Latest news with #CZMP
Time of India
2 days ago
- General
- Time of India
Green nod for sand mining in Mandovi challenged in NGT
Panaji: The Goa River Sand Protectors Network has challenged the environmental clearance (EC) granted for sand mining by the Goa State Environment Impact Assessment Authority in the National Green Tribunal (NGT). The group has currently challenged one EC granted on Feb 3, 2025, and informed the tribunal that it would be filing separate appeals against all the remaining 11 ECs as well. The network has sought the quashing of the EC. The directorate of mines and geology was granted permission for the extraction of sand in Zone 4 (near Goa Shipbuilding, Khandola in Ponda) in the Mandovi in a proposed area of 4.5 hectares. The EC allows the extraction of 1,000 cubic metres per annum per permit by traditional (manual) methods. The main ground on which the EC dated Feb 3 was assailed in the appeal is that it was granted in violation of the provisions given in paragraph 3, sub-clause (x) of the CRZ Notification, 2011, which prohibits the mining of sand in the complete CRZ area. The appeal told the NGT that 'the area in question, where the sand mining is being done, lies in CRZ IV-B, which is evident from the field inspection report of the Mandovi, wherein this fact has been recorded very distinctly that the area falls in CRZ IV-B (water body) as per CZMP 2011.' The NGT has admitted the appeal. The matter will be heard next on Aug 13.
Time of India
19-06-2025
- General
- Time of India
NCSCM confirms only 50m Coastal Regulation Zone buffer applies to Palk Bay coastline
's National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM) confirmed that only a 50-metre Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) buffer applies to the Palk Bay coastline—not 500 metres as claimed by a petitioner. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now This means that development controls along the coastline could ease significantly. Petitioner Arul Raj, a Ramanathapuram resident, sought directions to quash draft CZMP map numbers TN 44 to 60, arguing that Palk Bay was part of the sea and should therefore be subjected to a 500-metre CRZ as per the 2019 Notification. Filed before the National Green Tribunal (NGT), NCSCM's submission draws on the CRZ Notification, 2019, and official hydrographic charts to classify Palk Bay as a tidal-influenced water body. Under the notification, such water bodies attract only a 50m buffer from the High Tide Line (HTL), not the broader 500m applicable to open sea stretches. This interpretation reaffirms that only a smaller stretch of coastal land is subject to regulation, potentially opening up more area in Ramanathapuram and Pudukkottai districts for fishing infrastructure, tourism, and livelihood-based development. "While it could unlock economic opportunities along the southern coast, it also raises the possibility of increased ecological pressure in the absence of proper safeguards," said B Raja, an environmental activist. Following the Tribunal's direction, NCSCM conducted ground-truthing on March 15, 2025, across 20 coastal sites from Rameswaram to Manamelkudi. Scientists used handheld GPS devices to verify the presence of mangroves, salt marshes, and fisheries-related structures depicted in the draft CZMP maps. The petitioner based his claim on light blue shading in the draft maps, interpreting it as a 500-metre CRZ zone. NCSCM clarified that the colour was a draft-level visual error—not a legal demarcation. It added that the maps would be corrected if such errors were pointed out during public consultations. The Tribunal is scheduled to hear the matter on July 17. Email your feedback with name and address to MSID:: 121937674 413 |
Time of India
05-06-2025
- General
- Time of India
Goa plans to set up board to revive khazan land, will override TCP Act
Panaji: Faced with depleting land use, state govt has recommended setting up a board to revive the khazan land. The board's decision on land use will be final and will override the Regional Plan, ODPs and other land use policies, except the Goa Land Use Act of 1991, which will continue to apply to lands under agricultural tenancy, as these are also outside the scope of the TCP Act, 1974. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The Khazan Land Management Plan (KMP) is meant to preserve all farmland and improve food security by growing more rice, vegetables, and fish locally. It suggests surveying the land for cultivation or types of cultivation on existing active khazans and land left fallow. As per the recommendations, the khazan board or any similar agency govt chooses to set up, will manage all areas as zoned in four categories: K1 — low salinity, good for vegetables and second-season rice; K2 — moderate salinity, can grow salt-tolerant rice; K3 — high salinity, suitable for traditional rice, salt, and fish farming; and KH — highly degraded, mostly abandoned with mangrove growth. The department of environment and climate change will officially notify the formation of the khazan board and act as its secretariat. 'Once formed, the board will prepare the detailed KMP based on the CRZ 2011 notification and the approved Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP). The department will define the board's legal powers, structure, and responsibilities within six months. KMP will be reviewed and updated as per the CZMP and CRZ notification in force from time to time,' the recommendations said. The plan recommends conducting comprehensive soil mapping and salinity profiling across different khazan zones to assess soil health and productivity potential for determining suitable crop and aquaculture zones. Under the action plan, it is recommended to implement periodic water quality monitoring to measure parameters like salinity, pH, dissolved oxygen, nutrients, and heavy metal contamination to ensure safe aquaculture and agriculture practices. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The aim is to promote desalination techniques, controlled tidal flushing, and freshwater irrigation to maintain soil fertility and improve agricultural productivity. 'It will also utilise bio-remediation techniques such as microbial consortia and organic amendments to enhance soil and water quality in consultation with ICAR and other institutes,' the plan said. A detailed study-cum-mapping is needed to understand the total khazan land and ownership, the status of sluice gates, salt pans, and bunds, functional tenants' associations and their activities over the past five years, auction details and earnings from fisheries, the total number of internal water bodies for the revival of khazan land, the plan said. Understanding the extent and distribution of salinity is crucial for the revival action plans for both sustainable agriculture and aquaculture. 'This data can be additionally verified as per ground truthing, including its status if degraded. Degraded lands which cannot be restored should be identified,' the plan said. To undertake GIS-based mapping, a pilot study for the identification of khazan lands using UAV-based LiDAR technology by involving local communities is recommended. Classification can be based on salinity levels, acidity levels, water retention capacity, and existing land use patterns, highly productive zones, degraded areas, and restoration sites, the plan said.
Hindustan Times
31-05-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Pending coastal maps delay 20 infra projects
Mumbai: As many as 20 infrastructure projects along the Konkan coastline including three passenger jetties in Thane and one in Mulund are stuck due to delays in issuance of Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP) maps by the Chennai-based National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM). The state government has been awaiting maps from the agency for six months to a year in some cases, which has pushed up project costs significantly. Ports minister Nitesh Rane has raised the issue with union environment minister Bhupendra Yadav and the minister has directed the agency to issue the maps within a month. NCSCM is an autonomous research institute under the ministry of environment, forest and climate change. Eleven of the 20 proposed projects with a cumulative cost of ₹190.9 crore are located in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). The remaining nine projects with a cumulative cost of ₹58.40 crore are located in Raigad, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg districts. The delay in execution of the 20 projects due to pending CZMP maps was raised during a recent meeting of the ports department. The state government has paid the fees for the maps to NCSCM, but has been awaiting the maps for more than six months up to a year, officials said during the meeting. They also pointed out that last year, the central government withdrew around ₹220 crore from the funds given to the state government for development of port infrastructure as the money could not be utilised due to delays in project execution. On May 28, ports minister Nitesh Rane wrote to union environment minister Bhupendra Yadav regarding the delay in issuance of maps by NCSCM. 'Without CZMP maps, it is not possible to apply for Coastal Regulatory Zone (CRZ) and environmental clearance. Presently, NCSCM Chennai is taking about a year for preparation of maps, which is delaying CRZ and environmental clearance, and in turn delaying the execution of projects escalating project costs too,' Rane stated in the letter, urging the union minister to direct mapping agency to issue the maps within a month. 'I met the union minister personally and informed him about the projects which were delayed due to pending CZMP maps,' Rane told Hindustan Times. 'He called officials at the institute at Chennai immediately and ordered them to resolve the issue in a speedy manner.' Following Yadav's intervention, the state government had a meeting with NCSCM officials over video-conferencing to resolve the issue, said Rane. HT reached out to NCSCM for comments, but did not receive any response from the agency. Environmental activist D Stalin said CZMP maps are crucial to protecting the coastal ecology. 'The concept of ex post facto clearances has been struck down by the Supreme Court, so now, projects cannot commence without prior approval,' he said. 'Pressuring scientific agencies to finalise the maps hurriedly in a haphazard manner would only create further conflict before the judiciary.' Maharashtra has the maximum number of CRZ violations including due to fabrication of maps, he said, adding, 'This cannot continue.'
Time of India
25-05-2025
- General
- Time of India
‘Structures legal if they predate land's declaration as khazan'
Panaji: Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) has said that henceforth coastal regulation zone (CRZ) norms will not be made applicable retrospectively to structures which have been existing on lands declared khazan areas in the Coastal Zone Management Plan, 2011. GCZMA said that the plan was notified only in 2022, while some structures on khazan lands have been in existence much before that. The coastal body had received a complaint from the general secretary of the tenants' association of Camarkhazan, Mapusa, alleging that an illegal construction of permanent nature was carried out on the khazan land of the Moira river. The association said that a bar and restaurant were being run from this structure. It was alleged that no permission was taken to convert the khazan land to carry out the construction. Based on the complaint, an inspection was carried out by GCZMA and it was found that the site is completely identified as khazan land as stipulated by the Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP), 2011. The authority noted that the land was declared a khazan area on Sep 7, 2022. 'With regards to the whole plot falling within the khazan land area, as per the CZMP 2011 as declared on Sep 7, 2022; these structures will not be affected as these structures were standing long before the area was declared as a khazan land,' GCZMA said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 축하드립니다! 임플란트 5월 할인 이벤트에 선정되셨습니다. 플란치과 더 알아보기 Undo 'This declaration in the CZMP 2011 on Sep 7, 2022, will now not apply retroactively to any structure existing before the area being declared as khazan land area.' The show-cause notice against the person who constructed the structure has been withdrawn. GCZMA also said that the person who constructed the structure had all the necessary permissions since 2018. 'The structures are outside the CRZ II area and since the structures are outside the mangrove buffer; this show-cause notice is dropped, as moreover, the respondent had earlier already obtained the necessary relevant permissions,' GCZMA said. Representative image
