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Our Bureau

Visakhapatnam, June 29

Fishermen and representatives of several NGOs have urged the Union Government to scrap the recently-issued coastal management zone notification and implement in earnest the coastal regulatory zone stipulations 1991, to safeguard their livelihood and the fragile coastal eco-system.

At a meeting convened by the Keratam (wave) Network, AP Traditional Fishermen’s Federation, and Visakha Traditional Fishermen’s Association here on Sunday, Dr T. Patanjali Sastry of the Environment Centre (Rajahmundry), said the concept of coastal management was not acceptable and strict regulation was required to save the coastal environs.

The manner in which the CMZ notification was issued on May 1, giving two months’ time for raising objections, was also highly improper. “The English version of the notification has been placed in a Web site and no attempt has been made to apprise the fishermen and coastal communities of the contents of the notification in Telugu or other regional languages. By Monday, the deadline for raising objections ends. The Government should at least extend the deadline for an informed debate on the notification,” he pleaded.

Mr E.A.S. Sarma, retired IAS official, said the Union Government should give up on the CMZ notification. “For one thing, it is too complicated and it does not address the basic issues of saving the coastal environs and the livelihood of coastal communities. It is purported to be a scientific document, prepared on the basis of Dr Swaminathan’s report, but in fact it is highly irrational and destructive,” he said.

Even the 1991 CRZ rules were being observed more in the breach than in adherence and “more often than not it is the Government officials who are indulging in violation of the CRZ rules.”

More Stories on : Environment | Infrastructure | Andhra Pradesh

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