Reply by MoEF&CC in Original Application No 249 of 2023 to news item on India's sinking islands which appeared in the Hindu (March 19, 2023).

In supersession of the CRZ Notification, 2011, the Coastal Regulation Zone Notification, 2019 was notified on January 18, 2019 having specific focus on conservation and management plans of ecologically sensitive areas (ESAs) which did not feature in the CRZ Notification 2011.

At present coastal zone management plan (CZMP) as per CRZ Notification, 2019 have been approved for the state of Odisha, Karnataka and Maharashtra. The ICRZP as per ICRZP Notification, 2019 has been approved for Great Nicobar Island and Little Andaman Island.

For the rest of the coastal states, CZMP/ICRZP as per CRZ Notification, 2011 and IPZ Notification 2011 are presently applicable. The National Coastal Zone Management Authority (NCZMA) in its 46 meeting dated August 1, 2023 has directed that all coastal states/UTs whose CZMP/ICRZP are yet to be finalized as per CRZ Notification, 2019 must complete the same within two months (October 31, 2023).

Further vide letters dated September 22, 2023 and November 30, 2023, the Ministry has again requested all remaining coastal states/UTs to expedite the finalization of the CZMP/ICRZP as per CRZ Notification, 2019 as directed by NCZMA. As per the CRZ Notification, 2011/2019, the state coastal zone management authorities (SCZMA) are primarily responsible for the enforcement and implementation of the provisions of the CRZ Notification and compliance of the conditions stipulated thereunder. 

Note: The reply by MoEF&CC dated December 21, 2023 was uploaded to the NGT site, January 5, 2024.