The Bombay High Court has quashed the Environment Ministry’s Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) clearance for the southern stretch of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC’s) Coastal Road project.
The BMC has proposed a coastal road along the western coast of the city.
According to the BMC, the main purpose is to ease the congestion on the city’s roads.
The project site falls under the Coastal Regulations Zone 1 category.
So the project’s critics also say it will destroy fishing areas, leading to loss of livelihood for fishermen.
Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) are the notification for regulation of activities in the coastal area.
It was issued under the Environment Protection Act, 1986 by Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF).
As per the notification, the coastal land up to 500m from the High Tide Line (HTL) and a stage of 100m along banks of creeks, estuaries, backwater and rivers subject to tidal fluctuations, is called the Coastal Regulation Zone(CRZ).
CRZ along the country has been placed in four categories.
CRZ I - Ecologically Sensitive Areas
They lie between low and high tide line.
These areas are essential in maintaining the ecosystem of the coast.
These include national parks/marine parks, sanctuaries, reserve forests, mangroves and coral reefs.
Exploration of natural gas and extraction of salt are permitted
CRZ II - Shore Line Areas
The areas that have been developed up to or close to the shoreline which fall within the Municipal limits.
Unauthorized structures are not allowed to construct in this zone.
CRZ III - Undisturbed Area, has been divided into CRZ- IIIA and CRZ- III B in the CRZ Notification 2018,
Rural and Urban localities which fall outside I and II.
CRZ - III A - it Includes those areas where population density is more than 2161 per sq km as per the 2011 census.
Such areas shall have a No Development Zone of 50 meters from the HTL as against 200 meters stipulated in the CRZ Notification, 2011
CRZ - III B - it includes all the other areas of CRZ- III where population density is below 2161 per sq km as per the 2011 census.
Such areas shall continue to have an NDZ of 200 meters from the HTL.
Only certain activities related to agriculture and some public facilities are allowed in this zone.
CRZ IV - Territorial Area
An area covered between Low Tide Line and 12 Nautical Miles seaward.
Fishing and allied activities are permitted in this zone.
Solid waste should be let off in this zone.
Shailesh Nayak committee on CRZ recommended relaxation on the terms set up by the CRZ 2011 notification.
The major objective behind the recommendations was to boost tourism, port construction and real estate.
Theprojects which falls under the CRZ- I and CRZ- IV areas only require the approval of the Environment Ministry.
States and the Union territories shall consider all other projects.
National Bamboo Mission (NBM)
It is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme under Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare.
Bamboo is a versatile group of plants which is capable of providing ecological, economic and livelihood to the people.
The restructured NBM focuses to supplement farm income with the development of complete value chain of bamboo sector and link growers with markets.
Its Objectives are,
To increase the area under bamboo plantation in non forest Government and private lands.
To improve post-harvest management through establishment of innovative primary processing units and market infrastructure.
To promote product development by assisting R&D, entrepreneurship & business models at MSME level.
To rejuvenate the under developed bamboo industry in India.
To promote skill development, capacity building, awareness generation for development of bamboo sector.
To realign efforts so as to reduce dependency on import of bamboo and bamboo products by improved productivity.
The Mission would adopt the following strategies,
Development of bamboo in limited States where it has social, commercial and economical advantage
Production of genetically superior planting material
Adoption of end to end solution.
Capacity building.
Set up National, State and sub-State level structures, to ensure adequate returns and eliminate middlemen
For popularizing use of bamboo & bamboo based products, seminars, conferences, awareness campaign at National, State & District Levels are organised under the restructured NBM.
Awareness is also created through print and electronic media.
BIS Act
The Bureau of Indian Standards Act 2016 was notified by Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution.
The Act establishes the ,Bureau of Indian Standards’ (BIS) as the National Standards Body of India.
It has been established for a harmonious development of the activities of standardization, marking and quality certification of goods
It has a enabling provisions for the Government to bring under compulsory certification regime for any goods of any industry, process, system or service which it considers necessary.
BIS is involved in various activities includes,
Standards Formulation
Product Certification Scheme
Compulsory Registration Scheme
Foreign Manufacturers Certification Scheme
Hall Marking Scheme
Laboratory Services
Laboratory Recognition Scheme
Sale of Indian Standards
Consumer Affairs Activities
Promotional Activities
Training Services, National & International level
Information Services
The Bureau is a licensing authority for quality standards.
The Bureau shall establish Indian Standards in relation to any goods, article, process, system.
The BIS Standard Mark (ISI Mark/Hallmark) is a quality/Purity mark and has established its brand image.
A hallmark will be used to certify precious metal articles including silver, gold, platinum, and palladium or their alloys.
It indicates a proportionate content of the precious metal in the article, as per the Indian standard.
The Bureau may recall a good or article which is already out for sale, if its convinced that the good does not conform to the requirement of a particular standard.
Some of the important initiatives taken for effective implementation of the BIS Act, 2016 are,
Under the new BIS (Hallmarking) Regulations, government has notified “Gold jewellery and artefacts” and “Silver jewellery and artefacts” to be marked with Hallmark.
Under the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, provides for multiple types of simplified conformity assessment schemes including Self Declaration Of Conformity (SDOC)
Penal provisions for better and effective compliance.
Guideline for procedure to be followed by the line Ministries for making the use of a mark under licence or certificate of conformity compulsory.
New thrust areas identified in standardization are.
Alternate fuels
E-mobility
Medical Devices
Smart Cities
Digital Technologies
New and Renewable energy.
A company which commits an offence, the persons responsible for or in charge of the company will be presumed to be guilty.
An appeal against an order regarding the granting of a license or certificate of conformity, or compounding of offences, may be made to the Director General of the Bureau.
A further appeal against the order of the Director General may then be made to the central government.
