May check if CRZ norms violated at Mundra: Jairam

The Centre may send a team to Mundra Port Trust in Gujarat to ascertain whether the private port developer has violated the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) norms...

The Centre may send a team to Mundra Port Trust in Gujarat to ascertain whether the private port developer has violated the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) norms,Union Minister of State for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh said on Wednesday.

The Ministry of Environment and Forests has only given in-principle nod for the development of the Mundra Port. If they (the private developer) have started the work,it is a violation of the Coastal Regulation Zone Act, he said.

Ramesh was answering a query from an environmental NGO from Kutch at the public hearing on CRZ management notification,2008,here. This is the first public hearing on the notification.

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The Ministry follows two steps for approval in-principle and final nod. Two days ago,the ministry took a decision to do away with the current practice,and from now on,there will be only approval or rejection of a project,Ramesh said.

After receiving several complaints about violation of CRZ Act from fishermen and NGOs,Ramesh said that during the last 18 years,the Centre had made 25 amendments without any apparent people-friendly results.

To bring about pro-people amendments in the Act,a committee had been formed under noted agriculture scientist,M S Swaminathan,the minister said.

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