Chennai: Madras high court has issued notices to the state and Union govts on Wednesday, seeking their response on whether shrimp hatcheries located along the coast are required to comply with coastal regulation zone (CRZ) notifications issued by the Centre.The first bench of Chief Justice S A Dharmadhikari and Justice G Arul Murugan took up the issue suo motu, after a division bench of Justice Anita Sumanth and Justice C Kumarappan, in its June order, held that National Green Tribunal (NGT) lacked jurisdiction over coastal aquaculture units, saying that shrimp hatcheries could not operate in CRZ areas without obtaining approvals under CRZ notifications.Accepting the shrimp hatcheries’ contention, the division bench ruled that such units are governed by the Coastal Aquaculture Authority Act, which is not included in the Schedule I of the NGT Act.Consequently, disputes relating to coastal aquaculture units do not fall within NGT’s jurisdiction. It was also observed that an important question remained unresolved — whether shrimp hatcheries are bound by CRZ notifications issued under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. The division bench recommended that the issue be placed before the first bench for an authoritative ruling.Acting on this recommendation, the first bench sought the state and Union govt’s stand on the applicability of the CRZ notifications to shrimp hatcheries in coastal areas. The court will now examine whether shrimp hatcheries in coastal areas can function without CRZ clearances.
