State seeks Centre's help to set up CZMI

For better management of coastal areas and reducing the risks from the natural calamities and to provide sustainable livelihood opportunities to coastal communities, the Orissa government has submitted two proposals to the Union ministry of environment and forests (MoEF).

These proposals include establishment of Rs 50 crore Coastal Zone Management Institute (CZMI) and Rs 54 crore National Wetland and Coastal Eco-system Research and Training Centre.

The environment department of the Orissa government has already submitted these proposals to the Union government for approval. Both the projects figured during the discussion of the chief minister Naveen Patnaik with the Union forest and environment minister, Jayram Ramesh in September this year, sources said.

The CZMI seeks to promote economic and ecological development and ensure proper management of coastal and marine resources. Holistic research encompassing catchments, coasts, shelf-seas and their processes along with capacity building activities are proposed to be taken up by the institute.

CZMI will work towards bio-diversity conservation, natural disaster management, enforcement of CRZ regulations and prepare Integrated Coastal Zone Management Plan. While the project envisages setting up of climate centre for weather, climate and wave data, easy access of data to climate researchers will also be ensured.

Establishment of such an institute is expected to help in better management of coastal areas for conservation of marine diversities without affecting the livelihood of coastal communities. The department of environment will be nodal agency for the project, sources added.

Similarly, the proposed National Wetland and Coastal Eco-system Research and Training Centre is proposed to be set up in Bhubaneswar. The centre aims to enhance skills for assessments of values of wetland and diagnose threat to wetland eco-systems. It will work for transfer of technology for regeneration of wetland and capacity building for irrigation of wetland among others.

The key areas of training to be imparted by the Centre will be conservation and sustainable use of wetlands, development of strategies for restoration of wetlands and monitoring mechanism.

Besides, the centre will work for integration of wetlands with the river basin management plan.

“Following the discussion of the chief minister, Naveen Patnaik with the Union minister for environment and forests in September this year, we have submitted the proposals to the Union ministry. Both the projects will be very useful for the cyclone hit and wetland areas of the state”, Bhagirath Behera, director (environment), Orissa government said.