The National Centre for Coastal Research (NCCR), an attached office of the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) has studied the shoreline changes along Indian coast using satellite and field surveyed data and mapped the 6907.18 km long shoreline, covering the entire Indian mainland coast. The study counts more than a dozen reasons for the shoreline changes, by categorizing them as natural and anthropogenic causes. It is identified that, actions due to storm surges to sea level rise as natural causes and construction of structures at the coasts like harbours, beach mining and building of dams on rivers are the main anthropogenic causes for shoreline changes.

Based on scientific methodology, National Centre for Coastal Research (NCCR), has already undertaken an assessment of coastal erosion and identified coastal areas subjected to sea erosion for the time frame 1990-2018 using remote sensing and field surveyed data. The study reveals that 34% of the Indian coastline was vulnerable to erosion.

In addition, under the shoreline mapping system, 526 maps were prepared for theentire Indian mainland coast for identifying vulnerable areas to coastal erosion in 1:25000 scale, along with 69 district maps, and 9 State and 2 UT maps. A report on "National Assessment of Shoreline Changes along Indian Coast" was released in July 2018 and the report was shared with various Central and State Government agencies and stakeholders for implementing shoreline protection measures. An updated version of Atlas, along with a digital version of the report, containing all the maps, was released on 25^th March 2022.

NCCR had successfully demonstrated the innovative coastal erosion mitigation measures at Puducherry and Chellanam coast in Kerala, which helped in restoration and protection of coastal areas of lost beach at Puducherry and flooding at Chellanam, a fishing village. NCCR is also providing technical support to Govt of Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Kerala in monitoring of coastline, design of coastal protection measures at vulnerable stretches and preparation of Shoreline Management Plan.  The implementation of coastal/ beach restoration measures are undertaken by the respective maritime States and UTs. as per their own priority. 

This information was given by Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, Dr. Jitendra Singh in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.

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NKR/KS

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