CAG flags violation of CRZ norms, destruction of Mangroves

GANDHINAGAR, Gujarat: A report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has flagged the violation of the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) notification in Gujarat. Violation of the CRZ norms includes not obtaining clearance for projects, destruction of mangroves in the area and banned activities in sensitive areas. 

CAG’s report, Conservation and Management of Coastal Ecosystem, was presented in the Gujarat Legislative Assembly. The report reads, “There were many instances, where unauthorised developments had taken place in restricted Coastal Regulatory Zone areas (CRZ I and No Development Zone). However, no control mechanism was evolved by the Gujarat Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) to identify and prohibit such irregular developments.”

GCZMA deals with the prevention, abatement and control of environmental pollution in the coastal regulation zones of Gujarat, along with the alleged violation of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, and the CRZ notification.

Performance audit between 2015 and 2020 said, “Effective management of the coastline is crucial for the protection of the coastal environment. Audit came across situations where, the authorities solely relied on reported violations, wherein a complaint was received, and subsequent action envisioned.” It reported further that no proactive violation was detected. Also, there was no follow-up action on cases filed for non-compliance with the abovementioned norms. The report said, “Out of the 32 reported violations of provisions of the CRZ Notification/ Environment (Protection) Act, during the period covered of five years (2015-20), 14 cases remained to be resolved while four cases were sub-judice.”

The cases of flouting CRZ notification norms include violations done by government departments, municipal corporations, autonomous bodies and PSUs. This list of violation cases of CRZ Notification 2011 includes not obtaining CRZ clearance, banned activities in sensitive zones and mangrove destructions.

Whole-scale destruction of mangroves that fall in CRZ-I areas due to salt pan losses was also highlighted in the report, which could lead to the extinction of the rare breed of camel called “Kharai”. The rare camel species is dependent on sea plants for their diet. CAG said, “Audit, through use of GIS technique, observed a shortfall of 1,968.80 hectare in mangroves plantation out of reported plantation of 9,415 hectare at 33 sites.”

CAG has also flagged the construction of bridges, for which mandatory CRZ clearance has not been obtained.  The Gujarat Coastal Zone Management Authority does not have a robust mechanism to identify these unauthorised activities.

Apart from illegal construction in environmentally sensitive zones, wastewater is also finding its way into the CRZ areas. CAG report highlights, “Untreated waste water was being discharged into water bodies in CRZ areas in contravention of the CRZ Notification 2011 due to a shortage of sewage treatment capacity in the urban local bodies.” Report pointed out that the process to reconstitute the GCZMA and the panel formed to ensure compliance with CRZ Notification norms hasn’t received proper guidance from the management authority. CAG said, “District Level Committees (DLCs) formed to ensure compliance of the CRZ Notification did not meet regularly. These committees also lacked guidance/direction from GCZMA. The state government attributed under performance of DLCs to limited awareness among the DLC members about provisions of CRZ Notification.”