Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change

Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change

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PARLIAMENT QUESTION: MONITORING OF CRZ NORMS

Posted On: 11 DEC 2025 5:07PM by PIB Delhi

Under the CRZ Notification 2019, all development activities or projects in CRZ-I and CRZ-IV areas, which are regulated or permissible as per the notification, are dealt with by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) for CRZ clearance, based on the recommendation of the concerned Coastal Zone Management Authority. The permissible and regulated activities that fall purely in CRZ–II and CRZ-III areas are considered for CRZ clearance by the concerned Coastal Zone Management Authority. However, projects in CRZ–II and CRZ–III that also traverse through CRZ–I or CRZ-IV areas, or both, shall be considered by the MoEFCC, based on the recommendations of the concerned Coastal Zone Management Authority.

The CRZ clearance procedures ensure strict protection for ecologically sensitive areas categorized as CRZ-I(A), including mangroves, coral reefs, and other critical coastal ecosystems. In these areas, all development activities are prohibited, except a few limited and regulated activities such as eco-tourism facilities, construction of public utility roads, and laying of pipelines or transmission lines. Therefore, while the clearance process is streamlined for eligible Blue Economy projects, the necessary safeguards exist for sensitive habitats like mangroves and coral reefs.

As per the CRZ Notification, 2019, the State Government or the Union Territory (UT) CZMAs shall be primarily responsible for enforcement and monitoring of the Notification. To assist in this task, the State Government and the Union Territory shall constitute District-level Committees under the Chairmanship of the concerned District Magistrate, including at least three representatives from the local traditional coastal communities including fisherfolk. 

State/UT CZMAs have been empowered under Sections 5, 10, and 19 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, to enforce and monitor the provisions of the CRZ Notification. The Ministry has also been issuing directions to SCZMAs from time to time for identifying and taking action against violations. The National Coastal Zone Management Authority (NCZMA) in its 48th meeting held on 26/09/2025, deliberated on the matter. State/UT CZMAs are empowered to take action against such violations in accordance with the powers already delegated to all Coastal States/UTs under Sections 5, 10, and 19 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.

The Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) being the nodal Ministry for the formulation of the National Marine Litter Policy, has initiated several studies through its attached office National Centre for Coastal Research (NCCR), to monitor the temporal and spatial distribution of marine litter along the Indian coasts and adjacent seas and map the distribution of marine litter. 

Further, the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has notified Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016 and its amendments, which provide the statutory framework for plastic waste management in the country. Vide Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules, 2021, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has prohibited identified single use plastic items, which have low utility and high littering potential, with effect from 1st July, 2022 and has also banned the use of plastic carry begs less than 120 microns thickness with effect from 31st December, 2022. Further, the Guidelines on Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for plastic packaging have also been notified vide Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules, 2022, on 16th February, 2022.

Further, the Government of India has initiated several programmes such as Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, National Mission for Clean Ganga, Mission LiFE and Smart Cities Mission in order to develop a clean and sustainable environment which contributes towards the prevention of Marine Litter.

This information was provided by UNION MINISTER OF STATE FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE, SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH, in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha today.