NGT calls for new Coastal Zone Management plan

Chennai: In a milestone direction that would strengthen the coastline rules and reduce the devastation during natural calamities, National Green Tribunal on Wednesday reiterated the need for a new Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP).

Directing the counsel for the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC) to work towards a comprehensive CZMP, the bench comprising Justice P. Jyothimani and P S Rao has asked the petitioner, Jawahar Shanmugam, to file a fresh application regarding the same.

The existing plan, based on the 1996 survey, is inappropriate now, due to various factors, including shifting of the alignments of the high and low tide lines and disasters like tsunami striking the coast

New CZMP is an additional affidavit filed by the petitioner, Jawahar Shanmugam to the Buckingham canal case, which deals with the encroachments and the lack of dredging works.

Taking a strict stand on the need for a new CZMP, Jawahar Shanmugam told the tribunal, “Though the Coastal Regulatory Zone Notification, 2011, is in-depth, there are certain loopholes, that facilitates the encroachers, who involve in indiscriminate construction on the hypersensitive areas.”

A hazard line after a proper survey is necessary for redrawing the Coastal Zone Management Plan. The existing common plan would not be suitable as each coast is different from the other, Jawahar Shanmugam explained DC, adding that the public opinion should be taken during the procedure.

Institute of Remote Sensing (IRS) at Anna University, is the nodal agency that analyses the satellite images, based on the low tide and high tide lines. The IRS had proposed new markings in 2008, which is not consented by MoEFCC.

“Considering the vast changes in the shoreline and erosion, a new coastal zone management plan is the need of the hour. However, it does not mean that the atomic reactors and thermal power plants should be encouraged in the vulnerable sea zones,” opined environmentalist, G. Sundarrajan of Poovulagin Nanbargal.

Formulate policy for hospital linen laundry: NGT
The southern bench of the National Green Tribunal on Wednesday directed the state government to formulate a clear policy for the laundry of hospital linens. Even though a comprehensive rule on hospital waste — waste management, 2016 — exists, there is no policy on used biomedical items (including linens). The policy calls in for the segregation of linens based on their contamination and the safety features that need to be incorporated.The state government would conduct a meeting with all the stakeholders including  the department of health and family welfare, Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board and Chennai Corporation to formulate the statutory guidelines.