ABSTRACT
The Indian subcontinent is characterized by its lengthy, peninsular coastline, home to a large and rich diversity of flora and fauna. However, increasing urbanization, industrialization, tourism, recreation and development have severely disturbed the ecological equilibrium. Despite coastal areas having importance to the economy, they receive little ecological attention. Until 1991, activities carried out in coastal areas were unregulated. Clearances, rampant norms violations and the uncontrolled establishment of thermal and nuclear power plants, ports, ship-breaking yards and marine farms have destroyed the fragile coastal ecosystem. This has led to the salinization of groundwater. Massive deforestation for industrialization and urbanization has made coastal regions susceptible to flooding and the effects of climate change. Most of the developmental activities in the coastal areas, including the No Development Zone (NDZ), are unscientific and unsustainable. Though the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Notifications have been aimed at addressing the coastal ecosystem's concerns and balancing conflicting interests, they have not yielded the desired results. This chapter evaluates the efficacy of these notifications by comparing the various CRZ areas and provides comprehensive and realistic suggestions for better conservation.
