The Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Notification 1991 is the most significant and specialized legislation guiding developmental activities along the coast and in islands. Since its inception, it has been amended 20 times, each time diluting its provisions further. In an unwarranted move, the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) proposed to replace the CRZ Notification with a Coastal Management Zone (CMZ) Notification based on recommendations of the Swaminathan Committee Report. Many doubts and concerns are raised because of this move. The critical ones being: the impact on coastal communities and ecosystems, conservation and sustainable development, and a complete lack of democratic processes in its making. This paper provides a background and context for the CRZ Notification 1991, what went wrong with the Notification, the reasons for it, the status of the CMZ Notification and its impacts and a few of the regulations in CMZ Notification that are diluted for purely the benefit of the tourism development industry. The paper also brings to light how these Notifications have become an instrument to execute developmental activities rather than protect the highly pressurised coastal ecosystems. Publisher: Equitable Tourism Options (EQUATIONS) Contact: [email protected], +91.80.25457607 Visit: www.equitabletourism.org, www.equitabletourism.org/stage/readfull.php?AID=404