Sewage treatment plants OK in costal regulation zone

The Environment and Forest Ministry has relaxed the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) notification of 2011 to allow construction of sewage treatment plants in CRZ-I areas of Greater Mumbai in exceptional circumstances if no alternate site is available to set up such facilities.

It says municipal authorities shall have to plant three times the number of mangroves destroyed or cut during the construction of such plants.

The amendment was felt necessary as the 2011 notification had warranted location of all conventional solid waste sites outside CRZ area within two years, stressing such sites should be only outside CRZ area.

The notification also says this relaxation is only for the municipal authorities for treating the sewage from the municipal area.

Yet another amendment applicable to all coastal states says clearance accorded to projects under the CRZ notification shall be valid for five years for commencement of the construction and operation.

As regards the post-clearance monitoring, it says the project proponents shall file half-yearly compliance reports of the clearance conditions on June 1 and Dec 31 and these reports shall be published in public domain. Any person can get copies of such reports from the concerned Coastal Zonal Management Authority.