“Coastal erosion is not only an environmental issue but also a developmental and humanitarian concern.” In light of this statement, discuss the impact of coastal erosion on ecology, population vulnerability, and economic activities.

Answer: 

Approach to the answer: 

In order to properly respond to this issue, we must first go over the causes of coastal erosion in India. The effects of coastal erosion will then be listed, along with the steps the government has made to alleviate the problem.

Overview: Give a brief explanation of coastal erosion at the outset, highlighting its importance as a natural coastal phenomenon and Provide information on coastal erosion and India’s coastline.

• The wearing away of land by wind, waves, and currents is known as coastal erosion. The shoreline’s landward recession and loss of land area are both consequences of coastal erosion. Coastal erosion has also been caused by human activity such as offshore dredging, beach sand mining, and the development of coastal constructions. Coastal erosion is caused by four primary processes. These include attrition, hydraulic action, abrasion, and corrasion.

Body: Causes of Erosion Along the Coast. The main causes of coastal erosion, both natural and man-made, will be covered in this section.

• Coastal erosion’s effects. Here, we’ll focus on how coastal erosion affects infrastructure, communities, and coastal ecosystems.
• The actions taken by the government to combat coastal erosion: We’ll concentrate on India’s initiatives to reduce coastal erosion in this part.

Half of all wetlands have disappeared, 50% of all mangroves have disappeared, and over 60% of the world’s coral reefs have drastically deteriorated.

• Both faster rates of sea level rise and less sediment delivery by the rivers are to blame.
• Most people reside 100 kilometers or less from the coast. Some coastal areas experience environmental degradation, with developing countries being disproportionately impacted.

In summary: Give a brief overview of coastal erosion, including its causes, effects, and the steps India has taken to stop it. Then, list some actions that can be taken to stop coastal erosion.

• The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) is currently creating a policy to address the mass evictions from coastal areas and drafting appropriate guidelines for mitigating measures. For maritime developing nations like India, coastline erosion is a serious issue. In order to produce appropriate designs for coastal protection buildings, immediate emphasis must be paid to efficiently combating coastal erosion on a scientific foundation.

Practice Question

Question: What are the primary natural and anthropogenic causes of coastal erosion in India? Evaluate their spatial impact with reference to the Indian coastline.

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Mains PYQs 

Question: Coastal sand mining, whether legal or illegal, poses one of the biggest threats to our environment. Analyse the impact of sand mining along the Indian coasts, citing specific examples. (UPSC IAS 2019)

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