(a) whether the Government has taken or proposes to take any steps to constitute a high level expert committee to conduct a survey to study the coastline of India so as to protect the coastal ecology and environment;

(b) if so, the details thereof as on date; and

(c) the steps initiated in this direction so far?

MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENT AND FORESTS (SHRI A. RAJA)

(a) to (c): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

STATEMENT IN REPLY TO PARTS (a), (b) & (c) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.87 FOR ANSWER ON 05.03.2007 REGARDING PROTECTION OF COASTAL ECOLOGY

(a) The Government has no new proposal in the matter.

(b) The Ministry of Environment and Forests had constituted an Expert Committee under the Chairmanship of Prof. M. S. Swaminathan in July, 2004, to review and make recommendations with regard to implementation and amendments if necessary, of Coastal Regulation Zone Notification, 1991. The Expert Committee submitted its report alongwith the recommendations, which were accepted by the Ministry of Environment and Forests in April, 2005. The major recommendations include:-

(i) Implementation of Integrated Coastal Zone Management Plan rather than an uniform regulatory approach.

(ii) Development along the coastal stretches based on the vulnerability of the coast, taking into account the natural and manmade hazards.

(iii) Inclusion of the ocean zone for regulation.

(iv) Setting up of Institute for Coastal Zone Management to address the policy and legal issues.

(v) Abatement of the pollution of coastal areas and marine waters in a time-bound manner.

(vi) Identification and mapping of the coastal eco-sensitive areas such as mangroves, corals, turtle breeding areas.

(vii) Development of coastal bioshield.

(c) The Ministry has initiated steps for implementing the above recommendations which include:-

(i) Preparation of a National Action Plan for control of pollution of coastal water from land based activities.

(ii) Pilot scale studies for demarcation of vulnerability line along identified coastal stretches through scientific organizations namely, Survey of India, Dehradun, Space Application Centre, Ahmedabad and Centre for Earth Science Studies, Thiruvananthapuram.

(iii) Seeking technical and financial assistance from multi-lateral agencies for implementing the recommendations pertaining to mapping of ecologically Sensitive areas along the coastline, control of pollution in the coastal waters from land based activities and capacity building and institutional development.