Chapter 11
Coastal Zone Management in India -
Problems, Practice and Requirements
s. Ramachandran
11.1
Introduction
Coastal environment plays a vital role in a nation's economy by virtue of their resources, productive habitats and rich biodiversity. India has a coastline of 7 516 km
of which the mainland accounts for 5422 km, Lakshadweep coast extends 132 km
and Andaman and Nicobar islands have a coastline of 1962 km. Nearly 250 million people live within a distance of 50 km from the coast. The coastal areas are
assuming greater importance in recent years, owing to increasing human population, urbanisation and accelerated developmental activities. The coastal region is
thus, a place of hectic human activity and the coastal ecosystems are now highly
disturbed and threatened tremendously. Current approaches to the management
of coastal resources were not capable of sustainable development and the coastal
environments and resources are rapidly degraded and eroded in India. In this
paper, the coastal environment, its resources, its problems and management initiatives and requirements for integrated coastal zone management in India are
discussed.
11.2
Indian Coastal Environment
The mainland coastline of India is remarkably unintended and generally emergent. The
Indian coastal zone comprises of
i. the east and west coasts of the mainland and
ii. three groups of islands, the Lakshadweep in the southern Arabian sea and the
Andaman and Nicobar island groups in the eastern Bay of Bengal.
The east and west coasts are markedly different in their geomorphology. The west
coast is generally exposed to heavy surf and rocky shores and headlands. The east coast
is generally shelving with beaches, lagoons, deltas and marshes. It is also situated relatively low with huge alluvial plains and de~tas. Furthermore, the coastal zone is also
endowed with a very wide range of coastal ecosystems like mangroves, coral reefs, sea
grasses, salt marshes, sand dunes, estuaries, lagoons, etc. which are characterized by
distinct biotic and abiotic properties and processes. The areas under major wetland
categories of the coast are given in Table 11.1.
Coastal Zone Management in India -
Problems, Practice and Requirements
s. Ramachandran
11.1
Introduction
Coastal environment plays a vital role in a nation's economy by virtue of their resources, productive habitats and rich biodiversity. India has a coastline of 7 516 km
of which the mainland accounts for 5422 km, Lakshadweep coast extends 132 km
and Andaman and Nicobar islands have a coastline of 1962 km. Nearly 250 million people live within a distance of 50 km from the coast. The coastal areas are
assuming greater importance in recent years, owing to increasing human population, urbanisation and accelerated developmental activities. The coastal region is
thus, a place of hectic human activity and the coastal ecosystems are now highly
disturbed and threatened tremendously. Current approaches to the management
of coastal resources were not capable of sustainable development and the coastal
environments and resources are rapidly degraded and eroded in India. In this
paper, the coastal environment, its resources, its problems and management initiatives and requirements for integrated coastal zone management in India are
discussed.
11.2
Indian Coastal Environment
The mainland coastline of India is remarkably unintended and generally emergent. The
Indian coastal zone comprises of
i. the east and west coasts of the mainland and
ii. three groups of islands, the Lakshadweep in the southern Arabian sea and the
Andaman and Nicobar island groups in the eastern Bay of Bengal.
The east and west coasts are markedly different in their geomorphology. The west
coast is generally exposed to heavy surf and rocky shores and headlands. The east coast
is generally shelving with beaches, lagoons, deltas and marshes. It is also situated relatively low with huge alluvial plains and de~tas. Furthermore, the coastal zone is also
endowed with a very wide range of coastal ecosystems like mangroves, coral reefs, sea
grasses, salt marshes, sand dunes, estuaries, lagoons, etc. which are characterized by
distinct biotic and abiotic properties and processes. The areas under major wetland
categories of the coast are given in Table 11.1.