Published Feb 26, 2026 | 5:40 PM ⚊ Updated Feb 26, 2026 | 5:40 PM
Andhra Pradesh government has a plan to reclassify certain stretches of the Visakhapatnam Beach Road from CRZ-III to CRZ-II.
Synopsis: HRF warned that any dilution of coastal regulations in the name of development would amount to ecological vandalism. The government’s proposal, it said, threatens critical habitats, accelerates degradation and risks irreversible environmental damage.
Citing potential destruction of coastal ecology, the Human Rights Forum (HRF) on Thursday, 26 February, demanded the Andhra Pradesh government desist from reclassification of certain stretches of the Visakhapatnam Beach Road from Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ)-III to CRZ-II.
In a press release, the HRF described the government’s reclassification proposal as a serious threat to coastal ecology, disaster resilience and the rights of traditional fishing communities.
The forum alleged that the reclassification, purportedly aimed at promoting tourism, is in effect an attempt to dilute existing regulatory safeguards to facilitate intensified commercial expansion along the coast.
HRF said CRZ-III areas comprise relatively undisturbed coastal stretches, including sand dunes, wetlands and open coastal commons. These regions support traditional fishing communities whose livelihoods depend on ecological balance and unobstructed access to shared natural resources.
It said such landscapes serve as critical ecological buffers, protecting coastal habitations from cyclones, tidal surges, shoreline erosion and saline intrusion.
The organisation pointed out that Andhra Pradesh’s coastline has repeatedly borne the brunt of several severe cyclones. In the light of escalating climate crisis marked by extreme weather events, weakening natural defences in the name of tourism would amount to irresponsible governance, it said.
HRF argued that reclassifying CRZ-III areas as CRZ-II would open protected stretches to significantly higher levels of construction and commercial activity. This would replace the precautionary principle with profit-driven expansion and compromise long-term ecological security for short-term gains, the statement said.
What is being projected as tourism promotion is, in reality, a calculated regulatory dilution to facilitate real estate expansion along a vulnerable and hazard-prone coastal belt, the HRF contended.
The forum also recalled Tourism Minister Kandula Durgesh’s statements in the State Assembly in March last. The minister had reportedly said that tourism development along the coast was being hampered by CRZ norms and that the government would seek relaxations to overcome these restrictions.
HRF said such remarks portrayed statutory environmental safeguards as administrative hurdles rather than essential protections. It alleged that this signalled a willingness to dilute binding environmental frameworks in favour of commercial interests at the cost of ecological security and the customary rights of fisherfolk.
Instead of pursuing what it termed a “destructive reclassification”, HRF urged the government to address the environmental challenges already confronting Visakhapatnam.
The forum pointed out that the city’s Air Quality Index (AQI) had averaged around 190 during the winter, placing it in the “unhealthy” category. It attributed the situation to polluting industries, unchecked emissions, rising vehicular density and unregulated urban expansion.
The group called for stricter enforcement of environmental norms and accountability for polluters, saying that such steps would reflect responsible governance. Weakening coastal safeguards, on the other hand, would reflect distorted development priorities and a flawed understanding of sustainability, it said.
Demanding immediate withdrawal of the reclassification proposal, HRF asserted that CRZ-III areas are not vacant lands awaiting commercial exploitation. They are ecologically sensitive stretches that function as vital natural barriers. Coastal regulation frameworks exist to protect people and preserve fragile ecosystems, not to facilitate private construction and speculative ventures, the statement added.
HRF warned that any dilution of coastal regulations in the name of development would amount to ecological vandalism. The present proposal, it said, threatens critical habitats, accelerates degradation and risks irreversible environmental damage.
The statement was issued by HRF AP state general secretary Y Rajesh, and HRF AP and Telangana Coordination committee member VS Krishna.
(Edited by Majnu Babu).
