TUESDAY, APRIL 23, 2024
Team Herald
PANJIM: Despite the State planning authorities (PDAs) and local bodies armed with licencing powers for building and construction projects in CRZ areas, which do not attract the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) and self-dwelling units up to 300 square metres of built up areas in CRZ areas, the pending drafting and finalisation of Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP) 2019, the CRZ notification 2019 and its rules and procedures will not be applicable to Goa.
It may be recalled that the PDAs and local bodies have been granted the above licencing powers. The new procedures have been laid down for permissible activities under CRZ notification 2019 by the Union Ministry for Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC).
Speaking to Herald, a senior official from the Environment Department said, “Until and unless the CZMP is revised or updated, provisions of CRZ 2019 notificationwill not be applicable to Goa and the CZMP as per provisions of CRZ Notification 2011 shall continue to be followed for appraisal and CRZ clearance to permissible projects.”
State’s CZMP 2011 plan has been notified while, last week a work order was issued to Kerala-based National Centre for Earth Science Studies (NCESS) to draft CZMP 2019.
On November 29, the MoEF&CC issued Office Memorandum (OM) to all State coastal bodies laying down the procedure for clearing the permissible activities as per CRZ notification 2019.
As per the OM, local authority will be the licencing body for self-dwelling units up to 300 square metres of built up areas in CRZ areas. The concerned project proponent will have to make application to the local bodies.
Also, building and construction projects in CRZ areas which do not attract the Environment Impact Assessment, 2006, notification will be licenced by the State planning authority. However, in this case, the application will have to be made to the State Coastal Zone Management Authority, based on whose recommendation; the approval will be granted by the planning authorities.
While the Centre has reserved rights to deal with all development activities or projects in CRZ-I and CRZ-IV regions that are governed by or permitted by the CRZ Notification 2019, based on the proposal of the relevant coastal zone management body, the local coastal authorities have granted powers to clear all other projects.
“All development activities or projects in CRZ-I and CRZ-IV areas, which are regulated or permissible as per this notification, shall be dealt with by the Central Government for Coastal Regulation Zone clearance, based on the recommendation of the concerned Coastal Zone Management Authority with the following exceptions, namely: — Stand-alone jetties, salt works, slipways, temporary structures and erosion control measures (like bunds, seawall, groynes, breakwaters, submerged reef, sand nourishment, etc.) which shall be dealt by concerned Coastal Zone Management Authority,” the Ministry said.
The Ministry has also specified that that in case if the Coastal Zone Management Authority is not in existence due to delay in its reconstitution, then the State Environment Department will have to act as a recommending body for the projects permissible under the notification.
