Playing with sea

Virtual coast guard

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Fishers at bay

When it was introduced in 1991, Coastal Regulation Zone was a blanket notification to protect India's coast and fisherfolk. In 17 years, it was amended--diluted to favour industry--21 times. Now, a new line of management rules might give industry a free run at the cost of fishing communities and environmental concerns. An analysis

Mumbai’s second sea link unlikely

MUMBAIKARS won’t see any more sea links, at least for now. After the successful run of the five-kilometre road over the sea, linking Bandra to Worli in South Mumbai, the Maharashtra government was planning its extension to Haji Ali via another sea link. But now that plan has been shelved. Instead, a 3.7 km coastal road will be built.

Nowhere to nest

On February 26, as night fell on the tranquil Gahirmatha beach in Odisha, thousands of Olive Ridley turtles crawled in. Using their rear flippers, they dug pits in the soft beach sand and started laying eggs, more than 100 at a time. Then they skilfully covered the nests with sand and zigzagged their way back to the ocean as if to confuse predators about the exact location of the nests.

New rules for coasts

The Union environment ministry has notified the new Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) regime, replacing the CRZ notification of 1991. The notification, which has come after years of heated debate and controversy pleases no group entirely—the developers see it as a further restriction of building and industrial activities along the coast, while fishers’ organisations complain it gives in to builders and does not protect their interests sufficiently.

CRZ categories

CRZ I: Ecologically sensitive areas such as mangroves and coral reefs; stretches between HTL and LTL

Letters

AUTONOMY OR CORRUPTION?

Near ready for take-off

The Union environment ministry is all set to approve the Navi Mumbai international airport. The ministry’s Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) recommended clearance to the airport on November 10 subject to conditions.