State to set up panels to monitor coastal violations

Soon, you will be able to register your complaints against coastal violations in the city with a committee set up specifically to monitor these under the civic commissioner.

Soon, you will be able to register your complaints against coastal violations in the city with a committee set up specifically to monitor these under the civic commissioner.

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The environment department has decided to set up district coastal zone management authorities in all districts of the state headed by the collector and one for Mumbai city and suburbs led by the municipal commissioner to monitor violations in coastal areas.

A notification to this effect is likely to be issued this week. The district coastal committees will have representation from civil society, including NGOs working in environmental arena, fishermen among many others.

The Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority (MCZMA) will head these committees at the state level. The committees can compile complaints against coastal violations and report them to the MCZMA, which can then take action against these constructions.

“The idea is to bring greater transparency in monitoring coastal violations. Post-Adarsh scam, we were flooded with complaints against various buildings, constructions, which were in violations of the Coastal Regulatory Zone (CRZ) norms. The district committees can keep a check on this,” said a senior official with environment department.

MCZMA will also ask people to register any complaints against coastal violations on its website. The environment department has another six months to compile CRZ violations of the 1991 notification.

Meanwhile, environment minister Jairam Ramesh is expected to be in the city next week. Chief minister Prithviraj Chavan will discuss pending environmental clearances to infrastructure projects like the Mumbai Metro, the Worli-Haji Ali sea link besides coastal roads through reclamation.