Now it is mandatory for all projects, with a capital investment of over Rs 5 crore, to get central sanction. The state-level Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority (MCZMA) clears projects less than Rs 5 crore.

Next week, the state government is expected to move the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests (MOEF) to raise the monetary cap for environmental sanction from the ministry.

“We will propose a district-level authority to clear proposals up to Rs 50 crore,” said TC Benjamin, principal secretary of the state urban development department.

He added that decentralisation of environmental clearance at local urban body levels has been a longstanding demand of elected representatives. Rather than giving the authority to municipal corporations, we thought it would be better to form a body like the district coastal zone management authority (DCZMA) at the level of the collector,” he said adding that states such as Tamil Nadu follow a similar practice.

If the Centre approves the plan, it would mean that most projects, including those on CRZ II and CRZ III, can be approved at the district level itself.

Officials state that more than half the projects that come for environmental clearance are under the Rs 50-crore category.

State environment secretary Valsa Nair Singh said taking land cost into account, the cost of most minor projects exceeds Rs 5 crore. This leads to unnecessary delays for most government and private projects. We initially thought of increasing the upper limit to Rs 100 crore but later decided to settle for Rs 50 crore,” said Singh.

In his budget speech, Finance Minister Thomas Isaac said that 40 boats would be purchased under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) scheme. Apart from this, an additional Rs 5 crore would be allotted to the water transport department to purchase ferry boats.

The announcement is certainly a dream come true for the residents of Fort Kochi, Mattanchery and Vypeen. Due to shortage of boats most of the existing services to these areas are dangerously overcrowded.

The residents in these areas have been constantly demanding to restructure the ferry service in such a way as to introduce direct and frequent services between Mattanchery and Ernakulam via Willingdon Island, between Fort Kochi Customs Jetty and Ernakulam and between Corporation Jetty and Ernakulam. There is also the need to introduce ferry services to all destinations from Thoppumpady which is the terminating point for a large number of buses coming from places like Cherthala, Chellanam and Kannamali.

With the introduction of more boats these problems can be solved to a certain extent.

“During festive seasons the majority of boats will be overcrowded as most people going towards Fort Kochi mainly depend on ferry services as they are more economical, less time consuming and pleasant sans any smoke and noise pollution. The decision to introduce more boats is a positive development,” said development standing committee chairman K J Sohan.

At present there are boat services between Fort Kochi, Mattanchery, Island and Vypeen jetties. With the introduction of more boats water transport can be extended to areas like Vyttila, Chambakkara, Udyogamandal, Edakochi and Palluruthy by constructing new jetties. With water transport getting an upward thrust traffic congestion in the city can also be reduced considerably.