The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : `Trifling with regulations proved costly'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Dec 28, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

`Trifling with regulations proved costly'

By S.Vydhianathan

CHENNAI, DEC. 27. Dilution of and exemptions from the 1991 coastal regulation zone (CRZ) notification, issued by the Centre, are one of the main reasons for the heavy casualty and damage to property caused by seismic waves in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu yesterday, say environmentalists.

Thenotification prohibited construction of buildings, expansion of industries or reclamation of land in ecologically-sensitive areas along coastal regions up to 500 metres of the high tide line.It means the line on the land up to which the highest water line reaches during the spring tide.

But industrialists, especially resort promoters, contested the notification, saying it would affect the tourism industry. Many State Governments also drew to the Centre's attention the difficulties in provision of essential facilities for the people within the high tide zone.

Consequently, the Centre in 1997 amended the notification, reducing the coastal regulation zone to 100 metres, which, however, was increased to 200 metres on a Supreme Court directive.

Indiscriminate development

Besides, the Centre empowered the State Governments to permit constructions in coastal areas on a case-by-case basis. This resulted in indiscriminate development. Many hotels, health resorts and high-rise apartments came up along East Coast Road very close to the sea.

Much of yesterday's damage caused by the giant waves could have been avoided had the original CRZ notification stipulation of 500 metres was maintained, environmental agencies say.

Thanks to the growth of buildings along the coast, fishermen did not have space to dry nets or park catamarans and boats. They were forced to move closer to the sea.

Yesterday's fury was a warning to the States and it was high time they and the Centre restored the original CRZ of 500 metres, say the environmentalists.

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