Environmental groups and green campaigners in the district gave a miss to highlight the violations of Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) regime in Ernakulam and Maradu.
Even after two months of draft Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP) of Kochi Corporation and Maradu municipality was published, no significant complaints on the plan and the CRZ demarcations have reached the Kerala State Council for Science Technology and Environment.
During the past two months, all that the council had received was nearly 40 complaints by post and another 25 by email.
Most of the complaints pertained to request to free their holdings from the CRZ regime. Some others forwarded images of their holdings taken during 2002 period to rebut the classification of the holdings as CRZ area, sources said.
This was one unique opportunity for the environment campaigners and activists to draw attention to the changes that have taken place in the coastal belt, including the destruction of mangroves and illegal reclamations, which escaped the attention of the authorities. Any inconsistency in the marking of the CRZ zones and No Development Zones, if pointed out, could have been scientifically verified and corrections included. However, the greens seemed to have missed the opportunity, said an official.
During the public hearing on the draft plan to be held on Wednesday, the general public can raise concerns regarding the impact of the CRZ notification on their lives. The general concerns raised during the interactive session will be compiled and forwarded to the Ministry of Environment and Forest for suitable action.
It is up to the Ministry to consider the suggestions and approve the draft plan, he said.
“The Coastal Zone Management Plan provides setbacks around sensitive eco-zones restricting development and other activities close to it,” said plan document. No Development Zone has been marked in the plan covering the islands in the backwaters and also the coastal belt of the State. The different categorisation of the coastal belt has been marked on the plan, an official said.
The No Development Zone would be 50 metres from the High Tide Line for backwater islands and 100 metres for other areas.
