The principal bench of National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed all coastal states and union territories to submit their Coastal Zone Management Plans (CZMP) to the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEF & CC) by August 31. While extending the time period, the green panel asked the Union Environment Ministry to complete the exercise with regard to the states that have already completed finalisation of the CZMP and issue interim notifications.
In November 2017, the NGT had passed an order directing all coastal states and union territories to submit the CZMP to the MoEF & CC before April 30 the following year. The order had further stated that three months thereafter, that is by July 31, 2018, the Environment Ministry shall issue approval with regard to the fixation of hazard line and CZMP for the respective states, covering the entire coastal area.
The court had also put a stop on construction activity and regularisation in coastal districts of the states till the CZMP maps were submitted. The Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority, which is the authority in charge of preparing and releasing the CZMP maps which were to be released in 2013 under the Coastal Regulation Zone notification of 2011, had sought extensions for the fourth time, and has now asked for a further deadline of September.
A bench headed by NGT chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel and consisting of Justice S P Wangdi, judicial member, and Dr Nagin Nanda, expert member, noted that out of the total 13 coastal states and union territories, only five have submitted their management plan.
The direction came on a plea filed by fishermen and others seeking an expeditious framing of CZMP for different states and union territories such as Puducherry, Lakshadweep, Daman and Diu
