PIL challenges Centre’s office memorandum permitting post facto approval for coastal projects

The Madras High Court on Wednesday sought the response of the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change to a public interest litigation petition which had challenged an office memorandu

The Madras High Court on Wednesday sought the response of the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change to a public interest litigation petition which had challenged an office memorandum issued by the Ministry on February 19 permitting ex-post facto approval for activities that had been undertaken on coastal regulatory zones (CRZ) without obtaining prior approval. Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice P.D. Audikesavalu ordered notice to the Centre after being convinced with the submissions made by petitioner’s counsel M.V. Swaroop that certain degradations to coastal zones were irreversible and that grant of post facto approval forever, without specifying any window period, would go against the object of protecting the coastal stretches. K. Bharathi, president of South Indian Fishermen Welfare Association, had filed the PIL petition stating that the Ministry had issued elaborate CRZ Regulations in 2011 with a view to ensure livelihood security to fisher communities and other local communities, to conserve coastal stretches, their unique environment and the marine area and to promote sustainable development.