Ministry of Environment and Forests Notification S.O. 1122(E), 1998
The Government of India, Ministry of Environment and Forests issued Notification S.O. 1122(E), dated 29 December 1998, to amend the Coastal Regulation Zone notification S.O. 114(E), dated 19 February 1991. It simplifies the procedure for demarcating the High Tide Line and does not supersede the 1991 notification.
What the notification changes
The Government of India, Ministry of Environment and Forests Notification S.O. 1122(E), dated 29 December 1998, changes the method stated in the 1991 Coastal Regulation Zone notification for demarcating the High Tide Line. The definition remains tied to the highest water line reached during a spring tide, but the procedure for marking that line is simplified.
The original Coastal Regulation Zone notification declared certain coastal stretches of seas, bays, estuaries, creeks, rivers and backwaters as Coastal Regulation Zone areas. It also restricted the establishment and expansion of industries, operations and processes within those areas.
Key provisions
Ministry of Environment and Forests Notification S.O. 1122(E) provides that:
- The High Tide Line is the line on land up to which the highest water line reaches during a spring tide.
- The High Tide Line must be demarcated uniformly throughout the country.
- Demarcation must be carried out by an authority or authorities authorised by the Central Government.
- Those authorities must follow the general guidelines issued for High Tide Line demarcation.
- The earlier wording, which required demarcation by an authorised authority in consultation with the Surveyor General of India, is replaced.
Who may be affected
Ministry of Environment and Forests Notification S.O. 1122(E) is relevant to coastal property owners, buyers, developers, industries and professionals where the location of the High Tide Line affects whether land falls within a Coastal Regulation Zone. The notification does not identify individual properties or provide a property-specific coastal boundary.
A person assessing coastal land should therefore rely on the High Tide Line demarcated by an authority authorised by the Central Government under the applicable general guidelines. The notification itself does not state a distance from the High Tide Line, create a fee or provide a separate application process.
Relationship with earlier notifications
Ministry of Environment and Forests Notification S.O. 1122(E) amends the principal notification S.O. 114(E), dated 19 February 1991. The document also records that the principal notification had previously been amended in 1994, 1997 and 1998.
This summary is generated from the source document to help you find what is relevant. The PDF above is authoritative. For advice on your own property, use LandLens One or speak to a qualified professional.
Common questions
Does this notification change the meaning of the High Tide Line?
The High Tide Line remains the line on land up to which the highest water line reaches during a spring tide. The main change concerns who may demarcate it and the procedure they must follow.
Who can officially demarcate the High Tide Line?
The High Tide Line must be demarcated by an authority or authorities authorised by the Central Government, following the general guidelines issued for that purpose.
Is consultation with the Surveyor General of India still required under this amendment?
Notification S.O. 1122(E), dated 29 December 1998, replaces the earlier wording that referred to consultation with the Surveyor General of India. The replacement requires authorised authorities to follow general guidelines.
Does this notification show whether my coastal property is inside a Coastal Regulation Zone?
No. Notification S.O. 1122(E) sets out how the High Tide Line is to be defined and demarcated, but it does not identify individual properties or provide property-specific boundaries.
