Chennai: Two crucial environmental plans for the Indian coastline were brought to the fore on Wednesday as the southern bench of National green tribunal directed the ministry of environment, forest and climate change (MoEF&CC) to file an affidavit explaining the insights of shoreline management plan and integrated coastal zone management plan (ICZMP) in two weeks.
The Bench comprising Justice P.Jothimani and expert member P.S.Rao has also asked the state government to send their plan on shoreline management to the Union environment ministry.
Government pleader M. K. Subramanian submitted that a scientific study on comprehensive shoreline management plan has been carried out by IIT-M and Anna University as per the directions of the tribunal, at a budget of Rs 53 lakh. He also informed the tribunal that the state government would send the same to MoEF&CC soon.
Talking to DC, counsel for MoEF&CC, G.M Syed Nurullah Sheriff said a comprehensive study has been done on ICZM, which includes guidelines of shoreline management and is currently being followed by West Bengal, Odisha and Gujarat.
“Ten more Indian States and Union territories, including Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Karnataka and Kerala are studying it to implement it. From rehabilitating fishermen to checking soil erosion and stressing on sustainable management of coastal and marine resources, the plan which has a backup of 50 years study, takes into all aspects of coastal zone,” said Sheriff.
ICZMP, which integrally covers the coastline of the country predominantly, takes into consent, the incorporation of environmental and social concerns in developmental activities.
