Order of the National Green Tribunal in the matter of In re: News item published in Newspaper The Hindu dated 19.03.2023 titled “India’s Sinking Island” dated 08/01/2024.

The issue involved in this Original Application relates to the dangers of sea level rise and submergence of low lying islands. The reply on behalf of the Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Changes revealed that the CZMPs as per 2019 Notification have been approved only for the state of Odisha, Karnataka and Maharashtra and ICRZP as per ICRZ 2019 Notification has been approved only for Great Nicobar Island and Little Andaman Island.

The reply further revealed that the National Coastal Zonal Management Authority (NCZMA) in its 46th meeting, August 1, 2023 had directed that all coastal states/Union Territories, whose CZMPs/ICRZP are yet to be finalized as per 2019 Notification, must complete the same within two months - by October 31, 2023. MoEF&CC said that apart from the three states and two islands of Union Territories, no other state or Union Territory has formulated the plan till now.

The NGT directed that MoEF&CC need to ensure that CZMP/ICRZP plan is prepared by each coastal management authority expeditiously within a time bound period. All the states and Union Territory coastal zone authorities who have been issued notice have been directed to file their response, at least one week before the next date of hearing, March 6, 2024.