(a) whether the Government has conducted any study into the increasing phenomenon of coastal erosion, caused by rising sea levels, attributed mostly to climate change;
(b) if so, the details thereof; and
(c) the measures being taken/proposed to be taken by the Government to protect the coastal erosion and the environment?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
(SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)
(a) and (b)Shoreline change including erosion and sea level rise are slow phenomena and manifested globally.As per Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS), on an average, the sea level along the Indian coast is considered to be rising at about 1.7 mm/year. The Ministry of Earth Sciences monitors the shoreline changes along the Indian coast on an annual basis. Studies indicate various patterns namely, advancement of the sea landwards (erosion), advancement of the land towards sea (accretion) and stable shoreline respectively. Such shoreline changes have been observed for Southern Indian Coastal States, which have impacted the local habitations.
(c) The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) issued a Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Notification in January, 2019. The coastal States/UTs are required to revise/update theirCoastal Zone Management Plans prepared as per CRZ Notification, 2011 to align it with CRZ Notification, 2019, as per guidelines issued by this Ministry on 26.06.2019. The CRZ Notification 2019 has laid due emphasis on management and conservation of marine and coastal ecosystems, development in coastal areas, eco-tourism, livelihood options and sustainable development of coastal communities etc.
Under the MoEFCC, a Society of Integrated Coastal Management (SICOM) has been set up to implement the Integrated Coastal Zone Management Project in identified coastal stretches of the Gulf of Kachchh in Gujarat; Gopalpur-Chilika and Dhamra-Paradeep in Odisha; and Digha-Shankarpur andSagar Island in West Bengal for protecting and conserving coastal and marine environmentand sustainable development of these areas.
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