Lok Sabha Question No. 26 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-02-03
Subject: Coastal Erosion
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Dr. Hemant Vishnu Savara

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 26 TO BE ANSWERED ON 03.02.2025

## Coastal Erosion

## 26. DR. HEMANT VISHNU SAVARA

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

- (a) whether the Government has identified the coastal areas which are facing serious erosion problems;
- (b) if so, the details thereof, Coastal line and State-wise;
- (c) the action plan drawn up to repair the damage caused by the coastal erosion; and
- (d) the steps taken/proposed to be taken by the Government to mitigate coastal erosion in the country  including  Palghar  district  in  Maharashtra  and  whether  there  are  any  plans  for constructing protective infrastructure, if so, the details in this regard?

## ANSWER

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

## (a) & (b)

Coastal erosion is one of the impacts of sea level rise along the Indian coastline. National Centre for  Coastal  Research,  (NCCR),  an  attached  office  of  Ministry  of  Earth  Sciences  (MoES),  has monitored  the  shoreline  changes  for  the  entire  Indian  coastline  using  multi-spectral  satellite images along with field-surveyed data for the period 1990-2018. As per NCCR study, it has been observed that 33.6% of the Indian coastline is under erosion, 26.8% is under accretion (growing) and 39.6% is in a stable state.

The state-wise shoreline change details are given below:

| Sl No   |             | Coast   | Coast length (in Km)   | Coast length (in Km)   | Coast length (in Km)   | Coast length (in Km)   | Coast length (in Km)   | Coast length (in Km)   |
|---------|-------------|---------|------------------------|------------------------|------------------------|------------------------|------------------------|------------------------|
|         | State       | Length  | Erosion                | Erosion                | Stable                 | Stable                 | Accretion              | Accretion              |
|         |             | (in km) | Km                     | %                      | Km                     | %                      | Km                     | %                      |
| 1       | Gujarat     | 1945.6  | 537.5                  | 28                     | 1030.9                 | 53                     | 377.2                  | 19                     |
| Coast 2 | Daman &Diu  | 31.83   | 11.02                  | 35                     | 17.09                  | 53.7                   | 3.72                   | 11.7                   |
| 3       | Maharashtra | 739.57  | 188.26                 | 25.5                   | 477.69                 | 64.6                   | 73.62                  | 10                     |
| 4       | Goa         | 139.64  | 26.82                  | 19.2                   | 93.72                  | 67.1                   | 19.1                   | 13.7                   |
| West 5  | Karnataka   | 313.02  | 74.34                  | 23.7                   | 156.78                 | 50.1                   | 81.9                   | 26.2                   |
| 6       | Kerala      | 592.96  | 275.33                 | 46.4                   | 182.64                 | 30.8                   | 134.99                 | 22.8                   |

| Sl No       |                | Coast   | Coast length (in Km)   | Coast length (in Km)   | Coast length (in Km)   | Coast length (in Km)   | Coast length (in Km)   | Coast length (in Km)   |
|-------------|----------------|---------|------------------------|------------------------|------------------------|------------------------|------------------------|------------------------|
| Sl No       | State          | Length  | Erosion                | Erosion                | Stable                 | Stable                 | Accretion              | Accretion              |
| Sl No       |                | (in km) | Km                     | %                      | Km                     | %                      | Km                     | %                      |
| 7 8 9 10 11 | Tamil Nadu     | 991.47  | 422.94                 | 42.7                   | 332.69                 | 33.6                   | 235.85                 | 23.8                   |
| Coast       | Puducherry     | 41.66   | 23.42                  | 56.2                   | 13.82                  | 33.2                   | 4.42                   | 10.6                   |
|             | Andhra Pradesh | 1027.58 | 294.89                 | 28.7                   | 223.36                 | 21.7                   | 509.33                 | 49.6                   |
|             | Odisha         | 549.5   | 140.72                 | 25.6                   | 128.77                 | 23.4                   | 280.02                 | 51                     |
| East        | West Bengal    | 534.35  | 323.07                 | 60.5                   | 76.4                   | 14.3                   | 134.88                 | 25.2                   |
| Total       | Total          | 6907.18 | 2318.31                | 2318.31                | 2733.86                | 2733.86                | 1855.03                | 1855.03                |
|             |                |         | 33.6%                  | 33.6%                  | 39.6%                  | 39.6%                  | 26.8%                  | 26.8%                  |

(c) & (d)

Government of India has taken various measures to mitigate coastal erosion, which includes:

(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.  The  Ministry  has  issued  directions  to  Coastal  States/UTs,  for  incorporation  of Shoreline  Management  Plan  in  CZMP.  National  Centre  for  Sustainable  Coastal  Management (NCSCM), an organization under MoEFCC and NCCR is providing technical support to coastal States  for  implementation  of  coastal  protection  measures  at  vulnerable  stretches  and  also involved in the preparation of Shoreline Management Plans. Further,  MoEFCC has delineated the hazard line for the entire coast of the country. The hazard 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  CZMP  of  the  coastal  States/Union  territories  are approved by the MoEFCC.

(iii)  Coastal  Protection  Projects  are  planned  &  executed  by  respective  Maritime  States/  UTs. Central Government's role is largely advisory, technical support and catalytic in nature. These projects are generally funded by States/ UTs from their own fund or from multilateral funding or through  Central  Assistance.  In  some  cases,  Government  of  India  has  facilitated  multilateral funding  to  States/  UTs  in  tackling  the  coastal  erosion.  The  total  expenditure  incurred  by  10 Maritime States/ UTs for protection of coastal erosion in coastline length of 227.965 Km in last 10 years is Rs 2641.39 Cr and the total project cost of proposed or on-going protection work in 10 States / UTs in next 5 years for the coastline length of 298.714 Km is Rs 7218.63 Cr.

(iv)  Maharashtra  Maritime  Board  (MMB)  is  the  main  agency  associated  with  the  works  of coastal management in Maharashtra. The coastal protection structures are planned & implemented by MMB either through State's fund or through multilateral funding. The measures of erosion control in coastal areas are formulated and implemented by State of Maharashtra as per their priority. Maharashtra was one of the States under Sustainable Coastal Protection and

Management  Investment  Programme  (SCP&MIP)  which  has  implemented  schemes  with financial support from Asian Development Bank (ADB). SCP&MIP aims to address immediate coastal  protection  needs  using  environmentally  and  socially  appropriate  solutions,  focusing  on softer  options  such  as  artificial  reefs,  beach  nourishments,  and  dune  management.  These strategies  not  only  protect  the  coastline  from  erosion  but  also  enhance  income-generating opportunities for coastal communities in Maharashtra.

(v) As per information provided by Central Water Commission, Government of Maharashtra has carried out coastal protection work at 15 sites in Palghar for cumulative coastline length of 4.792 Km with project cost of Rs. 54.21 Crores in the last 10 years including protection at 12 sites in Palghar for coastline length of 2.393 Km with estimated project cost of Rs. 36.58 Crores.

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