EQUATIONS comments on draft Island Protection Zone Notification in the context of tourism

In the continuing saga on amendments to the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Notification, the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) made public the draft Islands Protection Zone (IPZ) Notification, applicable to the Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep Islands. This paper contains our concerns related to this proposed Notification, highlights the need to make the CRZ Notification even stronger and ensure tourism is regulated in the fragile island ecosystems.