Tamil Nadu district coastal zone authorities to get teeth to curb violations

CHENNAI: Unable to effectively implement Coastal Regulation Zone norms or curb violations, the State Environment Department has decided to delegate powers to district coastal zone management authorities (DCZMA) and prepare a standard operating procedure (SOP) to deal with such violations.

According to a Tamil Nadu State Coastal Zone Management Authority (TNSCZMA) document, the Environment Department has to depend on district administrations and line departments such as Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB), Directorate of Town and Country Planning (DTCP), Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA), Greater Chennai Corporation and others for implementing CRZ regulations and enforcing the provisions of the Act, monitoring the violations and taking actions on violations in CRZ areas.

"However, absence of any proper sub-delegation of power to DCZMAs and lack of an SOP to deal with violations are the major constraints for lack of timely action," the document said.

As per the draft SOP, the DCZMAs will carry out site inspection to verify the allegations made in the complaints on violations and submit a site inspection report to the district Collector. The authorities will prepare a comprehensive report on the violations based on-site inspection and the report will be sent to TNSCZMA. The State-level authority will verify the violations and pass a resolution, based on which show-cause notices will be issued to the violators. If the response from the violators is not satisfactory, TNSCZMA will issue orders to take action.

The move came after an audit report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) on 'Conservation of Coastal Ecosystems' pointed out that SCZMAs do not take proactive action against the CRZ violations, and that lack of monitoring and enforcement actions were resulting in ineffective deterrence for the destruction of coastal ecology by developmental projects.

During the audit, the CAG independently carried out aerial image analysis by overlaying the TNSCZMA maps on Google Earth historical imagery over the period from 2011. The superimposed aerial images in respect of Chennai, Chengalpattu and Thoothukudi showed 130 unauthorised construction activities in the three districts. Based on the audit report, the central government directed all the coastal states, including Tamil Nadu, to prepare the SOP to be adopted while dealing with such violations.

The TNSCZMA document added that despite having 15 per cent of the total coastal length of India, it lacked manpower to conduct field verifications. "The local planning authorities such as DTCP have issued planning permissions for the construction of buildings in the CRZ areas without considering the provisions of CRZ Notifications, in some areas.

“Also, as per the power delegations issued by the DTCP, some local panchayat presidents have also issued building approvals in CRZ areas without considering the provisions of CRZ Notifications," the document said.

To address the issues, the authority is contemplating the usage of a software-based monitoring system for identifying CRZ violations along the entire coast.

Meanwhile, it is developing a website with the help of Tamil Nadu e-Governance Agency (TNeGA). The website will offer all information on TNSCZMA, including CRZ Notification, meeting minutes, agenda, approved CZMP maps, the procedure for CRZ clearance, etc. It will also serve as a grievance redressal platform for the public.