Valsad, Navsari coastlines witnessed significant erosion: Govt to LS

More than 36 km of the coastline in Gujarat's Valsad and 24 km in Navsari experienced varying levels of erosion between 1990 and 2022, the government told Parliament on Wednesday.

The information was shared by Earth Sciences Minister Jitendra Singh in a written reply to a question from Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Dhaval Laxmanbhai Patel in the Lok Sabha.

Singh said the 62.78-km Valsad coastline experienced 2.5 km of high erosion, 3.24 km of medium erosion and 30.88 km of low erosion, according to an assessment of the National Centre for Coastal Research (NCCR).

The Navsari coastline, 40.88 km in length, saw 3.86 km of high erosion, 4.6 km of medium erosion and 16.18 km of low erosion, he added.

According to the NCCR shoreline change classification, the region north of Udvada is identified as a high-erosion zone, while the Bhagal coastal stretch falls under the moderate-erosion category -- both are considered erosion-prone or high-risk areas.

Other coastal stretches, such as Govada, Dehri Beach, Umbergaon Beach, Nargol, Malwan Beach, Maroli, Kalgam Bariyawad Beach, Fansa, Umarsadi, Tithal and Kosamba, are classified under the low-erosion category.

The NCCR has carried out a long-term (32-year) shoreline change assessment for the entire coastline, including the Tithal region. However, it has not recommended any coastal protection.

The erosion of coastal lands is attributed to a combination of natural and human-induced factors, including rising sea levels, unregulated sand mining and infrastructure projects, an increase in cyclonic activity and the loss of natural barriers, such as mangroves.