Mangaluru : Member of Legislative Council (MLC) Ivan D’Souza on Tuesday urged the State government to prevail upon the Union government to relax Coastal Regulatory Zone (CRZ) norms to boost tourism activities in the coastal region.

Mr. D’Souza told presspersons here that because of the restriction on construction of permanent structures within 500 metres of the high-tide, tourism had been affected on Karnataka coast. While, CRZ norms had been suitably modified in the neighbouring Kerala and Goa, thereby reaping the benefits of more tourism activity, he said.

He said hotels, restaurants, resorts that can aid tourismcould not come up near beaches due to the restrictions. He has made a representation to the State Tourism Department too on this. The Karnataka Tourism Trade (facilitation and regulation) Bill, 2015, had been recently been passed by both the houses of State Legislature, Mr. D’Souza said, and hoped that once it became an Act, it would boost tourism activities in the region.

Mr. D’Souza also spoke about the plight of residents of Kasaba Bengre in Mangaluru city. While it was declared a revenue village in 1995, only about 750 families had been given title deeds despite there being more than 3,000 families. About 1,000 houses were still to get electricity connection, he added.

Despite directions from the government, the city corporation was yet to grant title deeds to 2,250 families in the village. He urged the authorities to speed up the process in order to allow the families to get various government benefits. The district administration should take suitable steps to develop the Superstar Playground in Bengre, the MLC demanded.