(a) whether the Government has conducted any studies on the rise of sea level and increasing tidal waves on the Kerala coast over the years and if so, the details thereof;
(b) if not, whether the Government would consider the same in future;
(c) whether the Government intends to provide financial assistance to State Governments to tackle the issue of sea erosion; and
(d) if so, the details thereof?
THE MINISTER FOR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
AND EARTH SCIENCES
(DR. HARSH VARDHAN)
(a) No, Sir. While Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS), an Autonomous body under Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) has not taken up any studies/projects to specifically study the rise in sea level and increasing tidal waves along the coast of Kerala, INCOIS has carried out vulnerability assessments along the Indian coast including Kerala by using sea level change and shoreline change input parameters among many other parameters. The sea levels are found to be changing at different rates along the Indian coast as per the studies carried out at INCOIS. The long term data on monthly mean sea levels obtained from the sea level gauges installed at the major ports were used to carry out the analysis. The rate of change of sea level at 10 major ports including Kochi Port of Kerala was estimated. The sea-level change rate recorded for the Kochi port is 1.30 mm/year based on the monthly sea-level data of period 1939-2005.
(b) Yes sir. INCOIS has initiated efforts to generate Ocean climate change advisory services to assess the possible changes in sea level, coastal erosion, increasing intensity of cyclone, wind waves, storm surges and change in the marine water quality parameters at seasonal to decadal timescale covering the entire coastline of India.
(c) No, Sir. Ministry of Earth Sciences can provide technical assistance to State Governments to tackle the issue of sea erosion.
(d) Does not arise.