Environmental specialist and advocate P B Sahasranarmam, who has documented environmental laws for years, and who is also a member of the expert panel formed to frame the laws, said that there are complications concerning the 2019 act where each state has its own laws which is different from other states. “Each state must identify their own coastal areas to protect the coast from eroding and preserve the natural resources.” The 2019 notification issued by the Ministry of Environment and Forest in February 1991 as a part of the Environmental Protection Act of 1986, lacks clarity and the states are finding it difficult to create a Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP).

S N Raghuchandran Nair, Convener General, CREDAI Kerala, and Executive Committee Member, CREDAI National, said Kerala is occupied to a large extent by waterways, backwaters, and the Western Ghats and only very little land is made available for development. It is time to redefine the coastal laws when we always wonder why some countries have buildings close to beaches while in India, this is not allowed. There is an urgent need for a coastal zone management plan which could solve most of the problems.

Speaking on the occasion, Suneel Pamidi, director of the Department of Environment and Climate Change, Kerala, felt that strong legislation was brought in for industries to reduce disasters after the Bhopal tragedy of 1984. “The 2011 notification brought out by the Centre was revised in 2019, and the complaints raised by the coastal communities will be considered in the revised notification.” He also added that very soon a mobile application will be launched where people can know about the High Tide Line (HTL), which is an imaginary line on the land to know about the intrusion of high water.

Raghuchandran Nair also said that Kerala has a good potential for coastal tourism if the areas are developed as per the CRZ. The challenges posed by the present laws must be addressed so that coastal communities will benefit to a large extent.

The session was moderated by Krishnakumar and the session concluded with the audience interacting with the panel members.