Lok Sabha Question No. 3172 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-12-06
Subject: Rise in Sea Level
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Gautham Sigamani Pon

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 3172

TO BE ANSWERED ON 06.12.2019

## Rise in Sea Level

## 3172.   SHRI GAUTAM SIGAMAANI PON:

Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE  be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  rising  sea  level is a  serious concern  especially  for  the  coastal inhabitants, if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor;
- (b) whether the Government has conducted any study/assessed the impact due to rising sea levels on various coastal towns in the country, if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether  the  Government  has  taken  any  steps  to  protect  coastal  inhabitants  from rising sea level by relocating the worst affected people and prevention of seashore erosion, if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether the Government is providing any financial assistance to  coastal  States to construct sea walls and other remedies to protect the coastal areas; and
- (e) if so, the details of such assistances given to various States/UTs during the last five years; year-wise and State/UT wise?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER  OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI BABUL SUPRIYO)

- (a) to (c) With the objective of assessment of impact of climate change on the coastal areas of the country, the National Centre for Coastal Research (NCCR), Ministry of Earth Sciences is carrying out work on developing a decision support system for climate change impact assessment on geographical areas and socio economic impact in the coastal areas.

A  national  strategy  for  coastal  protection  along  with guidelines  for  coastal protection measures have been framed for all Coastal States and Union territories by the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change. The Ministry under the Integrated  Coastal  Zone  Management  Project  (ICZMP)  have  demarcated  the hazard  line  along  the  entire  coastal  belt  of  the  country,  including  the  inter-tidal areas. The hazard line is indicative of the shoreline changes, including the sea level rise due to climate change and is a projection of impact due to sea level rise, and shoreline  changes  over  a  long  period  of  time  viz.  over  100  years.  This  line  is required to be used by the Coastal State agencies concerned as a tool for Disaster Management  for  the  coastal  environment,  including  planning  of  adaptive  and mitigation measures.

- (d) to (e)  The Ministry under the ICZMP prepared shoreline management plans for five (05) identified  coastal  stretches  in  Gujarat,  Odisha  and  West  Bengal.  To  protect  the coastal areas from erosion, initiatives such as mangrove plantation of about 16000 ha, shelter-belt plantation of 1900 ha and installation of Geo-Tubes in 500 m have been taken up as representative activities.

The expenditure incurred in last five years for above noted activities is as follows:

## (Rs. in Cr.)

| State       |   2014-15 |   2015-16 |   2016-17 | 2017-18   | 2018-19   |
|-------------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|
| Gujarat     |      7.99 |      0.15 |      0.16 | 0.40      | 0.41      |
| Odisha      |      7.52 |     12.52 |     16.57 | 0.87      | 0.05      |
| West Bengal |      0.3  |      0.48 |      0.82 | --        | --        |

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