(a) whether the Government is aware that the coastline of Odisha is under threat of erosion;
(b) if so, the details thereof and the steps taken by the Union Government to protect the coastline of Odisha from erosion; and
(c) the budget provisions allocated for the purpose in the financial year 2018-19?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
(DR. MAHESH SHARMA)
(a) to (c) As per the study carried out by the Directorate of Coastal Erosion, Ministry of Water Resources and the National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management, Chennai in association with the Institute of Ocean Management, Anna University, the coastline of Odisha is experiencing shoreline changes. Out of the 436 km of coastline of Odisha, about 200 Km shoreline is facing high to medium erosion.
In order to conserve and protect the coastal areas, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change is implementing the Integrated Coastal Zone Management Project (ICZMP) in selected coastal stretches in Odisha, Gujarat and West Bengal. To protect the coastal area from soil erosion several initiatives have been taken up under the ICZMP such as mangroves plantation, setting up of Geo-tubes embankment at Pentha village in Odisha.
The budget allocated for coastal erosion project in Odisha under the ICZMP is Rs 38 crores.
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