Planning and management of the coastal zone in India - A perspective

Abstract

India's coastal zone has, since ancient times, played a very significant role in socioeconomic, political, and defense developments. For a developing country like India with a vast coastal zone, there is a need for establishing one Central Coastal Zone Management Authority at the national level and a suitable agency in each of the maritime states for properly coordinating and implementing the coastal zone management program of the country. It is necessary to consider all major uses of the coastal zone, relevant to its physical, chemical, and biological regimes, as well as man's socioeconomic and political systems. The goals must be clearly specified and policies with necessary built-in legislative powers should be framed for implementation. Most recent advances in ocean science and technology are to be used to resolve any conflict that may arise in the interactive uses of the coastal zone and implementation of public goals. Engineering and management techniques should be evolved and applied in planning and implementing the specific goals