A comprehensive overview on the lack of scientific basis of many of the rules and regulations of CRZ Notification. Rules have safeguards, and enough peer and expert group participation, but implementation is an issue and lack of scientific basis.

1. Coasts and River Zones: Major
Corridors of Concerns
Dr. Rakesh Kumar
Chief Scientist and Head
NEERI Mumbai Zonal Center

2. Trigger of Response
• Coast and River Zone protection for whom
• Are we doing reasonably good
• Have we been effective?
• Scientific Community’s Response: Other
Responses

3. Position of NGO/NPO and
Environmentalist
• CRZ and many states river protection rules
have not helped prevent the damage
• New Rules have always been diluted to suit
some sectors/states
• Government does not take long term view
• Government does not provide adequate
resources for implementation of rules

4. Government Position
• Rules have been made with adequate
safeguards
• Peer and Expert groups Participation
• Aim to prevent damage through these rules
• Implementation can be improved: Time
frame, system, process,………!!

5. Development Agency/Entity
• Rules very restrictive, arbitrary, without scientific
base
• It has slowed down India’s growth
• It has delayed projects which are prima facie not
harmful
• Understanding varies from state to state
• An another environment related law which does
not have any environment logic :
• Why 500 m, 200 m etc : prescription not clear

6. Scientific Community
• Not integrated with the decision making
• Emerging data and information not dynamic in Rules
formation or changes
– Climate change sea level rise ??
– Vulnerability Issues ??
– Hazard line demarcation
– Are these measurable and communicable
• Use of Satellite information, Changes in mapping
techniques…
• Do beneficiaries know the benefits and quantification
• Differential plans (Coastal community and others)
• Remote and abstract thinking

7. Community Leaders
• Affected parties: people staying close to coast
and rivers not affected by rules
• Would they not get impacted due to storm
surge, erosion, climate change …??
• What is being planned (long term view)
• Unduly concerned !!

8. Coastal Protection
• CRZ in India Current and Past: What has
changed and why?
• India CRZ and World Coastal Regulations:
What is same or different?
• Science of Coastal Protection and Norms :
Sites, Coastal Areas, Biodiversity,
Coastal Dynamics

9. River and Other Areas Protection
• River banks
• Flood plains
• Estuaries and River defintion and areas
demarcation
• Protection and Prevention Plans

10. Future Needs
• What to consider?
• Climate change scenario, Erosion pattern,
storm surges, vulnerability etc
• Development scenario for Industries,
bridges, Jetties, Treatment plants, Pipe
lines etc
• Local needs….national needs…national
aspirations and International Parity

11. What needs to be done
• Regulation/rules
• Science baseline
• Future of CRZ and RRZ
• Impacts of CRZ/RRZ on various
stakeholders

12. Outcomes and Expectations
• Whether we have enough information:
• For current situation
• For future needs
• Dynamics vis-à-vis stand-alone Systems

13. Write to us
For creating a community of all concerned
and share ideas of how the process of this
important subject is shared with large
number of people nationally and
internationally…………..