KOCHI: The Kerala Coastal Zone Management Authority (KCZMA) has issued guidelines to local bodies for issuing permits for residential construction under the CRZ-2019 notification.
The govt order (GO) dated Dec 6, 2024, stated that local self-govt institutions can grant permission for residential constructions up to 300 sq m in areas classified as CRZ II, CRZ III A and CRZ III B, subject to conditions as per the 2019 CRZ notification.
It mentioned that applications for residential buildings over 300 sq m, non-residential constructions and regularisation of traditional coastal dwellings must be submitted by the respective local self-govt institutions with recommendations to KCZMA.
Applications submitted to KCZMA must include recommendations from the local self-govt authority, a signed budget estimate, scrutiny fees and a building plan/site plan signed by the secretary/AE (including distance from high tide line and geo-coordinates).
If the property is within CRZ II, details of an approved building/road constructed before Jan 18, 2019, must be included in the plan.
Applications for construction activities in CRZ categories other than CRZ II, CRZ III A and CRZ III B, and regularisation of traditional coastal dwellings built under the 2011 CRZ notifications, must be directly submitted to the Coastal Management Authority.
The responsibility for verifying construction permits under the 2019 CRZ notification, identifying legal violations and taking further action against violations is vested in the district-level committees (DLC). Before granting CRZ permission, the status of the property in the CRZ area must be verified against the 2019 coastal management plan map.
The responsibility of ensuring compliance with guidelines before granting CRZ permission will rest with the head of the respective local self-govt institution. Information on housing applications received by local self-govt institutions (approved, rejected, under consideration) must be compiled and submitted to the district-level committee every three months.
The GO stated that local self-govt secretaries are authorised to grant construction permissions in CRZ areas only subject to the rules and inspections. It mentioned that the KCZMA holds the power to cancel any CRZ permission granted in violation of laws and guidelines.
