New costal zone regulations limit `no development' area to 100 metres

The new costal zone regulations, unveiled by minister of environment and forests Jairam Ramesh today, limits the "no development zone" from 200 metres from the high-tide line of the seas to 100 metres, in a bid to meet increased demands of housing of fishing and other traditional coastal communities.

It has, however, included water area up to 12 nautical miles in the sea and the entire water area of a tidal water body such as creek, river, estuary, etc in the coastal regulatory zone (CRZ) areas.

This, however, would not affect fishing activities in the coastal zone, the minister said.

The CRZ Notification, 2011, which replaces the CRZ Notification, 1991, also includes the Island Protection Zone Notification, 2011 covering Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep.

Both these notifications aim at protection of livelihoods of traditional fisherfolk communities, preservation of coastal ecology and promotion of economic activity that have necessarily to be located in coastal regions.

The minister was also categorical that, barring cases of fishermen families, violations of CRZ Notification, 1991 will not be condoned or regularised with CRZ Notification, 2011 coming into force.