MINUTES OF 12" MEETING OF THE EXPERT COMMITTEE HELD ON 3' SEPTEMBER, 2015

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• MINUTES OF TWELTH MEETING OF THE EXPERT COMMITTEE FOR CONSIDERATION OF DRAFT REGIONAL PLAN OF DAHANU:

A meeting of the Expert Committee for declaration of EcoSensitive Zones was held on 3% September, 2015 under the chairmanship of Shri Hem Pande, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. The proposal for approval of Regional Plan (1995-2015) of Dahanu, Palghar, Maharashtra was taken up for discussion during the meeting. The list of participants is annexed. 2. At the outset, the Chairman welcomed the members of the Expert Committee and representatives of Government of Maharashtra. The expert committee confirmed the minutes of the 11" expert committee meeting held on 28.5.2015. The Member Secretary briefed the follow-up action taken on the decisions of the 11‘ meeting. It was informed that (i) as the map Showing demarcation of ESZ of Kaimur Wildlife Sanctuary was not clear, the Govt. of Bihar was requested to provide the revised map. On 2 September, 2015, the map has been received from Govt. of Bihar and is being processed for further necessary action. (ii) ESZ of Dadra and Nagar Haveli, is being processed for final publication in Gazette of India. 3. Agenda Item No. 4.1 regarding Dhahanu Regonal Plan was taken up for discussion, members were apprised of the background of the item. .

3.1 Dahanu Taluka area is an ecologically fragile area in district Palghar (earlier in Thane Dist.), Maharashtra. To ensure that the development activities are consistent with the principles of environment protection and conservation, MOEF declared Dahanu

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Taluka vide notification dated 20.6.1991 (as amended in 1999), as an ecologically fragile area requiring conservation and protection and further, for imposing restrictions on the setting up of industries which have detrimental effect on the environment.

• 3.2. As per the provisions of the notification, the Government of Maharashtra requires to prepare a Master Plan or Regional Plan for the Dahanu Taluka based on the existing land use of Dahanu Taluka and get the plan approved by the MOEF. The Regional Plan must demarcate the existing green areas, orchards, tribal areas and other environmentally sensitive areas. Further, no change of existing land use is permitted for such areas in the Master Plan or Regional Plan for the Taluka.

• 3.3 The draft Dahanu Regional Plan was received from the State Government in the Ministry in the year 2014 and the same was forwarded to Dahanu Taluka Environment Protection Authority (DTEPA) for their comments. After receipt of comments from DTEPA, the same were forwarded to Department of Urban Development, Govt. of Maharashtra for their views/comments. The views of Government of Maharashtra have been received in the Ministry = on 25.8.2015 vide letter no.TPS1210/1230/C.R.221/10/UD-12, dated 19.8.2015. Through this letter, the State Govt. also informed that they have also received four infrastructure development proposals for their incorporation in the Regional Plan. These proposals are:

  • |. _Delhi-Mumbai Freight Corridor;

  • ll. | Mumbai-Vadodara Expressway;

  • lll. | Dahej - Nagothane Reliance Ethane Gas Pipe Line; and IV. Navsari - Boisar 400 K.V Power Gride line.

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In view of the importance of these proposals, State Govt. requested for their incorporation in the Dahanu Regianal Plan... 4. Chairman invited the representative of Government of Maharashtra to make presentation on the draft Regional Plan.

5. Shri N.R.Shende, Joint Director, Town Planning, Govt. of Maharashtra made a brief presentation on the proposal for Regional Plan, Palghar, Maharashtra. He Stated that all the 73 recommendations of NEERI have been considered while preparing the Regional Plan, 25 in full and 48 partially. He highlighted the provisions where Government of Maharashtra differ with the views of DTEPA. The salient ones are mentined below:

5.1 Regarding the DTEPA Suggestion of keeping a Buffer Zone of 25 kms, it was informed that such a Buffer Zone, may impose restrictions on the area falling in the other States/UTs such as Gujarat & Dadra & Nagar Haveli, which would not be appropriate. Hence such a condition need not be imposed:

5.2 The Central or State Govt. policies shall be followed in regard to discharge of domestic and industrial effluents into the rivers, lakes, Nalas, ponds, creeks or estuaries or any other water body like wells in Dahanu Taluka;

5.3. The word ‘hardship’ as mentioned in para 15.8 of the Regional | Plan may be retained, because these hardships are due to certain | restrictions. Also the word “any other Environmental Competent Authority” is vague and not clear hence deleted in para no.15.8 of draft Regional Plan:

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5.4 Developable area proposed in Regional plan Dahanu is only 2.5 % of the total area of Dahanu Taluka and density of 100 to 250 PPH (Person per hector) is considered while preparing Regional plans or Development Plans in Maharashtra. Hence population density considered i.e. 150 PPH (Person per hector) is adequate and hence there is no need to reconsider it.

6. The committee discussed the draft Regional Plan and the views presented by Government of Maharashtra.

6.1. It was noted that as per draft Regional Plan’s para no. 15.10 “Installations and constructions in relation to operational, defense or other activities of National importance, and laying of railway lines/highways, high tension lines and other public interest projects may be permitted in the Agricultural or No Development Zone and in other zones including CRZMP area, with the prior sanction of the State Govt. and or Central Government as the case may be”, accordingly, the committee felt that these four infrastructure development proposals can be considered under the draft Regional Plan as per the existing provisions .

7.2 Regarding restriction on developmental activities around the rivers/lakes, the committee opined that the no development zone may be up to 100 mtrs from the high flood level of water body such as rivers and lakes as recorded over peak rainfall data of IMD for the period of last 100 years; 8. After detailed discussion, the Expert Committee recommended for approval the draft Regional Plan (1995-2005), Palghar, Maharashtra

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with the above observations. It was also recommended that the work for next Regional Plan may also be initiated forthwith and be prepared by —.. the Govt. of Maharashtra within the next two years.

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9. The agenda item no. 4.2 for “amendment of Bhagirathi EcoSensitive Zone Notification dated 18.12.2012” was not taken up. The meeting ended with vote of thanks to the Chair.

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~n....... List.of Participants for 3" September, 2015 —-ESZ Expert Committee Meeting:

Members of Expert Committee

1. | Shri Hem K. Pande, Additional Secretary, MoEF&CC; “ Chairman

2. Dr. T. Chandini, Adviser, MoEF&CC;

3. Dr. Kailash Chandra, Director, Zoological Survey of India, kolkata;

4. Dr. Sandeep Chauhan, Scientist ’D’, Botanical Survey of India; 5S. Dr. Sandipan Mukherjee, Scientist ’C’, GBPIHED, Almora, Uttarakhand

5. Shri Sanjay Kumar Agarwal, Assistant Director, Forest Survey of India, Dehradun;

6. Dr. Paresh Kumar Duria, TCPO, Ministry of Urban Development, New Delhi:

7. Dr. Pawan Kumar, TCPO, New Delhi; 10. Shri Prem Kumar Jha, DIG (F), Department of Land Resources, Ministry of Rural Development, New Delhi;

8. Shri Lalit Kapur, Director, MoEF&CC-Member Secretary;

Officials of Ministry of Environment, Forest_and Climate Change

12. Shri S.P.Vashishth, DIG, Wildlife Division;

13. Shri Pankaj Verma, Scientist ‘D’, RE-ESZ Division;

14. Dr. Amit Love, Scientist ’D’, RE-ESZ Division, MOEF&CC; 15. Shri Arvind Shukla, Technical Officer, RE-ESZ Division:

Officials of State Government of Maharashtra

16. Shri N.R. Shende, Joint Director, Town Planning; 17. Shri S.D. Ranadive, Dy. Director, Town Planning;and 18. Shri S.H. Gaonkar, Town Planner;