Govt of India "bent on selling off" coast to corporates, "eliminate" fishing communities

By A Representative
The National Fishworkers Forum (NFF), apex body of fisherfolks' organizations, has said that the Government of India, by giving the cabinet approval to the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Notification 2018, has turned a deaf ear to the protests and objections raised by the thousands of fishing communities, concerned organisations and individuals from all around the coast and the country.
"The sole purpose of the Government of India in drafting and approving the CRZ 2018 Notification has been to pave way to further sell off our coastal land and water to corporate and business houses by removing restrictions on constructions and activities detrimental to coastal natural resources", it said.
Signed by Narendra R Patil, chairperson, and T Peter, general secretary, NFF statement said, "The CRZ 2011 process guaranteed not only environmental protection and livelihood security, but also was a reminder of the robust democratic processes and engagements it followed in its implementation", though regretting, "The implementation of the CRZ 2011 remains far from satisfactory."
However, it believed, "While the failure to implement the CRZ 2011 rests squarely with the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change and the State Governments, the relevance of CRZ 2011 is still high. The Cabinet turned a blind eye to this, went ahead and approved the Coastal Regulation Zone Notification 2018."