One-third of India’s coasts under erosion threats; Gujarat tops

Gujarat has the longest coastline under threat of erosion, followed by Tamil Nadu and West Bengal.
One-third of India’s coastline is under the threat of erosion
One-third of India’s coastline is under the threat of erosion Photo | Express
Updated on
2 min read

NEW DELHI: Over one-third of India’s coastline has been under the threat of erosion in the past three decades. Gujarat has the longest coastline under threat of erosion, followed by Tamil Nadu and West Bengal.

The National Centre for Coastal Research (NCCR) monitored India's coastal areas from 1990 to 2018 through multi-spectral satellite images and ground surveys.

The Centre has observed that 33.6% of the Indian coastline was vulnerable to erosion, 26.9% was under accretion (growing), and 39.6% was stable.

This long-term shoreline analysis indicates that Gujarat’s coast is 537.5 Km (28%), followed by Tamil Nadu’s 422.94 km (42.7%), West Bengal's 323.07 km (60.5%), Andhra Pradesh's 294.89 km(28.7) and Kerala 275.33 km (46.4) are eroding.

The Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) has estimated the vulnerability of the Indian coastline based on seven coastal parameters: shoreline change rate, sea-level change rate, coastal elevation, coastal slope, coastal geomorphology, significant wave height, and tidal range.

In its written reply in the parliament, Kirti Vardhan Singh, Union Minister of State for Environment, Forest, and Climate Change, said India's one-third of the coast of its coastline is vulnerable to erosion has been impacting coastal communities residing in erosion-prone areas, including fishermen communities.

“The government of India has taken various measures to mitigate coastal erosion, which includes issuing of Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) notification to regulate in and around developmental activities and promote sustainable development based on scientific principles taking into account the dangers of natural hazards, sea level rise due to global warming,” said Singh.

As per CRZ Notification 2019, measures for erosion control are permissible activities in CRZ areas.

Under the 15th Finance Commission, the government had earmarked Rs 2500 crore for the resettlement of displaced people affected by erosion and mitigation measures to prevent river and coastal erosion.

The government has taken steps to protect coastal areas from erosion, such as planting mangroves and shelterbelts and installing Geo-Tubes.

Related Stories

No stories found.

X
The New Indian Express
www.newindianexpress.com