Lok Sabha Question No. 1057 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-07-29
Subject: Coastal Erosion
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Shri Ve Vaithilingam

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1057

TO BE ANSWERED ON 29.07.2024

## Coastal Erosion

## 1057.  SHRI VE VAITHILINGAM:

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

- (a) whether the Government studied the effect of sea erosion along the coastal area in Southern States;
- (b) the extent of damages caused to the fishing community due to sea erosion; and
- (c) the action taken to mitigate the coastal erosion and compensate/rehabilitation of affected fishermen in the Southern States including Puducherry?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH)

(a) to (c)

Some  stretches  of  India's  shoreline  are  subject  to  varying  degrees  of  erosion  due  to  natural causes or anthropogenic activities. National Centre for Coastal Research, (NCCR), an attached office  of  the  Ministry  of  Earth  Sciences,  Government  of  India  has  monitored  the  shoreline changes for entire Indian coastline using multi-spectral satellite images along with field-surveyed data for the period 1990-2018. It is observed that 33.6% of the Indian coastline was vulnerable to erosion, 26.9% was under accretion (growing) and 39.6% was in stable state.

Under  the  shoreline  mapping  system  undertaken  by  NCCR,  526  maps  were  prepared  for  the entire Indian mainland coast for identifying vulnerable areas to coastal erosion in 1:25000 scale, along  with  69  district  maps,  and  9  States  and  2  Union  Territory  (UT)  maps.  A  report  on "National Assessment of Shoreline Changes along Indian Coast" was released in July 2018 and the report was shared with various Central and State Government agencies and stakeholders for implementing shoreline protection measures. An updated version of Atlas, along with a digital version of the report, containing all the maps, was released on 25 th March 2022.

The study by NCCR reveals that the shoreline changes are combined effect of natural and human activities  and  the  receding  coastline  will  cause  loss  of  land/habitat  and  the  livelihood  of fishermen in terms of losing the space for parking boats, mending nets and fishing operations.

Details of shoreline changes along the Coastal area in Southern States/UT are given below:

|   SI. No. | State/UT       |   Coast Length (km) |   Erosion (km) |   Erosion (%) |
|-----------|----------------|---------------------|----------------|---------------|
|         1 | Karnataka      |              313.02 |          74.34 |          23.7 |
|         2 | Kerala         |              592.96 |         275.33 |          46.4 |
|         3 | Tamil Nadu     |              991.47 |         422.94 |          42.7 |
|         4 | Puducherry     |               41.66 |          23.42 |          56.2 |
|         5 | Andhra Pradesh |             1027.58 |         294.89 |          28.7 |

Government  of  India  has  taken  various  measures  for  combating  coastal  erosion  and  for  the benefit of the coastal communities including fishermen, some of which are as follows:

- i. Ministry  of  Environment,  Forest  &  Climate  Change  (MoEFCC)  has  issued  CRZ Notifications  with  a  view  to  conserve  and  protect  the  unique  environment  of  coastal stretches  and  marine  areas,  besides  livelihood  security  to  the  fisher  communities  and other  local  communities  in  the  coastal  areas  and  to  promote  sustainable  development based on scientific principles taking into account the dangers of natural hazards, sea level rise due to global warming.
- ii. As per CRZ Notification, 2019, measures for control of erosion are permissible activity in CRZ areas. Further, Hon'ble NGT vide order dated 11/04/2022 in O.A. No. 04 of 2013 and  Appeal  No.  18  of  2017  has  directed  that  the  approved  CZMP  shall  contain  the parameters  as  listed  in  the  CRZ  2019  Notification  including  High,  Medium  and  Low erosion stretches for such erosion prone areas and Shoreline Management Plan shall be prepared for such erosion prone areas. Accordingly, the Ministry has issued directions to Coastal  States/UTs,  including  Puducherry,  for  incorporation  of  Shoreline  Management Plan in CZMP of 2019.
- iii. MoEFCC has delineated the hazard line for the entire coast of the country. The hazard line is indicative of the shoreline changes, including sea level rise due to climate change. This line is to be used by agencies in Coastal States as a tool for Disaster Management including planning of adaptive and mitigation measures. The hazard line features in the new Coastal Zone Management Plans of the coastal States/Union territories approved by the MoEFCC.
- iv. Coastal erosion mitigation measures have been taken up at Puducherry and Chellanamin Kerala, which helped in restoration and protection of coastal areas lost at Puducherry and flooding  at  Chellanam  Fishing  Village.  Technical  support  has  been  extended  to  the coastal  States  in  the  design  of  coastal  protection  measures  at  vulnerable  stretches  and preparation of Shoreline Management Plans.
- v. NCCR provides technical support to the coastal States in the design of coastal protection measures  at  vulnerable  stretches  of  the  respective  coasts  and  preparation  of  Shoreline Management Plan (SMP) for Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Puducherry and Kerala.
- vi. Government of Puducherry in collaboration with National Institute of Ocean Technology, MoES  implemented  Puducherry  Beach  Restoration  Project  using  a  Hybrid  Solution which is first of its kind in the country. The project resulted in restoration of about 1.5 kms of beach stretch in Puducherry town.
- vii. Government  of  Puducherry  has  taken  steps  to  implement  Coastal  Erosion  Control Measures in Pillaichavady village and has prepared the detailed design through NCCR, Chennai.
- viii. The  Department  of  Fisheries,  Ministry  of  Fisheries,  Animal  Husbandry  and  Dairying supports the Coastal State Governments and Union Territories for development of fishing harbours and fish landing centres for creation of need based shelter basins, safe landing and  berthing  facilities  and  land  based  facilities  for  smooth  conduct  of  fishers  and  fish relating activities at the identified locations. The fishing harbours and fish landing centres developed under the schemes, inter-alia, comprising of need based waterside and landside facilities  like  breakwaters,  training  walls  and  groynes  primarily  to  create  shelter  and tranquil basin for smooth operations of fishery activities, protect the lives and assets of fishermen during the rough weather and natural calamities.
- ix. The  Department  of  Fisheries,  Ministry  of  Fisheries,  Animal  Husbandry  and  Dairying with  effect  from  the  financial  year  2020-21  has  been  implementing  a  flagship  scheme Pradhan  Mantri  Matsya  Sampada  Yojana  (PMMSY)  with  an  investment  of  Rs  20,050 crore  for  holistic  development  of  fisheries  and  welfare  of  fishermen.  Development  of fisheries infrastructure in the form of fishing harbours and fish landing centres is one of the  thrust  areas  envisaged  and  being  supported  under  this  Scheme.  Such  fisheries infrastructure  projects  are  taken  up  on  cost  sharing  basis  between  the  Central  and  the concerned State Governments on 60:40 ratio and 100% central assistance  for UTs.
- x. Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India has issued Policy on 'Resettlement of displaced people affected by erosion under National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF)' to all States for necessary action at their end.
- xi. Coastal Protection Projects are Planned & Executed by respective Maritime States/ UTs. Coastal Protection Schemes are eligible for Central assistance under Flood Management &  Border Area Program (FMBAP)  of Department of Water Resources, River Development  & Ganga Rejuvenation. As per information received from Central Water Commission, Ministry of Jal Shakti, no projects have been received for funding under FMBAP from Southern States for mitigation of coastal erosion in these areas.
- xii. Asian  Development  Bank  assisted  Sustainable  Coastal  Protection  and  Management Investment Programme (SCPMIP) was implemented in Karnataka. Ministry of Jal Shakti (MOJS) initiated the National Coastal Protection Project to coordinate coastal protection activities  at  the  national  and  state  levels.  SCPMIP  aims  to  address  immediate  coastal protection  needs  and  coastal  instability  using  environmentally  and  socially  appropriate solutions, with a focus on softer options such as artificial reefs, beach nourishments, and dune management. The program also aims to protect the coastline from erosion which has an impact on income generation opportunities for coastal communities.

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