Green Ministry nod for beach shacks across coastal states

The Union environment ministry has permitted setting up of Goa-like beach 'shacks' across all coastal states, allowed more leeway to traditional communities and delegated power to states for local infrastructure projects along the coast.

It has, however, axed its own 2021 proposal -- to exempt exploratory drilling for oil and natural gas in coastal areas -- from prior coastal zone regulatory approval. In notifications issued last week, amendments have been made to the Island Coastal Regulation Zone notification and the Coastal Regulations Zone notifications of 2019 to effect the same.

The Centre's notification now permits state governments to decide on some smaller infrastructure projects as was requested by them. These will include standalone jetties, breakwaters, groynes, salt works, slipways and manual erosion control bunds.


The Centre has ruled that all construction activities related to projects of the Department of Atomic energy, national defence or security will be dealt with by the Central government for coastal regulation zone clearance or composite clearance based on the recommendation of the concerned coastal zone management authority.

Beach shacks and traditional communities have won a breather.

Shacks are key to tourism and local businesses in Goa and Maharashtra and currently have to be removed in the monsoon months -- June to August.

The green ministry has now made way for their round the year presence and across all coastal states -- a move expected to boost tourism and the coastal economy. The same has been allowed on the condition that the shacks stay non-operational in the monsoon months. The ministry has also relaxed norms for traditional communities in the area. They will now be able to engage in collection of dead shells for poultry and animal feed supplements and will not need prior Island Coastal regulations zone clearances for the same.

Similarly, removal of sand bars from intertidal areas has been permitted to traditional coastal communities through a non-mechanised manual method.