CRZ nod granted incorrectly in 65% of projects, says CAG

BETWEEN 2015 and 2022, the Tamil Nadu Coastal Zone Management Authority (TNCZMA) has granted coastal regulation zone (CRZ) clearances "incorrectly" to 114 out of 175 projects (65%) without forwarding them to appropriate authorities such as the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) or the State Environmental Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) for approval, according to the CAG report.

- SV KRISHNA CHAITANYA

This has resulted in inadequate scrutiny of project proposals, allowing non-permissible activities to proceed in ecologically sensitive areas. Of the 22 projects scrutinized by the audit, 19 were cleared directly by TNCZMA in violation of CRZ notification.

During joint inspections and analysis of Google Earth images, CAG identified 90 unauthorized constructions within the No Development Zone of CRZ III, which includes areas within 200m of the High Tide Line. The government stated in June 2023 that measures were being taken to improve monitoring, but CAG deemed these efforts insufficient as violations continued to escape detection.