CAG Report Flags Violation of Coastal Ecosystem Norms

The Comptroller and Audit General (CAG), which has a constitutional mandate to investigate and
report on publicly funded programmes, tabled a Report in the Parliament this week, containing
observations of the Performance Audit on Conservation of Coastal Ecosystems from the period
2015-20.

Under the Environment Protection Act 1986, the Government issued notifications to regulate the
activities in coastal space with the aim of protecting the coastal environment from various
anthropogenic activities. The Coastal Regulation Zone Notification (CRZ) 2019, implemented by the
MoEF&CC, aims to classify the coastal area into different zones to manage and regulate
infrastructural activities. Three institutions responsible for overseeing the implementation of the CRZ
Notification 2019 are: the National Coastal Zone Management Authority (NCZMA), the State/Union
Territory (SCZMAs/UTZMAs) in each coastal State and UT and the District Level Committees (DLCs) in
every district with a coastal stretch and wherever the CRZ is applicable. These bodies are tasked with
examining the grant of CRZ clearances by the government and overseeing the compliance with
conditions once the clearance has been granted. These bodies also evaluate the measures taken
towards achieving targets under the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG-11
which pertains to Sustainable Cities and SDG-14 which pertains to Life below Water.

Findings of the Report

A pre-audit study revealed the presence of large-scale CRZ violations which prompted the CAG to
undertake a detailed investigation. Various categories of violations are pointed out in the Report.

Institutional Framework: It was found that the MoEF&CC had still not notified NCZMA as a
permanent body; it was functioning as an ad-hoc body, and it was being reconstituted every few
years. It was observed that the Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) had granted clearances in the
absence of domain experts during the project deliberations.
The SCZMA was not reconstituted in the State of Karnataka and there was delayed reconstitution in
the States of Goa, Odisha, and West Bengal. SCZMAs lacked representation of relevant stakeholder
bodies. In many States, the SCZMAs did not have sufficient manpower to perform their mandate.
District Level Committees (DLCs) in Tamil Nadu lacked participation from local communities and in
Andhra Pradesh, the DLCs were not even established. In Goa, DLCs were formed after a delay of six
years.

Project Clearance under CRZ Notifications: Projects were approved despite inadequacies in the
Environment Impacts Assessment (EIA) reports which included non-accredited consultants preparing
the EIA report, use of outdated baseline data and non-evaluation of environmental impacts of the
project.
Mangrove conservation/replantation, biodiversity conservation plan, rainwater harvesting plan are
the activities which form the part of the mitigation plans were not included in the Environment
Management Plan. Instances of SCZMAs granting clearances to projects rather than recommending
them to relevant authorities were observed.
Conservation of Coastal Ecosystems: The Department of Forest, Tamil Nadu, has failed to devise a
viable strategy to mitigate the propagation of invasive species despite serious reduction and
degradation of live coral cover in the Gulf of Munnar Islands.
In Goa, issues like the absence of a monitoring system for coral reefs and non-preparation of
management plans for turtle nesting sites were observed. Serious gaps were noticed in the efforts to
conserve mangroves in Goa and Gujarat.

Integrated Coastal Zone Management Project: Even though the project of mapping of Hazard line
was completed in August 2018, the ground demarcation was yet to be done by the MoEFCC. The
States had still not prepared the Integrated Management Plans (IMPs) for Critically Vulnerable
Coastal Areas (CVCAs).
Due to underutilisation of instruments procured under the project to study the physiochemical
parameters of soil and water of the inertial area of the Gulf of Kutch, the project was not conducted.
The objective of effective sea patrolling in Gahirmatha Sanctuary remained unachieved.

Sustainable Development Goals: Significant stakeholders like the Indian Coast Guard and Ministry of
Ports, Shipping and Waterways have not been included in the stakeholder map prepared for the
SDG-14. Kerala and Maharashtra have not prepared State Indicator frameworks.
What to Expect?
CAG’s report will be placed before the Standing Committees of Parliament. The Committees will
select the findings most critical to public interest and arrange hearings on them. The MoEF&CC is
also expected to explain the violations flagged by the CAG Report and make amends.