28.3% of Odisha Coastline Hit by Erosion: Sonowal

Bhubaneswar: Nearly 28.3% of Odisha’s 564.14 km coastline is under erosion, Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal informed the Rajya Sabha.

A shoreline assessment covering 1990–2022 shows that while 54.1% of the coast has accreted and 17.6% remains stable, erosion continues to pose a significant threat.

Jagatsinghpur district is the worst affected, with 47.6% of its coastline eroded, followed by Ganjam (45.7%) and Kendrapada (45%).

Other districts such as Baleshwar (23.8%), Puri (10.2%), and Bhadrak (4.6%) also report varying degrees of erosion.

Hotspots include Gopalpur Port (Ganjam), Chilika sea mouth (Puri), Satabhaya and Gahirmatha (Kendrapada), and Talasari (Baleshwar).

To mitigate risks, Odisha’s non‑major ports are being developed under the PPP model, with developers responsible for safety, sustainability, and climate resilience.

Environmental Clearance (EC), Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) approvals, and Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) studies are mandatory before port projects.

Paradip Port has also adopted dredging guidelines to ensure sustainable use of dredged material.