Lok Sabha Question No. 586 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-02-06
Subject: Steps to prevent Erosion in Coastal Areas
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: S. Ramalingam, Dulal Chandra Goswami

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 586 TO BE ANSWERED ON 06.02.2023

## Steps to prevent Erosion in Coastal Areas

## 586. SHRI RAMALINGAM S.: SHRI DULAL CHANDRA GOSWAMI:

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

- (a) whether  the  Union  Government  has  taken  any  steps  to  prevent  erosion  on  low  lying habitations on Mayiladuthurai and Nagapattinam districts and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether  the  Union  Government  has  taken  any  steps  to  make  National  Coastal  Zone Management Authority (NCZMA) as a permanent body and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (c) whether the Government is planning to develop a special forest area in the coastal areas of the country to prevent erosion due to floods;
- (d) if  so,  whether there is any plan for developing forest areas to prevent erosion in Katihar, Purnia and Kishanganj in Bihar; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## (SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

(a): The  subject  of  coastal  protection  falls  within  the  purview  of  States.  Accordingly,  the measures  of  erosion  control  in  coastal  areas  are  formulated  and  implemented  by  concerned maritime States and UTs as per their priority. The Union Government supplements the efforts of States/UTs through technical assistance, regulatory measures as well as through financial support from schemes such as National Coastal Mission for mangrove plantation. Key measures taken by the Government are as follows:

- (i) Under  the  Integrated  Coastal  Zone  Management  (ICZM)  project  of  the  Ministry  of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, the Erosion line projected to the next 100 years based on the annual rate of erosion computed from high resolution aerial photographs and satellite  images  has  been  delineated  over  the  entire  coast  line  covering  the  mainland coastal states/UTs, by the National Centre for Sustainable Coastal  Management (NCSCM), Chennai in co-ordination with the Survey of India (SoI), as part of Hazard line mapping carried out by the SoI.
- (ii) The  Ministry  of  Environment,  Forest  and  Climate  Change  (MoEFCC)  has  notified Coastal Regulation Zone Notification, 2019 with a view to conserve and protect coastal stretches,  marine  areas  and  to  ensure  livelihood  security  to  the  fisher  and  other  local

communities.  The  coastal  regulations  however  permit  setting  up  of  erosion  control measures in the coast. The notification also provides for No Development Zones (NDZ) along various categories of coastal areas to protect India's coastline from encroachment, erosion and accretion.

- (iii) A national strategy for coastal protection along with guidelines has been framed for all Coastal States and Union Territories by MoEFCC.
- (iv) The  Flood  Management  scheme  of  Ministry  of  Jal  Shakti,  including  anti-sea  erosion schemes, are planned and executed by the State Governments with their own resources as per priorities of States. Union Government renders assistance to states which is technical, advisory, catalytic and promotional in nature.
- (v) Considering  the  importance  of  collection  of  data  on  coastal  processes  towards  coastal protection  measures,  a  new  component  'Coastal  Management  Information  System (CMIS)'  was  initiated  under  the  Central  Sector  Plan  Scheme  'Development  of  Water Resources Information System'. CMIS is a data collection activity carried out to collect near  shore  coastal  data  which  can  be  used  in  planning,  design,  construction  and maintenance of site specific coastal protection structures at vulnerable Coastal stretches. Establishment of three sites each in the State of Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry has been completed.

(b): MoEFCC constituted the National Coastal Zone Management Authority (NCZMA) on 26 th November,  1998  under  Section  3  of  the  Environment  (Protection)  Act,  1986.  There  are  25 members  in  NCZMA,  out  of  which  24  are ex-officio members  and  one  non-official  expert member which makes NCZMA as de-facto permanent and continuing authority.

(c)  to  (e):  Union  Government  is  implementing  several  schemes  for  increasing  forest  and  tree cover in the country, including mangroves in coastal areas, to prevent erosion. The scheme for 'Conservation and Management of Mangroves and Coral Reefs' is being implemented on a 60:40 fund sharing basis between the Center and the States. There are other schemes/programmes such as Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA), National Afforestation Programme etc., that support afforestation activities across the country, including districts in Bihar. Besides, States/UTs have their own conservation and afforestation programmes, including for mangroves.

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