The Union ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) has issued a checklist for examining clearances to projects which attract the Coastal Regulation Zone Notification, 1991.
This comes in the wake of the controversy over the violation of ecological rules by the Adarsh housing society here, meant for widows of Kargil heroes and later taken by a combine of influential figures. The aim is to avoid a repeat of Adarsh-related scams and to ensure adherence to the notification by project developers.
MoEF had already said Adarsh did not get CRZ clearance, either from the Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority, the state government or from the Centre.
Ministry sources told Business Standard any project developer needs to check if the relevant map was prepared by an authorised agency in line with the ministry’s guidelines for demarcating the high and low tide lines on a 1:4,000 scale. And, of course, whether the Coastal Zone Management Authority (CZMA) has rejected or recommended the project.
According to the checklist, the project developer would have to see whether the state CZMA examined the project in accordance with the CRZ Notification, 1991, and approved a Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP). If there is a deviation of the newly demarcated high tide line and low tide line with respect to the approved CZMP, the developer would have to check if the CZMA has sent the map to the National CZMA for reclassification. Till the latter step is done, the project cannot be considered.
Sources said the developer would also have to check if the building or buildings to be constructed are restricted to the boundary as on February 19,1991, immediately abutting the existing authorized structures between which the imaginary line is drawn. And, a check on the floor space index or floor area ratio for such projects in the CRZ areas as on February 19, 1991.
More From This Section
MoEF had served a showcause notice to the Adarsh society last Friday, on why it should not be removed. The notice says the 1991 notification was blatantly violated.
Officvials of the Central Bureau of Investigation, which had registered a case against Adarsh, met the state government’s chief secretary, J P Dange, today for more information.