'Coastal beaches investors’ meet after 2 months in Mangaluru'

Minister of Tourism, Ecology and Environment Anand Singh said that Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) restrictions have been posing a hindrance to the development of beaches along the coastal districts of Karnataka.

“Owing to the CRZ notifications, we are not able to take up development work within 500 meters of the beach. We held discussions with officials on relaxing CRZ rules in order to implement tourism-related development projects. Officials have informed that a CRZ map of the district was sent to the environment department. The same map will be sent to the nodal agency in Chennai for approval. The map after being approved by the nodal agency will be sent to the Centre for approval,” the minister told reporters after chairing a review meeting at the DC's office on Saturday.

“We have taken it as a challenge to relax CRZ rules as per the CRZ notification of 2019. I will personally follow up to ensure that we get approval within two months," he said and felt that tourism will expand once the CRZ rules are relaxed.

Once the rules are relaxed, a coastal beaches investors' meet will be held in Mangaluru to attract investors. The government will submit a proposal urging the Centre to hand over the responsibility of approving eco-tourism projects to NITK Surathkal, instead of the agency in Chennai, said Singh.

“Bengre Beach with 155 acres, an island of 32 acres, beaches at Tannirbhavi, Panambur, Surathkal and Sasihithlu could not be developed due to CRZ rules. The government has already sanctioned Rs 10 crore for the development of Sasihithlu Beach. But we need CRZ clearance to implement projects," he said and added that development works worth Rs 8 crore have been taken up at Tannirbhavi Beach under Blue Flag notification.