Lok Sabha Question No. 1657 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-12-09
Subject: Coastal Protection
Ministry: EARTH SCIENCES
Asked by: M. CHANDRAKASI

## MINISTRY OF EARTH SCIENCES

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION No.  1657

## TO BE ANSWERED ON WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 09, 2015

## Coastal Protection

## 1657.    SHRI M. CHANDRAKASI:

Will the Minister of EARTH SCIENCES be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Government  completed  its  shoreline  mapping  programme  for  the coastal  region  of  the  country  and  if  so,  the  details  thereof  with  particular reference to Tamil Nadu coast;
- (b) the details regarding vulnerable regions in the Tamil Nadu coast for sea erosion during high tide period;
- (c) whether any research activity has been undertaken by the Ministry to find out and develop effective means to check sea erosion and if so, the details thereof; and;
- (d) the manner in which the Government furnishes and shares information and data regarding shoreline and seabed with the concerned State / District authorities for better coordination and common benefit?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND MINISTRY OF EARTH SCIENCES

(SHRI Y. S. CHOWDARY)

- (a & b)  Yes. Madam. As a part of shoreline mapping program, the shoreline changes of the  entire  east  coast  of  India  covering  a  distance  of  2961  km  starting  from Kanyakumari to Sundarbans delta has been analyzed to study the long term and inter annual shoreline change rate. A total of 244 shoreline change maps of the entire  east  coast  of  India  have  been  prepared  on  1:25,000  scale.  Overall shoreline  change  statistics  of  east  coast  reveals  that  39%  of  coastline  falls under  erosion  category,  20%  in  stable  condition  and  41%  shows  accretion pattern.  As  far  as  the  state  wise  statistics  are  concerned,  the  maximum percentage of erosion is occurred in West Bengal (66%) followed by Tamil Nadu (43%)  whereas;  maximum  percentage  of  accretion  is  found  in  Odisha  coast (60%). In each state, the key erosion spots have been identified and currently studying causes of erosion particularly in such areas. Besides, a wide range of coastal vulnerability maps on different spatial scales are being generated for the entire coast of India by various agencies primarily for use in the forewarning of various  ocean  hazards  viz.,  Tsunami,  Cyclones  and  Storm  Surges.  An  atlas  on Coastal Vulnerability Index (CVI) on 1:1,00,000 scale has been prepared for the entire  Indian  coast.  On  a  pilot  scale,  3-Dimensional  Geographical  Information System (3D GIS) maps  for the coastal stretch between Cuddalore and Nagapattinum have been completed in association with Industry Partners.
- (c) Yes, Madam. These studies have been carried out using geospatial techniques along  with  ground  truth  survey  all  along  the  east  coast  of  India.  The  Multiresolution  remote  sensing  satellite  data  of  different  dates  were  used  for shoreline change rate. In most cases, the erosion is mainly due to anthropogenic activities such as construction of ports, breakwaters, groins etc. In some cases extreme events like cyclones, storm surges, river sediment/water discharge etc. cause shoreline erosion.   The CVI has been generated using basic information on seven risk variables, viz. shoreline change rate, sea-level change rate, coastal slope, mean significant wave height, mean tidal range, coastal regional elevation and coastal geomorphology. Most of the above parameters are dynamic in nature and  require  a  large  amount  of  data  from  different  sources  to  be  acquired, analyzed and processed, with an inbuilt updating mechanism.
- (d) The  shoreline  maps  are  provided  by  MoES  to  the  coastal  state  governments  / coastal  administrators  for  utilisation  towards  saving  lives  and  property  during disasters including conducting periodical training programs to coastal administrators.  The  Ministry  of  Environment  and  Forest  (MoEF)  is  using  these maps for integrated coastal zone management activities. A National Centre for Sustainable  Coastal  Management  (NCSCM)  has  been  established  by  MoEF  in Chennai  to  regional  centres  in  each  of  the  coastal  States/Union  territories  to promote research and development in the area of coastal management including demarcation of hazard line for mapping the entire coastline of mainland India.

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