Silvester D’Souza
Daijiworld Media Network – Kundapur (SP)
Kundapur, Jun 11: A consultative meeting with officials relating to Coastal Regulatory Zone (CRZ) notification was held at the taluk panchayat auditorium here on Thursday June 6. The meeting was held under the aegis of Kundapur Taluk Panchayati Raj Union, in association with Concerned for Working Children (CWC) organization.
Udupi assistant forest conservator, Ashok Bhat, explaining about the rules, said that the rules governing the coastal regulatory zones had initially become law in 1991. He said that the act, final notification of which was issued on June 6, 2011 after providing for objections from the general public, aims at protecting the bio-diversity. He explained that the coastal areas in the country are divided into different zones, and development works have been banned in notified zones. “Later, taking into account problems faced by the citizens of these areas, certain minor changes were made in the rules, allowing for issuing no-objection certificates in villages like Uppinakudru here,” he stated.
He added that no new industries can be set up in these zones, and the existing establishments will not be allowed to expand. “Activities like construction of jetties, ports, plants for processing sea water and converting it into fresh water, fish collection, fish breeding centres, and fish breeding tanks, etc are allowed. Generation of non-traditional energy, manufacturing plants, handling of dangerous things, or discharge into the sea, are not permitted. Activities like construction of residential complexes, commercial complexes, removal of natural sand dunes etc are also banned,”he said.
In his introductory address, honorary president of Panchati Raj Union, S Janardan Maravanthe, said that lack of proper knowledge about CRZ rules, non-issuance of no-objection letters even when current houses are divided and new ones are built in their places, are some of the problems faced by the people and the panchayats.
It was decided to hold a meeting with the presence of MLAs, MPs, zilla and taluk panchayat members, and officials, on the subject soon.
Ganesh, assistant director of fisheries, gave clarifications for the questions raised by participants. President of the union, Uday Kumar Shetty, secretary, Ashok Kumar Shetty, taluk panchayat executive officer, Gopal Shetty, and several other dignitaries, leaders, zilla and taluk panchayat members, were present.
Uday Kumar Shetty welcomed. Secretary of the union, Raghavendra Pai Gangolli, presented the programme.