Disposed

News Item on India'S Sinking Islands Appeared in the Hindu 19.03.2023 vs

NGT13 Jan 2025IA No. 1/2025 in Original Application No. 249/2023

Case brief

AI extract

What is this about?

The National Green Tribunal examined the status of Coastal Zone Management Plans across Indian states. It rejected the Lakshadweep Administration's request for a six-month extension to submit the Integrated Island Management Plan, noting a three-month gap in the Authority's tenure was insufficient grounds for such delay. The court directed submission within three months.

What did the court decide?

The IIMP to be submitted within three months; request for six-month extension dismissed.

News Item on India'S Sinking Islands Appeared in the… — Environment and Pollution | NGT (2025)

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Item Nos. 17&18

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Court No. 1

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BEFORE THE NATIONAL GREEN TRIBUNAL PRINCIPAL BENCH, NEW DELHI

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Original Application No. 249/2023 (I.A. No 1/2025)

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News item on India's Sinking Islands appeared in the Hindu 19.03.2023

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With

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Original Application No. 795/2023

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News Item titled "Third of India’s coastline vulnerable to erosion - here are the worst hit states" appearing in Indian Express dated 06.12.2023.

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Date of hearing: 13.01.2025

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CORAM: HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE PRAKASH SHRIVASTAVA, CHAIRPERSON HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE SUDHIR AGARWAL, JUDICIAL MEMBER HON’BLE DR. A. SENTHIL VEL, EXPERT MEMBER

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Respondent: Dr. Swati Jindal Garg, Adv. for MoEF & CC in OA 249/2023 (Through VC) Mr. Ravinder Kumar Gupta, Adv. for MoEF & CC in OA 795/2023 (Through VC) Ms. Madhumita Bhattacharjee, Adv. for the State of West Bengal (Through VC) Mr. Gigi. C. George, Adv. for Andaman & Nicobar Islands and UT of Lakshwadeep Mr. Prabhu G & Mr. R. Ramesh, Advs. for Kerala CZMA (Through VC) Mr. Jogy Scaria, Adv. for KSPCB Mr. Nishe Rajen Shonker, Adv. for the State of Kerala Mr. Maulik Nanavati, Adv. for Gujarat CZMA (Through VC) Mr. Soumyajit Pani, Adv. for Odisha (Through VC)

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ORDER

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In this Original Application, registered suo-motu , one of the issues under consideration relates to Notification of CZMPs by the coastal States/UTs in terms of the Notification of 2019.

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The MoEF&CC has filed the reply dated 07.01.2025 disclosing the

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status of approval of the CZMPs of States/UTs as under: -

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“Fresh report with updated status of the CZMP/ICRZP as per CRZ/ICRZ Notification, 2019.

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S. *No.*	*Coastal States/UTs*	*Agency preparing* *CZMP/ICRZP-2019*	*Updated Status as per concerned* *States/UTs.*
1.	Odisha	ORSAC/SAC	_Approved on 01.06.2021 _
2.	Karnataka	_NCSCM _	Approved on 02.08.2022
3.	Maharashtra	NCSCM	Approved on 29.09.2021 (2 districts) and 25.08.2023 (5 districts)

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4. 5.	Kerala Andman & Nicobar (UT)	NCESS NCSCM	Approved on 16.10.2024 ICRZP approved for Great Nicobar Island (01.06.2021) and Little Andaman Island (12.09.2022) The A&N Administration has placed ICRZP/IIMP before Technical Scrutiny Committee (TSC) in its 18^thmeeting held on 17.12.2024 and decision status is as follows:- Recommended draft ICRZP’s of seven Islands i.e. Swaraj Dweep, Car Nicobar, Rutland, Kamorta, Middle Andaman Baratang and North Andaman Island. Recommended draft IIMPs’ of the three islands i.e., flat bay island, smith island and long island. The A&N Administration will forward the same to MoEF&CC with all necessary documents like copies of maps and report for further consideration. Additionally, draft IIMP’s of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Dweep and Shaheed Dweep and draft ICRZP and South Andaman Islands has been deliberated by TSC. After deliberation, the Committee suggested to incorporate the future proposed activities in the draft IIMP’s/ICRZP’s for further consideration in the next TSC meeting. ICRZP/IIMP of 16 remaining Islands is id i
6.	Andhra Pradesh	NCSCM	n uner preparaton. Public hearing completed in 12 out of 13 coastal districts. Proceedings of Public hearing including the representations received during the Public Hearings has been reviewed by APCZMA in its meeting held on 03.01.2025 and A.P. Administration will submit proposal to TSC for further consideration. Public hearing for Visakhapatnam district will be dtdtl
7.	Daman & Diu	NCSCM	conuce separaey. As per the guideline of CRZ Notification – 2019, the draft CZMP was prepared and placed on the public domain on 29.11.2022 for obtaining objections/suggestions and number of objections/suggestions were received from the general public. Further, all the objections/suggestions received from the general public on draft CZMPs have been complied and prepared for public hearing. Furthermore, all the required details along with complied objections/suggestions have been sent to NCSCM, Chennai vide email dated 05^thJuly, 2024 for their consideration and finalization of CZMP map of Daman & Diu. Furthermore, before the finalization of the DDCZMP map, it is essential for DDCZMP to undertake a Shore Line Change study and prepare a Shore Line Change Management Plan, Fisheries Plan, and Tourism Plan.

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			In this regard, DDCZMA has requested to NCSCM for starting work on Shore Line Change study and prepare a Shore Line Change Mt Pliitbi
8.	Goa	NCESS	anagemen an on prory ass. The NCESS has sent the Pre-draft CZMP in the scale of 1:25000 which is being verified by the GCZMA officials with the assistance from Lan Survey Dept. Accordingly, Public Hearing will beconductedonthedraftCZMP
9.	Gujarat	NCSCM	. The draft CZMO plan of 6 districts namely, Valsad, Vadodara, Anand, Ahmedabad Porbandar and Morbi has been presented before TSC in its 18^thMeeting held on 17.12.2024. After deliberations, the Committee suggested that Gujarat CZMA may approach NCCR/NCSCM for preparation of Shoreline Change maps, which will be required for CZMP and finalize the draft CZMP for placing the same in the next TSC meeting. Further, Public hearing in 08 districts has been conducted and proposal submitted to TSC for further consideration. For remaining 02 districts, public hearing is under idti
10.	Lakshdweep (UT)	NCSCM	conseraon. Public hearing completed for all 21 islands and Lakshadweep,
			Administration will submit proposal to TSCfor further consideration.
11.	Puducherry (UT)	NCSCM	The Puducherry Coastal Zone Management Authority (PCZMA) vide communication dated 10.09.2024 to the MoEF&CC stated that the public consultations for Puducherry and Karaikal will be completed by November. 2024. Accordingly, the public consultation for Puducherry and Karaikal regions were schedules on 06.11.2024 and 07.11.2024 respectively. Meanwhile, the Hon’ble NGT (SZ) had issued a stay on 05.11.2024 in OA No. 283 of 2024 for the conduct of public hearings in Puducherry and Karaikal regions. As per direction of NGT, the proposed public consultations for Puducherry and Karaikal regions were postponed. OA No. 283/2024 was listed on 18.12.2024 before the Hon’ble NGT (SZ) wherein the PCZMA had filed the status report on draft CZMP 2019 and requested to vacate the stay for the conduct of public hearings. The matter is listed on 12.02.2025. Based upon the outcome of Hon’ble NGT (SZ) in OA No. 283/2024, public consultation for Puducherry and Karaikal regions will be conducted and draft CZMP will be submitted to MEF&CC ill
12.	Tami Nadu	NCSCM	o for fna approva. In compliance of judgment dated 17.10.2024 passed by the Hon’ble NGT (SZ) in OA No. 101/2023, the ground truthing of Economically Sensitive Areas of draft maps in all

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			districts of Tamil Nadu is going on. A true copy of the order dated 17.10.2024, passed by the Hon’ble NGT (SZ) in OA No. 101/2023 is annexed herewith and marked as Annexure RI/5.
13.	West Bengal	IESWM	The West Bengal Government has placed the draft CZMP before TSC in its 18^thmeeting held on 17.12.2024. After detailed deliberations, the Committee has suggested to do necessary corrections as deliberated during the meeting for finalizing the CZMP

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The above chart indicates that out of 13 coastal States/UTs. the CZMPs and ICRZPs are approved only in respect of 5 States/UTs, and in respect of the remaining eight, they are still pending. Learned Counsel for the MoEF&CC seeks further time to place on record the progress in respect of the approval of the CZMPs.

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I.A. No. 01/2025 has been filed by the Advisor to the Administrator for UT of Lakshadweep with the prayer to give Lakshadweep Administration time till 30.06.2025 for submitting the final draft of Integrated Island Management Plan to MoEF&CC. The reason for seeking extension is stated to be that the tenure of Lakshadweep Coastal Zone Management Authority (CZMA) notified on 10.09.2021 expired on 09.09.2024 and the same was reconstituted and notified on 07.12.2024 and hence we find that there was only the gap of 3 months in the expiry of the tenure and reconstitution of the Authority. Hence, the Lakshadweep Administration is not justified in seeking such a long time of 6 months in submitting the IIMP. Thus, we dispose of the IA directing the Lakshadweep Administration to submit the IIMP as expeditiously as possible, preferably within three months, without causing any further delay in the matter.

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List on 25.04.2025.

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Prakash Shrivastava, CP

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Sudhir Agarwal, JM Dr. A. Senthil Vel, EM

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January 13, 2025 Original Application No. 249/2023 (I.A. No 1/2025) With Original Application No. 795/2023 A..

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News Item on India'S Sinking Islands Appeared in the Hindu 19.03.2023 vs

Case brief

What is this about?

What did the court decide?

News Item on India'S Sinking Islands Appeared in the Hindu 19.03.2023 vs

Case brief

What is this about?

What did the court decide?

What the court decided

A compact analysis

Issues for consideration

Statutes considered

Parties & counsel

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