S.O. 1422(E), Coastal Regulation Zone Notification, 2011 Amendment, 2020
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India, issued S.O. 1422(E), dated 1 May 2020, to further amend the Coastal Regulation Zone Notification, 2011. The amendment changes how the High Tide Line is fixed near certain older bunds or sluice gates, protects mangroves beyond them as CRZ-IA, and sets requirements for Coastal Regulation Zone mapping and management in the Sundarbans Biosphere Reserve.
What the notification changes
S.O. 1422(E), dated 1 May 2020, issued by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India, further amends the Coastal Regulation Zone Notification, 2011. The Coastal Regulation Zone Notification, 2011 declares certain coastal stretches as Coastal Regulation Zone areas and restricts industries, operations and processes within them.
The amendment responds to representations from stakeholders, including State Governments, about High Tide Line demarcation in khazan lands and the treatment of the Sundarbans Biosphere Reserve.
Older bunds and sluice gates
S.O. 1422(E) introduces a specific method for fixing the High Tide Line where a bund existed, or a sluice gate was constructed, before 19 February 1991.
- The High Tide Line must be restricted up to the line along the bund or sluice gate.
- Mangrove areas created by saline water entering beyond that bund or sluice gate must be classified as CRZ-IA.
- The CRZ-IA classification applies regardless of the extent of the mangrove area beyond the bund or sluice gate.
- These mangrove areas must be protected and cannot be diverted for developmental activities.
Khazan lands
S.O. 1422(E) requires ecologically sensitive, low-lying areas affected by tidal action and known as khazan lands to be mapped. Where qualifying older bunds or sluice gates exist, the same High Tide Line and mangrove protection requirements apply.
Property owners, buyers and professionals dealing with land described as khazan land should check whether the site contains or lies beyond a bund or sluice gate that existed before 19 February 1991. Mangroves beyond such structures may remain protected as CRZ-IA even though the High Tide Line stops at the structure.
Sundarbans Biosphere Reserve
S.O. 1422(E) requires Coastal Regulation Zone categorisation and the delineation of High Tide Line and Coastal Regulation Zone boundaries in the Sundarbans Biosphere Reserve to follow the Coastal Regulation Zone Notification, 2011.
- Critically Vulnerable Coastal Areas identified within the Sundarbans Biosphere Reserve must be managed through an Integrated Management Plan.
- The State Government must prepare that plan.
- The Central Government must approve the plan.
Practical relevance
S.O. 1422(E) does not remove Coastal Regulation Zone controls. For affected coastal land, official mapping, the age and position of any bund or sluice gate, and the presence of mangroves can determine the applicable boundary and development restrictions.
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
Can I develop mangrove land beyond an old bund or sluice gate?
No. Where the bund existed or the sluice gate was constructed before 19 February 1991, mangroves caused by saline water ingress beyond it are classified as CRZ-IA and cannot be diverted for developmental activities.
Where is the High Tide Line drawn when an older bund or sluice gate exists?
S.O. 1422(E) requires the High Tide Line to be restricted up to the line along a bund or sluice gate that existed before 19 February 1991.
Does the size of the mangrove area beyond the bund affect its CRZ classification?
No. The mangrove area is classified as CRZ-IA regardless of how far it extends beyond the qualifying bund or sluice gate.
Who manages a Critically Vulnerable Coastal Area within the Sundarbans Biosphere Reserve?
It must be managed through an Integrated Management Plan prepared by the State Government and approved by the Central Government.
