TNPCB holds public hearing on coastal zone management maps

CHENNAI: After the Tamil Nadu State Coastal Zone Management Authority (TNSCZMA) released the draft Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP) in Tamil language, the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) has commenced holding public hearing meetings on the plan.

R Kannan, member-secretary of TNPCB, said that the public hearing meetings on the coastal zone management plan will be conducted in all the 14 coastal districts in the state.

"After the public hearing meetings, suggestions from the public will be incorporated into the plan before releasing the final plan, " he added.

He explained that the draft plan has been prepared by TNSCZMA and the final plan will also be prepared by the authority. The pollution control board is helping in conducting the public hearing meetings.

The TNPCB has organised a public hearing meeting for Chengalpattu district in Kovalam Beach on August 18. Following this, meetings will be announced for other districts.

The Draft CZMP and Land Use map was uploaded in http://www.environment.tn.gov.in and http://tnenvis.nic.in on June 16 and the department has invited suggestions and objections from all the departments, local communities, NGOs and others.

Suggestions and objections in English or Tamil should be sent to the Department of Environment and Climate Change, Ground Floor, Panagal Maligai, Saidapet, Chennai – 15 within 45 days from the date of publication of the draft CZMP and the same shall reach the Department of Environment and Climate Change on or before August 4.

Earlier, the Authority released the draft CZMP in Tamil language for 12 districts except Chennai and Tiruvallur based on a High Court order. However, there is a case pertaining to the draft CZMP for Chennai and Thiruvallur districts as fishermen demand the authority to use CZMP released in 1996 as base map for the new CZMP. The authority has prepared the draft CZMP for both districts based on 2011 and 2019 CRZ (Coastal Regulation Zone) notifications.