Non demarcation of CRZ likely to upset big projects in Orissa

Puri, Sep 16 (UNI) The Orissa government's ambitious plan of setting up mega industries and ports along the coast is likely to suffer a jolt, as the state is yet to execute the Centre's directives to demarcate the actual Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) areas.

The state government was asked by the Union Environment Ministry in 1996 to constitute a committee, headed by the chief secretary and two NGO experts, to identify and demarcate the actual CRZ II categories in the coastal areas of Paradip, Gopalpur Port and the urban areas of Puri, Balugaon, Rambha and submit the report of the committee to the ministry.

But after nearly three years, the state forest and environment department had constituted the committee in 1999 to visit the spot and identify the SRZ II areas.

The committee till date had held only one meeting in 2000 in which only Puri urban area was identified as CRZ-II. The committee had resolved to visit to Paradip and Gopalpur Port areas to ascertain the CRZ limits.

However, the visits have not taken place sofar. No meeting of the Committee was also held during the last six years.

MORE UNI XC-DP KK PA KP1500