Pipeline discharging effluent near Hilsa, fresh-water prawn breeding grounds in Gujarat: CAG

Over a year after the forest and environment department directed GIDC to stop effluent discharge in July 2020, CAG stated, GIDC continued to “discharge effluents at the same location”.

“No assessment of damage in the marine ecosystems surrounding the present disposal point was conducted by Gujarat Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA),” it further observed.

The violation by GIDC was one of the seven CRZ violations by government agencies and departments between 2015-20.

Citing similar violations, the CAG stated that the Roads and Buildings department did not obtain CRZ clearances for construction of bridge on Narmada river in Bharuch city. Similarly clearances were not obtained for a bridge on Tena river in Surat district. In both these cases, the application for post facto clearance was pending with SEIAA (State Environment Impact Assessment Authority).

Similarly, the Surat Municipal Corporation did not obtain CRZ clearance for construction of four bridges (Chandrasekhar azad bridge, Sardar bridge, Cable stayed bridge and Pal-Umra Bridge) in Surat city.  The post facto CRZ clearance was granted for cable-stayed bridge by the Union Ministry for Environment Forests and Climate Change, but the same was rejected for the other three bridges.  The SMC was also found constructing a solid waste transfer station at Kadifaliya village in Surat district without obtaining CRZ clearance. The activity has been stopped, stated CAG.

The report also stated that Deendayal Port Trust (DPT) did not obtain clearances for constructions of salt pan and destruction of mangroves in Nani-Chirai-Moti Chirai and Jangi, in Kutch district.

The CAG also pointed out that five plot holders of DPT were carrying out ship-repair activities without obtaining CRZ clearances. It stated that the activities did not abate despite NGT orders.

Similarly, the Tourist Corporation of Gujarat Limited (TCGL) — an arm of the state government — was found constructing a tourist resort in Mandvi taluka of Kutch district, which was a non-permissible activity in CRZ area.  This was one of the three resorts in Kutch built without necessary clearances. Apart from TCGL, a 26-room resort by Serna Beach Resort and a second resort belonging to HV resorts were found constructed in violation of CRZ norms.  The CAG directed the constructions to be removed at the cost of entities.

The popular Fern Leo Resort at Madhavpur in Porbandar district is another tourist resort that has been built without obtaining CRZ clearance and stands just 146 meters from the shoreline, stated CAG in its report.

Staff shortage

The CAG found that GCZMA — mandated to prevent and control environmental pollution in coastal regulation zones of the state and to enquire into cases of alleged violations — functions from the office of Environment Secretariat in the Forest and Environment Department and was manned by one official.

“It was observed that GCZMA functions from the office of Environment Secretariat in F&ED, Gandhinagar as it does not have a separate Secretariat. There was no dedicated staff        for GCZMA and only one                 official from the Environment Secretariat was given additional responsibility for work related   to GCZMA. This affected the time taken in issuing recommendations for CRZ clearances,” the CAG report stated.

“Audit observed that no mechanism exists in GCZMA for the periodic survey of coastline through remote sensing applications along with geo-referenced CZMP (Coastal Zone Management Project) for identifying CRZ violations,” it added.

CAG also hit out at the GCZMA for not maintaining a complaint register, lack of Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) and absence of periodic review of complaints.