Pics: Spoorthi Ullal

Daijiworld Media Network -Mangaluru (DV)

Mangaluru, Mar 19: "In the entire state, Mangaluru is a very potential area because of temple tourism, heritage tourism, and several tourist places connected to nature. But we are unable to promote this area due to the CRZ (coastal regulation zone) problem. Hence, after a discussion with officials and MLAs, a map on CRZ has been sent to the ministry of environment. The same will be sent to Chennai and from there it will be forwarded to the union government,” said Anand Singh, state minister for Tourism, Ecology, and Environment.

He was speaking to the media after holding a meeting with officials of the Tourism, Ecology, and Environment department at the DC’s office here on Saturday March 19.

He further said, “As minister of tourism and intending to contribute to Mangaluru’s growth, I will put my best efforts to relax the CRZ norms as per 2019 notification within two months. We have taken this as a challenge. Along with it, we will send a proposal to shift the CRZ nodal agency to NITK in Mangaluru instead of Chennai. We are confident that both will be done. We cannot promote beach tourism unless the CRZ issue is cleared. The government has sanctioned Rs 10 crore to develop Sasihithlu beach. Hence, to develop these beaches, we should get the CRZ norms relaxed.

“Also after two months, we are planning to hold coastal beach development investors' meet in the city,” he said.

MLAs Vedavyasa Kamath, Dr Bharath Shetty and others were present.