Officials said they were not in a position to formulate a policy for the chemical hub project as they are yet to receive any formal proposal. "It is too early for us to formulate a policy as a formal proposal on the chemical hub project is yet to be submitted by those who will set up the hub," said state environment secretary M L Meena, who is also the chairman of CZMA.

CZMA was constituted in 1998 under the coastal regulation zone notification, 1991. However, according to NGOs like Direct Initiative of Social and Health Action (DISHA), the authority is yet to come up with a comprehensive coastal zone management plan. "According to information we have gathered from the environment department, there is no coastal zone management plan for West Bengal till date, although it was mandatory for the state government to draw up such a plan within a year of the coastal regulation zone notification 1991," said DISHA general secretary Sasanka Dev.