Puducherry Coastal Zone Management Authority is the regulatory body for protecting and improving the quality of the coastal environment and preventing and abating coastal environmental pollution in the coastal areas of Puducherry U.T.
The Union Territory of Puducherry has a coastline of 45 kms, stretching along the Bay of Bengal and to some extent along the Arabian Sea out of which Puducherry region alone has 24 km of coastline, Karaikal has 20 km stretch and Mahe has 1km stretch of coastline and 192 kms of Tidal influenced of water bodies in the U.T of Puducherry with a very wide range of coastal ecosystems such as estuaries, lagoons, mangroves, backwaters, sandy stretches, etc .,
The Ministry of Environment & Forest & Climate Change, Government of India published CRZ Notification, 2019 replacing earlier CRZ Notification, 2011. As per the Notification the CZMP has to be revised.
The Ministry of Environment & Forest & Climate Change, Government of India passed a Notification on 19th February 1991 under the Environment Protection Act, 1986 known as ‘Coastal Regulation Zone Notification, 1991 where in it is declared that the coastal stretches of seas, bays, estuaries, creeks and backwaters which is influenced by tidal action up to 500 meters from HTL and the land between LTL and HTL as Coastal Regulation Zone and imposed certain restrictions in the said Coastal Regulation Zone.
Based on the Guidelines in the CRZ Notification the Coastlines of the Puducherry, Karaikal and Mahe, Yanam regions in the U.T. of Puducherry were studied and a Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP) was prepared by the Town and Country Planning Department, Puducherry during 1992. The same was approved by MOEF and published in State Gazette vide G.O. Ms. No. 18/93/Hg dated 31st December 1993. Till 1998, the provisions of CRZ Notifications were monitored and enforced by a High Power Committee of the Development Department, Govt. of Puducherry and the regulation of construction activities in CRZ was dealt by the Pondicherry / Karaikal / Mahe / Planning Authorities in their respective regions.
In 1998, Puducherry Coastal Zone Management Authority (PCZMA) was constituted and published in Gazette of India on 26th November 1998 based on the Supreme Court Direction to the Central Government to consider setting up of State & National Coastal Zone Management Authorities for ensuring effective implementation of CRZ Notifications. PCZMA was subsequently reconstituted in 2002, 2005, 2008,2012, 2015, 2018 & 2022.
PCZMA carries out the following activities for protecting and improving the quality of the coastal environment and preventing and abating coastal environmental pollution in the coastal areas of Puducherry U.T.
The Authority meets periodically to review the CZMP of Puducherry, discuss Environmental issues related to CRZ region and examine project proposals in CRZ region (all constructions / developments within 500 meters from High Tide Line).
Sl.No | Name / Department | Control |
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1 | Secretary, Department of Environment, Government of Puducherry, Puducherry | Chairman, Ex-officio |
2 | Director, Department of Fisheries, Government of Puducherry, Puducherry | Member, Ex-officio |
3 | Chief Town Planner, Town and Country Planning Department, Government of Puducherry, Puducherry | Member, Ex-officio |
4 | Prof. R. Ramesh, Director, National Center for Sustainable Coastal Management, Chennai-25 | Member(Expert) |
5 | Dr.M.V.Ramana Murthy, Scientist ‘G’ and Director, National Central for Coastal Research, NIOT Campus, Chennai | Member(Expert) |
6 | Thiru Ashok Panda, Co-convenor, Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), Pondicherry Chapter | Member, Non-Governmental Organisation; |
7 | Thiru. Yasam Lakshmi Narayana Reddy, Director (Science, Technology & Environment, Puducherry | Member-Secretary, Ex-officio |
First Applette Authority Thiru. Yasam Lakshmi Narayana Reddy Member Secretary - PCZMA Telephone : 0413-220 1256 E-Mail : dste.pon@nic.in |
Public Information Officer Dr. R. Sagaya Alfred Senior Scientific Officer ,DSTE Telephone : 0413-220 1256 E-Mail : dste.pon@nic.in |
Asst.Public Information Officer Thiru. P. Vipin Babu Scientist, PPCC Telephone : 0413-220 1256 E-Mail : dste.pon@nic.in |
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