Visakhapatnam district to hold mandatory coastal zone hearing on September 2

The Visakhapatnam district administration will hold a mandatory public hearing on the revised Coastal Zone Management Plan on September 2, Civil Supplies Minister Nadendla Manohar announced in the Assembly on Thursday.

The hearing, which had been postponed twice earlier, is the final procedural step before the revised CZMP can be submitted to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change for final approval. Manohar, speaking on behalf of Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, urged all public representatives to educate citizens and encourage participation in the hearing for the region's development.

Visakhapatnam remains sole pending district

While the Centre's Technical Scrutiny Committee has already recommended revised CZMPs for 12 coastal districts in Andhra Pradesh to the National Coastal Zone Management Authority following detailed deliberations on August 3, Visakhapatnam district remains pending solely due to the mandatory public hearing.

The State government had submitted revised Coastal Zone Management Plans for all 12 coastal districts to the MoEF&CC Technical Scrutiny Committee. The plans are being revised in line with the Centre's CRZ Notification, 2019, by the National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management.

Reclassification proposal under review

The government has separately sought reclassification of the coastal stretch from the Madhurawada boundary to Bheemunipatnam from CRZ-III to CRZ-II. The proposal, submitted to the NCSCM and MoEF&CC, cites the need to facilitate infrastructure development, tourism and economic growth in the area.

The Technical Scrutiny Committee has directed submission of all relevant documents to the NCSCM for review and consideration of the proposed reclassification. The Minister said the government would proceed with the required processes after completion of the public hearing.

How clearances work

Coastal Regulation Zone clearances for public amenities, tourism infrastructure, coastal protection works and other activities are granted by the MoEF&CC based on recommendations of the Andhra Pradesh Coastal Zone Management Authority. Project proponents must submit proposals through the PARIVESH 2.0 portal, after which the APCZMA appraises them under applicable CRZ regulations.

Source: The Hindu