Prepare Coastal Zone Management Plans without delay, NGT tells coastal States and Union Territories

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has asked the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change to ensure that coastal States and Union Territories prepare the Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP) or the Island Coastal Regulation Zone Plan (ICRZP) as per the Coastal Regulation Zone notification, 2019 expeditiously within a time-bound period.

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has asked the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change to ensure that coastal States and Union Territories prepare the Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP) or the Island Coastal Regulation Zone Plan (ICRZP) as per the Coastal Regulation Zone notification, 2019 expeditiously within a time-bound period.

An order issued by the Principal Bench on January 8, 2024 quoted a report submitted by the Secretary of the Ministry stating that only three States – Odisha, Karnataka and Maharashtra – have formulated the CZMP/ICRZP as per the Coastal Regulation Zone notification, 2019. The reply pointed out that only Great Nicobar and Little Andaman Islands have approved the ICRZP as per the notification.

The report pointed out that the National Coastal Zonal Management Authority (NCZMA) had issued a direction in August 2023 that all coastal States/Union Territories, whose CZMPs/ICRZP were yet to be finalised as per 2019 notification, must complete it within October 31, 2023. The tribunal reminded that the CZMPs/ICRZPs have not been formulated by the erring States despite receiving the directive from the NCZMA.

The Bench, which took suo motu notice of The Hindu report titled ‘India’s sinking islands’ published in March 2023, asked the coastal States and Union Territories to file their response within a week before the next hearing of the case scheduled on March 6, 2024. The Ministry should also submit its response by the end of February, 2024 it said.

An expert panel set up by the tribunal to frame policies and measures to protect submerging islands due to the rise of sea level and global warming has recommended island-specific sustainable development and tourism policy keeping the climate risks in mind.

In its report submitted before the Principal Bench on October 10, the committee recommended diversified economic development and controlled nature-based growth and blue-economy-based activities on marine and coastal fronts.