तटीय विनियमन क्षेत्र अधिसूचना

What this notification is

The Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India, published the Coastal Regulation Zone Notification in The Gazette of India on 6 January 2011. It declares certain coastal land and tidal water related areas as Coastal Regulation Zone, also called CRZ, and applies restrictions on setting up or expanding industries, operations and processes there. The notification plainly says it overrides parts of the Ministry of Environment and Forests notification number S.O. 114(E) dated 19 February 1991, except for the provisions specifically saved in the text.

Which areas are covered

The Coastal Regulation Zone Notification covers these areas:

• Land up to 500 metres from the High Tide Line on the sea side.
• Areas along tidal water bodies connected to the sea, up to 100 metres from the High Tide Line or the width of the creek, whichever is less.
• The inter tidal area between the High Tide Line and the Low Tide Line.
• The area between the hazard line and the 500 metre line on the sea front, and between the hazard line and the 100 metre line for tidal water bodies.
• For tidal water bodies and the sea, the area between the Low Tide Line and the territorial water limit of 12 nautical miles.

The notification says the High Tide Line is to be demarcated uniformly across the country by authorities authorised by the Ministry of Environment and Forests.

What is prohibited

The Coastal Regulation Zone Notification prohibits many activities in CRZ areas, including:

• New industries and expansion of industries, except listed categories such as those needing waterfront or foreshore facilities, certain Department of Atomic Energy projects, certain non conventional energy facilities, desalination plants in specified areas, the green field airport only at Navi Mumbai, and repair or reconstruction of houses of local communities including fisherfolk under local planning rules.
• Manufacture, storage or disposal of hazardous substances, except listed transport and storage related cases.
• Fish processing units, except hatcheries and natural drying of fish, in permitted areas.
• Land reclamation, bunding or disturbing natural seawater flow, except listed essential and scientifically studied works.
• Disposal of untreated wastes and effluents from industries, cities, towns and other settlements.
• Dumping of municipal waste, industrial solid waste and fly ash for land filling.
• Beautification of coastal areas through shopping, housing, hotels and recreation.
• Mining of sand, rocks and other materials, except listed cases.
• Groundwater extraction within 200 metres of the High Tide Line, except limited local use and certain manual extraction between 200 and 500 metres where no other source exists.
• Construction in CRZ I, except activities specified in paragraph 8.
• Altering sand dunes, hills and natural features for beautification or other purposes.

Who this affects

This matters to property buyers, owners, developers, industries, hotels, ports, local communities and fisherfolk in coastal and tidal areas. If land falls inside CRZ, building, expansion, waste disposal, groundwater use and shoreline alteration may be banned or need recommendation or approval through the Coastal Zone Management Authority and planning authorities.