East coast states told to plan against erosion
The bench directs the respondent to file a status report before the next hearing on Jan. 7.
Chennai: The southern bench of the National Green Tribunal in Chennai on Tuesday directed the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) to convene a meeting of member secretaries of Coastal Zone Management Authority (CZMA) of five states and a Union territory to evolve a comprehensive management plan for ending rapid sea erosion along the eastern coast.
The bench, comprising judicial member, Justice M. Chockalingam, and expert member R. Nagendran, said the ministry convene the meeting after Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, West Bengal and Puducherry complete a study of their coast and place a report before it, detailing the measures to be taken for preventing sea erosion.
On a petition filed by NGO Coastal Action Network, the bench said the MoEF should prepare a comprehensive, integrated coastal zone management plan for the entire eastern coastline. The NGO sought to prevent setting up of sea walls along the TN coast.
Justice Chockalingam said they involved Odisha and West Bengal “so that a comprehensive plan is made out for the eastern coast.”
The bench directed the respondents to file a status report before the next hearing on January 7.