S.O. 73(E), Coastal Regulation Zone Amendment, 1997

What the notification changes

Notification S.O. 73(E), issued by the Government of India, Ministry of Environment and Forests on 31 January 1997, amends the Coastal Regulation Zone controls created by Notification S.O. 114(E), dated 19 February 1991. The changes address difficulties faced by local people in the Union Territory of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands because of restrictions on groundwater withdrawal and sand mining.

The amendment is specific to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. It does not provide a groundwater or sand mining permission for coastal land in Tamil Nadu.

Groundwater for local residents

Notification S.O. 73(E) permits groundwater withdrawal in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands only under limited conditions:

• No other source of water must be available.
• Water may be taken only from specific sites located between 50 and 200 metres from the High Tide Line.
• Withdrawal must be manual, through ordinary wells or hand pumps.
• The water must be for drinking purposes only and for local inhabitants.
• Approval must be obtained from the Secretary, Department of Environment, Andaman and Nicobar Administration.
• Approval is considered separately for each case.

Sand mining and construction use

Notification S.O. 73(E) allowed regulated sand mining in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands only until 31 March 1998. Permission could be granted by a committee constituted by the Lieutenant Governor and consisting of the Chief Secretary and the Secretaries responsible for environment, water resources and public works.

Key conditions included:

• Sand could be taken only from selected sites in non-degraded areas.
• Mining required case by case permission and a mining plan.
• Sand could be used only for construction.
• The quantity could not exceed essential construction needs, including dwelling units and shops connected with the current year and the 1997-98 annual plans.
• Permitted mining could not have an adverse environmental impact.
• After 31 March 1998, sand from beaches and coastal waters could not be used for construction or other purposes.

Coral protection and public notice

Notification S.O. 73(E) states that coral from beaches and coastal waters cannot be used for construction or other purposes. The Central Government also recorded that it was in the public interest to dispense with the usual notice requirement before making the amendment.