Lok Sabha Question No. 3942 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-12-23
Subject: Rising Sea Level
Ministry: EARTH SCIENCES
Asked by: SHIVKUMAR CHANABASAPPA UDASI

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EARTH SCIENCES LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.  3942

## TO BE ANSWERED ON WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2015

## Rising Sea Level

## 3942.   SHRI SHIVKUMAR UDASI:

Will the Minister of EARTH SCIENCES be pleased to state:

- (a) whether sea level is rising owing to global warming and posing a threat to the coastal villages of the country and if so, the details thereof and the reaction of the Government thereto;
- (b) whether  there  is  unauthorized  development  projects  in  coastal  areas  and decrease of green belt as a result thereof;
- (c) if so, whether the Government has conducted any study in this regard and if so, the outcome thereof; and
- (d) the other steps taken/being taken by the Government to address the problem? ANSWER

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

## MINISTRY OF EARTH SCIENCES

## (SHRI Y. S. CHOWDARY)

- (a) Yes  Madam.  Sea  level  rise  is  a  very  slow  phenomenon  and  is  manifested globally  with  pockets  of  sea  level  rise/fall  trends.  Recently  released  Fifth Assessment  Report  (AR5)  of  Intergovernmental  Panel  on  Climate  Change (IPCC) suggests that global mean sea level has risen by 0.19m over the period 1901-2010.  Further,  the  fifth  assessment  report  of  IPCC  reported  that  the mean rate of global averaged sea level rise was 1.7mm/year between 1901 and 2010 within which accelerated rate of 3.2mm/year was noticed between 1993 and 2010. Recent studies by Indian Scientists reveal that the trends of sea level rise is estimated to be 1.3mm/year   along the Indian coasts during the  last  40-50  years.  Some  parts  of  the  Indian  coastline  have  been  facing coastal  erosion  and  river  mouths  are  experiencing  deltaic  subsidence. However, it has not been established that these manifestations are only due to rise in sea level.
- (b) The Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) had developed an Integrated Coastal  Zone  Management  (ICZM)  Plan  for  implementation  in  India  with  a view to ensure livelihood security to the fisher communities and other local communities,  living  in  the  coastal  areas,  to  conserve  and  protect  coastal stretches,  its  unique  environment  and  its  marine  area  and  to  promote development through sustainable manner based on scientific principles taking into  account  the  dangers  of  natural  hazards  in  the  coastal  areas,  sea  level rise due to global warming. This helps in declaring the coastal stretches of the country and the water area upto its territorial water limit, excluding the islands  of  Andaman  and  Nicobar  and  Lakshadweep  and  the  marine  areas surrounding  these  islands  up  to  its  territorial  limit.  Appropriate  protection measures  arising  out of the coastal erosion are addressed  jointly by respective  state  governments  and  the  Coastal  Protection  and  Development Advisory Committee (CPDAC) of the Central Water Commission.
- (c) Yes, Madam.  Several studies have been carried out using geospatial techniques along with ground truth survey all along the east coast of India. The  Multi-resolution  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.   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 Nagapattinam have been completed in association with Industry Partners.
- (d) The 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  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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