The State EIACP Hub : Status of Environment & Related Issues - Gujarat

A one day technical consultation was held to deliberate on the ICZM plan, which is being prepared by Gujarat Ecology Commission (GEC) for the Gulf of Kachchh. The plan would be a significant outcome of the World Bank funded Integrated Coastal Zone Management Project (ICZMP) that is being implemented in the State of Gujarat. The ICZM plan has undergone an extensive preparation and stakeholder consultations with the coastal communities, NGOs, local government departments, industries etc. The plan is being prepared by M/s DHI [Water and Environment Pvt. Ltd., India, New Delhi].

Post the consultations held at village and district level in the month of July 2016, the technical consultation held on November 4, 2016 at Gandhinagar presented the coastal profiles and the issues identified after the consultations. The meeting began by an overview on the ICZM plan and its preparation by Mr. S. K. Chaturvedi, IFS (Member Secretary, GEC & Project Director, ICZMP Gujarat). Several dignitaries and experts attended the meeting including Dr. H. S. Singh, IFS (Retd.), Dr. C. N. Pandey, IFS (Retd.), Mr. R. D. Kamboj, IFS (Director, GEER Foundation), Mr. Shyamal Tikadar, IFS (CCF, Marine National Park & Sanctuary). The meeting was concluded by Mr. Arvind Agarwal, IAS (Additional Chief Secretary, F&ED – GoG). In the concluding remarks, he commended about the endeavours of GEC in coastal zone management. He further added that GEC has done tremendous work in preparing a coastal zone management plan for the Gulf of Kachchh and is moving in the right direction towards setting up a platform to bring integrated solutions for multifaceted coastal issues.

The meeting was also attended by representatives of following departments and organizations:

• National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management, Chennai
• Indian Coast Guard, Gandhinagar
• Climate Change Department, Government of Gujarat
• Industries & Mines Department, Government of Gujarat
• Gujarat Maritime Board, Gandhinagar
• ISRO, Ahmedabad
• BISAG, Gandhinagar
• Centre for Environment Education, Ahmedabad
• SPMU-ICZMP, Odisha
• Mangrove Society of India, Goa
• GPCB, Gandhinagar
• GEER Foundation, Gandhinagar
• Marine National Park & Sanctuary, Jamnagar
• Fisheries Department, Government of Gujarat
• Police Department (Coastal area), Government of Gujarat
• Gujarat Energy Research & Management Institute, Gandhinagar

The consultation has helped in collating views of the above referred experts and organizations on the ICZM plan. The final plan is expected to be ready by the end of January 2017. For more information about the consultation, please contact Mr. Nischal Joshi, Sr. Manager (Project), Gujarat Ecology Commission on mail@geciczmp.com or call on 079-23257656-659.

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