A third of India’s coastline underwent erosion in 28 years, Bengal worst affected

Source: Down to Earth

What is the news?

According to a recent technical report by the National Centre for Coastal Research (NCCR), between 1990 and 2018 nearly 32% of India’s coastline underwent sea erosion and 27% of it experienced expansion.

• NCCR carried out a national shoreline change assessment mapping for Indian coast using 28 years of satellite data from 1990 to 2018 along nine coastal states and two Union territories (UT) to provide information for coastal management strategy

Relevant facts:

• Erosion: 60% of the coastline underwent erosion during the period in West Bengal, followed by 56% in Puducherry.
• As many as 98 coastal pockets of the country have been facing sea erosion. Tamil Nadu has 26 coastal areas vulnerable to sea erosion, followed by West Bengal (16).
• Expansion: Odisha’s coast expanded by 51% followed by Andhra Pradesh, which expanded 48%

Significance:

The coastal erosion impacts coastal communities residing in the erosion prone areas, including fishermen communities.

Note: Planning and execution of anti-sea erosion measures are undertaken by the maritime states and UTs as per their own priority and from their own resources. The role of the Union government is technical and advisory.

Terms to know:

• The National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management
• NCCR