New Delhi, Dec 29 (IANS) No new infrastructure projects will be allowed in the high erosion coastal zone in the country, Environment and Forests Minister Jairam Ramesh said Wednesday.
Ramesh said that the coastline is undergoing changes due to various anthropogenic and natural interventions.
‘No new construction will be allowed in the high erosion coastal zone and projects in the low and medium erosion zone will be cleared only after comprehensive environment impact assessment and they will be subjected to cumulative assessment,’ Ramesh told reporters here.
The high erosion zone is where the shoreline moves towards the land more than 25 metres per year. For medium erosion zone its 10-25 metres while for low erosion zone it is less than 10 metres.
The ministry Wednesday launched the shoreline study maps of Gujarat and Puducherry prepared by the Society of Integrated Coastal Management (SICOM).
The maps have been prepared based on the comparative study of four satellite images dated 1980, 1990, 2000 and 2009.
The SICOM is expected to release the shoreline map of Orissa and Tamil Nadu by January end and maps of all coastal states by the end of 2011.
‘Most of the shoreline changes are on account of the structures which have been developed or constructed along the foreshore of the country. Several of these developments are not compatible with the dynamic nature of the shoreline,’ the minister said.
