: The Kochi Corporation’s efforts to seek relaxation from the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) regime is unlikely to succeed as the local body could not come up with a list of specific demands, said experts.
In his letter to the Department of Science and Technology on Friday, Kochi Mayor Tony Chammany reiterated the demand for appointing a committee for reviewing the classifications of various coastal zones. He also demanded that the dwelling rights of the traditional communities be protected and the retrospective effect given to the legislation be scrapped.
Mr. Chammany also demanded that the Coastal Zone Management Plan shall be implemented after taking into consideration the social commitment of each local body of the State. In its letter, the local body also attached the survey number of plots where the CRZ guidelines would be effective.
At the same time, the officials of the Kerala Coastal Zone Management Authority pointed out that the local body should have come out with a specific list of demands for the consideration of the committee. If the local body wanted changes in the classification, it should have come out with site and terrain-specific proposals to justify its demands, said an official of the Kerala Coastal Zone Management Authority.
He also pointed out that the Authority had shared the survey number of plots, which fall under the regime with the local body earlier for ground verification.
It is estimated that 44 divisions of the local body would be influenced by the CRZ regime. The local body cannot shy away from the responsibility permitting constructions and land reclamations in the CRZ influenced area, he said.
The Authority used the satellite imageries from 2002 to prepare the dossier of land modifications that had taken place in the coastal belt of the city. The data would give one clear understanding of the changes that have taken place in the sector on a time scale. The plan was prepared based on the condition of the coastal belt in 2011, he said.
The local body had also argued that the CZMP would curtail the development activities of the city besides impeding various development projects of the coastal belt.
