Navi Mumbai international airport project to take off with amendment of Coastal Zone Management notification
27 May 2008
New Delhi: Fresh out of a rising controversy concerning the withholding of permission for the proposed new international airport at Navi Mumbai in the western Indian State of Maharashtra comes a new development that may see the Union ministry of environment and forests making changes in the Coastal Zone Management Notification 2007, which will facilitate such projects.
The move is expected to benefit not just the proposed Navi Mumbai airport project but also allow expansion of existing airports located in coastal zones.
The CZM notification 2007 has already turned out to be quite controversial, attracting hostility of the fishermen community around the country's coastal regions. This notification replaces the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) notification1991 and was issued without ascertaining the views of the general public or the fishermen community, who claim that their livelihood may be at stake because of its draconian provisions.
The proposed changes will allow projects to be cleared on a case-to-case basis only after a detailed study has been conducted to ensure that adequate environmental safeguards have been taken to neutralise any damage that may result to the environment from new constructions.
According to officials of the ministry of civil aviation, amendments are now being proposed as provisions of the earlier Act were quite stringent in their specifications. These amendments are now expected to pave the way for the implementation of the Navi Mumbai airport project as well as other projects which may sought to be located in such areas.
Officials point out that around the world countries have overcome the problem of airports coming up in the coastal region by implementing laws which stipulate that not only greenfield but also blue sea airports can be constructed so long as they do not impact the environment adversely.
