New CMZ may rock boat for State tourism

HERALD CORRESPONDENT

NEW DELHI, JUNE 11
With the Coastal Management Zone notification deadline lapsing on June 21, the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests is all set to bring in a new notification, with just a few changes from the old one. Sources say that in States like Goa and Kerala, which are dependent on tourism, this may not be good news.
The decision follows the suggestions of the Standing Committee on Coastal Management Programmes that the government should keep in abeyance the implementation of the Coastal Management Zone (CMZ) notification of 2008, until executive and legislative mechanisms are put in place for inclusion and integration of coastal communities through participative, decision-making and control mechanisms. The committee is headed by Dr V Maitreyan.
Kerala had strongly opposed the CMZ draft notification, as it could have brought the whole State under CMZ-II. Most of the feedback from the State objected to the lack of a say for local communities and stakeholders in the coastal zone.
“The government should not be hasty in implementing the CMZ without addressing the conflict of interest between the stakeholders – mainly fisherfolk and coastal communities – and all efforts must be made first to meet their concerns,” said the Standing Committee in its report on Coastal Management Programmes tabled in parliament on Monday. “Their concerns were ‘not unfounded,’ and must be met through education, social mobilisation and active participation in decision making.”
The report noted that almost everyone told the panel that the Coastal Regulatory Zone (CRZ) notification issued in 1991 is better as it had succeeded in containing pollution and encroachment along the coastal areas. The panel said the apprehension about the CMZ notification was that it encourages industrial activities along the coasts in the garb of management methodologies.
However, the announcement by Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh that a new notification will be issued by July 16 is a cause for great caution. According to sources, it is aimed at neutralising the effect of cases filed by coastal groups against the CMZ coming up for hearing in the Mumbai High Court on July 15 and 16.
There is enough to be apprehensive about the new notification proposed by the environment minister. According to activists and legal experts, the new document could be favourable to beach resorts, the hospitality industry and private buildings, while industries could be given the red signal.
In States like Goa and Kerala, which are largely dependent on the tourism sector, this is not good news. Whether the recommendations of the panel suggestion that CMZ should rather be specifically designed for different States
keeping in mind the diverse coastal environments and specific cultures of coastal communities will be heard remains to be seen.
The report also said that State governments should have enough participation in formulating the Integrated Coastal Management Plan prepared for coastal management in their States.