Under the Coastal Regulation Zone Notification, 1991, the Department prepared the Coastal Zone Management Plan for the Gujarat State. The Department has also developed the Coastal Zone Information System on the GIS based computer environment for the first time in the country, with the help of Space Application Centre, Government of India and the Remote Sensing and Communication Centre, Government of Gujarat. Now, an Integrated Coastal Zone Management Plan is being prepared.

The Department implements the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Notification and the Coastal Zone Management Plan in the State. The Department considers the proposals received for environmental clearances under the CRZ notification, 1991. Gujarat has the longest coastline of about 1650-km constituting approximately 25% of the country's coastline.

In view of the liberalized economic policies, proximity to the Gulf countries and also to the hinterland of the country, the Gujarat coast offers opportunities for development of ports and port related industries. The Gujarat coast also offers opportunities for fisheries, mining of minerals, industry, tourism, etc. The Department considers potential adverse impacts on the coastal and marine environment and ecology because of proposed activities before granting / recommending the environmental clearances.

Under the Environment Impact Assessment Notification, certain categories of industries require mandatory environmental clearance from Government of India. Such applications are recommended by the Department based on the merits of the case.

The applications seeking environmental clearance from the Government of India for setting up of new unit or expansion of the existing unit in the areas declared as critically polluted by the Central Pollution Control Board, have to submit the application to this Department. The Department after obtaining the views of the Gujarat Pollution Control Board and obtaining "no increase in pollution load" certificate from the Gujarat Pollution Control Board forwards such proposals to the Government of India, with comments / observations of the Department.

Government of India has delegated powers to State Government for granting environmental clearances to certain category of thermal power projects and the Department considers such applications for clearance with the help of Expert Committee constituted under the Chairmanship of Shri K. V. Bhanujan, Chairman, Gujarat Pollution Control Board. The Director (Environment) in the Forests and Environment Department is a Member Secretary of the Expert Committee.

Under the participatory and transparent process of according environmental clearances to certain category of major projects, Environmental Public Hearing of certain category of the projects has been made mandatory by the Government of India. The Department has constituted District Level Committees consisting of officials as well as non-officials for conducting such Environmental Public Hearing processes under the Chairmahship of the. Department is representing the State Government in these District Level Committees. The Senior Technical Officer of the Department is a member of these committees.

To issue directions under Section 5 of the Environment (Protection) Act-1986, to the respective electricity supplying agency and the water supplying agency for stopping the supply of the utility to the units not complying with the various provisions of the environmental and pollution control laws / rules / notification.

The Department is respondent in various public interest litigation cases in the High Court and Supreme Court of India and it responds by way of filing suitable affidavits and by the presence of the officials during the hearing process in the courts. The Department ensures compliance of the directions of the courts from time to time.

The Department is implementing the Notification on "Use of fly-ash, bottom-ash or pond-ash generated by the coal/ lignite based thermal power plants", in the Gujarat State.

The Department is also implementing the "Ozone depleting substances (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000" notification mainly through the Gujarat Pollution Control Board and the Small Industries Service Institute.