Thiruvananthapuram: The Ministry of Environment, Forest, Climate Change (MoEFCC) is yet to approve the panel of experts, members, chairman and member secretary recommended by the state government for the reconstitution of Kerala Coastal Zone Management Authority (KCZMA).
The state government’s communication containing the names of the members was sent to MoEFCC earlier in September for approval. The term of the previous authority which was constituted for a period of three years in 2016, ended on June 9.
In the absence of full fledged authority, the government had then entrusted some of the tasks and responsibilities to the director of environment department.
Apart from chairman (principal secretary, environment department), member secretary (director, directorate of Envir-onment and Climate Change, the principal secretaries of LSGD, industries, forest and wild life , fisheries, revenue, urban affairs or their nominees, the government had also recommended the following experts.
Member experts; Dineshan Cheruvat, director, National Institute of Fisheries Administration and Management (NHAM), Dr P.K. Thulasidas, senior scientist, Wood Science & Technology Division and former coordinator, International Teak Information Network (TEAKNET), Forest Research Institute and Dr Richard Scaria, assistant professor, department of geography, government college Chittur Palakkad.
Member (Non Govern-mental Organisation) Dr Chandanathil Pappachan Geevan and legal expert Amritha Satheesan, assistant professor, Mar Gregarious College of Law.
The new members were selected after a detailed process of screening carried out by the screening and search committees set up by the state government.
Under the Coastal Regulation Zone Act, the KCZMA is responsible for regulating the activities in areas falling within the Act, enforce the provisions of the Act besides monitoring the activities in the designated zones.
The delay in reconstitution of KCZMA had also triggered a debate in the wake of Supreme Court direction to demolish the Maradu flats which had been constructed in violation of CRZ norms.
The authorities now hope the MoEFCC will grant approval for the panel recommended by the state government.
