CAG report finds norm violations, mangroves destructions in Gujarat's CRZ areas

There were delays in reconstitution of GCZMA, which has been mandated to prevent, abate and control environmental pollution in the coastal regulation zones of the state and to enquire into cases of alleged violation of the provisions of the Environment Protection Act, 1986, and the CRZ Notification, it said.

The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG), in its report, has come across several cases of violations of coastal regulation zone (CRZ) Notification in Gujarat which included not obtaining required clearances for projects, large-scale mangroves destructions, and non-permissible activities in these sensitive areas. The CAG report on Conservation and Management of Coastal Ecosystem was tabled in the Gujarat Assembly on Wednesday.

“There were many instances, where unauthorized developments had taken place in restricted Coastal Regulatory Zone areas (CRZ I and No Development Zone). However, no control mechanism was evolved by the Gujarat Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) to identify and prohibit such irregular developments,” the report noted.

GCZMA is mandated to prevent, abate and control environmental pollution in coastal regulation zones of the state and to enquire into cases of alleged violation of provisions of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, and the CRZ Notification.

“Effective management of the coastline is crucial for the protection of the coastal environment. Audit came across situations where, the authorities solely relied on reported violations, wherein a complaint was received, and subsequent action envisioned,” the CAG report on performance audit between 2015 to 2020 said, adding no proactive violation was detected or action taken by authorities. There was no follow-up action on cases of reported violations of norms, the central auditor said.

“Even for these reported violations, there was no effective follow-up and review by the concerned authorities with a large number of violation cases still awaiting disposal,” the report said.

“Out of the 32 reported violations of provisions of the CRZ Notification/ Environment (Protection) Act, during the period covered of five years (2015-20), 14 cases remained to be resolved while four cases were sub-judice,” it said.

GCZMA had failed to keep proper records of complaints, the CAG noted.

“GCZMA had neither kept proper records of complaints received nor framed any Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for timely disposal of such complaints,” it said.

Cases of violations of CRZ Notification of 2011 by government departments/municipal corporations/ autonomous bodies/PSUs were noticed which included not obtaining CRZ clearances, mangroves destructions, and non-permissible activities in CRZs, the report said.

Large-scale destruction of mangroves in CRZ I areas by salt pan lessees was noticed, posing threat of extinction to the unique breed of “Kharai” camels which depend on the sea plants for their food, it said.

In CRZ I areas, no commercial activities are allowed. “Third party evaluation was conducted for an area covering only 21 per cent of claimed mangroves plantation. This pointed out difference in the plantation claimed by the Project Executing Agencies (PEAs) and that observed through GIS (geographic information system) technique.

''Audit, through use of GIS technique, observed a shortfall of 1,968.80 hectare in mangroves plantation out of reported plantation of 9,415 hectare at 33 sites,” said the CAG. The central auditor mentioned about construction of bridges without obtaining mandatory CRZ clearances.

“Six bridges -- two by the state Road & Building Department and four by the Surat Municipal Corporation -- were constructed without obtaining CRZ clearances in CRZ areas,” the report said.

It said many other complaints of construction without CRZ clearance were also found to be true.

The Gujarat Coastal Zone Management Authority lacks a robust mechanism to identify illegal/unauthorised constructions, said the auditor.

“GCZMA had not evolved any robust mechanism to identify illegal/ unauthorised constructions and operation and proliferation of unauthorised salt pan units in the CRZ areas.

''No mechanism exists in GCZMA for the periodic survey of coastline through remote sensing applications along with geo-referenced CZMP for identifying CRZ violations. It also failed to remove the illegal constructions brought to its notice,” said the report.

The CAG pointed out that untreated waste water was finding its way into CRZ areas.

“Untreated waste water was being discharged into water bodies in CRZ areas in contravention of the CRZ Notification 2011 due to a shortage of sewage treatment capacity in the urban local bodies,” it said.

The report said there were delays in reconstitution of GCZMA. “There were delays in reconstitution of GCZMA, which has been mandated to prevent, abate and control environmental pollution in the coastal regulation zones of the state and to enquire into cases of alleged violation of the provisions of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, and the CRZ Notification,'' it said. The top auditor noted GCZMA has failed to implement some of the important tasks assigned to it.

“Further, GCZMA failed to implement some of the important functions assigned to it. There was no dedicated staff for GCZMA and this affected the time taken in issuing recommendations for CRZ clearances. There was lack of transparency in displaying the requisite information on GCZMA's website,” it said.

Panels set up to ensure compliance of CRZ Notification norms did not get proper guidance from the management authority, observed the report.

“District Level Committees (DLCs) formed to ensure compliance of the CRZ Notification did not meet regularly. These committees also lacked guidance/direction from GCZMA. The state government attributed under performance of DLCs to limited awareness among the DLC members about provisions of CRZ Notification,” the CAG said.

“Apart from delays in finalisation of Coastal Zone Management Plans (CZMPs) for the coastal districts, these plans were also not prepared as per prescriptions of the CRZ Notification,” it further noted.

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