33% Indian coastline vulnerable to erosion, says study

Karam Prakash

New Delhi, April 7

Amid concerns over climate change-induced coastal erosion in the world, a study has revealed that most of the Indian beaches have already eroded a great deal over the past three decades.

Findings over three decades

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• The longitudinal study was conducted between 1990 and 2018
• Famous beaches, including Juhu Beach in Maharashtra, Shivrajur in Gujarat and Kovalam in Kerala, have recorded erosion of thousands of square metres

As per the longitudinal study conducted between 1990 and 2018, famous beaches, including Juhu Beach in Maharashtra, Shivrajur in Gujarat and Kovalam in Kerala, have recorded erosion of thousands of square metres.

“The study reveals that shoreline changes are the combined effect of natural and man-made events. The receding coastline will cause loss of habitat and livelihood of fishermen,” said the Ministry of Environment in the Rajya Sabha citing the study.

Minister of State (MoS) for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Ashwini Kumar said, “It is observed that 33.6 per cent of the Indian coastline is vulnerable to erosion, 26.9 per cent is under accretion (growing) and 39.6 per cent is in a stable state.” “Some stretches of India’s shoreline are subject to varying degrees of erosion due to natural causes or anthropogenic activities,” added the MoS.

Five of the total eight beaches in Gujarat and 21 out of the 32 in Maharashtra have already eroded. Similarly, in Goa, 44 per cent of the beaches around the coastline have disappeared, reveals government data, gathered on the basis of the study, tabled in the Rajya Sabha. In Kerala, 13 out of the total 16 beaches have recorded erosion.

As to the study, the ministry explained that the National Centre for Coastal Research, an attached office of the Ministry of Earth Sciences, had monitored the shoreline changes for the entire Indian coastline using multispectral satellite images along with field-surveyed data from 1990 to 2018.