zone Management Authority'  (NCZMA)  into  a  full-time  permanent  body  responsible  for  setting  up regulations for conservation of coastal zones;
- (b) whether the Government plans to set up a mechanism to ensure free and fair public hearings for projects in Coastal Regulation Zones (CRZs);
- (c) whether  the  Government  intends  to  evolve  a  mechanism  to  enforce  post-clearance follow-  ups  and  monitoring  in  coordination  with  State  Coastal  Zone  Management Authorities (SCZMAs) and if so, the details thereof; and
- (d) whether the Government intends to create a dedicated institute for research in ecology of coastal areas and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER  OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH)

- (a) The National Coastal Management Authority (NCZMA) is a permanent institutional arrangement  comprising  25  Members  including  Chairman  and  Member  Secretary,  out  of which 23 Members are Ex-Officio Members.
- (b) In  accordance with the Environment (Protection) Act,  1986, the  draft  Coastal  Zone Management Plan (CZMP) is publicised widely, inviting suggestions  and  objections and  a public  hearing  on  the  draft  CZMP  is  also  conducted  at  the  district  level  by  the  concerned Coastal  Zone  Management  Authority,  prior  to  its  final  approval  by  the  MoEFCC.  The projects in CRZ areas are approved in accordance with the provisions of CZMPs and separate Public hearing for each individual project is not required.
- (c) The Ministry, vide notifications dated 30 th  September 2022, empowered State Coastal Zone Management Authorities (SCZMAs) under Section 5, Section 10 and Section 19 of the Environment  (Protection)  Act  1986  to  enforce  and  monitor  the  provisions  of  the  CRZ Notifications. The monitoring is thus done in co-ordination with SCZMAs. Further, the EC / CRZ clearance makes it mandatory for the Project Proponents to submit compliance status of the conditions to the concerned Regional Offices of the Ministry. The project proponents are

required to take Consent to Establish / Consent to Operate approvals under the Air and Water Act  from  the  respective  State  Pollution  Control  Boards  /  Pollution  Control  Committees, before commencement of the operation.

(d) The  Ministry  of  Environment,  Forest  and  Climate  Change  has  established  the National  Centre  for  Sustainable  Coastal  Management  (NCSCM)  to  support  the  protection, conservation, rehabilitation, management and policy advice of the coast. In addition, there are other institutes of repute dedicated for coastal research and ecology like National Centre for Coastal  Research  (NCCR),  National  Institute  of  Ocean  Technology  (NIOT),  National Institute  of  Oceanography  (NIO),  Indian  National  Centre  for  Ocean  Information  Services (INCOIS) etc.

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