Lok Sabha Question No. 239 (STARRED), answered on 2025-03-17
Subject: Mangrove Loss and Coastal Erosion
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Shri Captain Brijesh Chowta

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

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 239

TO BE ANSWERED ON 17.03.2025

## Mangrove Loss and Coastal erosion

## 239*.   SHRI CAPTAIN BRIJESH CHOWTA:

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

- (a) whether the Government has identified mangrove loss as an environmental risk for Karnataka's coastal districts;
- (b) if so, the details of mangrove afforestation programmes funded in Dakshina Kannada;
- (c) whether any special funds have been allocated in the Budget 2025 for prevention of coastal flooding and erosion in the country, if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether the Government has set up a Task Force for tackling coastal erosion and harnessing climate resilience in Karnataka's coastal belt; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI BHUPENDER YADAV)

- (a) to (e): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

***

STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARA (a) to (e) OF THE LOK SABHA STARRED  QUESTION  No.  239  DUE  FOR  REPLY  ON  17.03.2025  REGARDING 'MANGROVE  LOSS  AND  COASTAL  EROSION'  RAISED  BY  SHRI  CAPTAIN BRIJESH CHOWTA, HON'BLE MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT

## (a) to (c)

Mangroves are bio-shield for natural coastal hazards especially against cyclones. They provide significant  environmental  benefits  to  the  coastal  ecosystem  and  communities.  Mangroves  are vital  ecosystems  that  provide  numerous  benefits,  including  shoreline  protection,  habitat  for biodiversity, supporting a wide range of plant and animal species, improving water quality and are highly efficient at sequestering carbon dioxide.

Ministry  of  Environment  Forest  &  Climate  Change  (MoEFCC)  has  notified  The  Coastal Regulation  Zone  (CRZ)  Notification,  2019,  under  Environment  (Protection)  Act  1986,  which specifies  Mangroves  as  Ecologically  Sensitive  Area  (ESA).  The  notification  has  provisions  to ensure conservation and management of such ESA.

Forest Survey of India, an organization mandated with forest survey under MoEFCC publishes 'India State of Forest Report' (ISFR) biennially. The mangrove cover in the State of Karnataka, as per ISFR-2023 report is 14.20 sq.km showing an increase of 2.54 sq.km with respect to the previous assessment (ISFR-2021). The increase observed are 0.66 sq.km, 0.21 sq.km and 1.67 sq. km in Dakshin Kannada, Uttar Kannada and Udipi districts of Karnataka respectively.

MoEFCC  under  National  Coastal  Mission  scheme  has  provided  financial  assistance  of  Rs. 109.01  lakhs  to  the  State  of  Karnataka  during  Financial  years  2021-22  to  2022-23.  Two mangroves  sites  namely  Karwar  and  Honnavar  in  Uttar  Kanadda  were  provided  financial assistance  of  Rs.  38.81  Lakhs  and  Rs.  24.56  Lakhs  respectively  during  FY  2021-22  and  FY 2022-23, Kundapur mangrove area in Udupi District was provided an amount of Rs. 35.05 Lakhs in  FY  2021-22  and  Mangalore  mangroves  area  in  Dakshin  Kannada  was  provided  Rs.  10.59 Lakhs in FY 2021-22 and FY 2022-23. As per the information provided by the Ministry of Jal Shakti, a budget of Rs. 450 Crore has been proposed in the Budget FY 2025-26, under the Flood Management  and  Border  Areas  Programme  (FMBAP)  scheme  which  deals  with  providing central assistance to the State Governments for taking up critical works related to flood control, anti-erosion, drainage development and anti-sea erosion, etc.

## (d) to (e)

Coastal Protection and Development Advisory Committee (CPDAC) under the Chairmanship of Member (River Management Wing), Central Water Commission (CWC), Ministry of Jal Shakti, have been constituted  to  guide  and  implement  the  programme  of  anti-sea  erosion  works  &  to consider  the  development  potential  in  the  protected  coastal  zone.  The  secretariat  of  the committee  is  Coastal  Management  Directorate  within  CWC.    The  committee  is  a  high-level inter-ministerial body comprising coastal engineering experts and representatives from Maritime States/Union  Territories  and  relevant  Central  Departments  to  provide  common  platform  to discuss and solve the coastal erosion problems.

National  Disaster  Management  Authority,  under  Ministry  of  Home  Affairs  has  created  a Committee on Disaster Risk Reduction (CoDRR) on Coastal Hazard Mitigation. This committee includes all relevant stakeholders concerning all coastal hazards and 9 (nine) Coastal States and 4 (four) UTs to discuss problems and risk at coastal areas and possible mitigation measures and issues that might arise for implementing any such programmes at the State Level.