News Analysis India

Tag: global warming

  • Brazil Floods: Death Toll Rises To 90, Havoc Leaves 150,000 Homeless, Missing | world news

    Eldorado Do Sul: Rescuers rushed to evacuate people stranded by devastating floods across the southern Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul on Tuesday, with at least 90 dead, thousands left homeless, and desperate survivors seeking food and basic supplies. On the outskirts of Eldorado do Sul, 17 kilometers (10.5 miles) from the state capital of Porto Alegre, many people were sleeping on the roadside and told Reuters they were going hungry. Entire families were leaving on foot, carrying belongings in backpacks and shopping carts.

    “We’ve been without food for three days and we’ve only just got this blanket. I’m with people I don’t even know, I don’t know where my family is,” said a young man who gave his Name as Ricardo Junior.

    The flooding has hampered rescue efforts, with dozens of people still waiting to be evacuated by boat or helicopter from stricken homes. Small boats crisscrossed the flooded town searching for survivors. The state’s Civil Defense agency said the death toll had risen to 90 with another four deaths being investigated, while 131 people were still unaccounted for and 155,000 homeless.

    The heavy rains that began last week have caused rivers to flood, inundating whole towns and destroying roads and bridges.Rain is forecast to let up on Thursday but then continue through the weekend.

    Climate experts attributed the extreme rainfall in Rio Grande do Sul to the confluence of a heatwave caused by this year’s El Niño phenomenon, which warms the waters of the Pacific and brings rain to southern Brazil; a weaker cold front with rain and gales coming from the Antarctic; and unusual warmth in the Atlantic also raising humidity.

    Global warming exacerbates these phenomena and intensifies the effects between such systems, making weather unpredictable, said Marcelo Schneider, a National Meteorology Institute (Inmet) researcher.

    ELECTRICITY CUTS

    In Porto Alegre, a city of 1.3 million inhabitants, downtown streets were under water after the Guaiba River breached its banks with record water levels.

    Porto Alegre residents faced empty supermarket shelves and closed gas stations, with shops rationing sales of mineral water. The city distributed water in trucks to hospitals and shelters.

    The floods have also impacted water and electricity services, with more than 1.4 million affected overall, according to Civil Defense. Almost half a million people were without power in Porto Alegre and outlying towns as electricity companies cut off supplies for security reasons in flooded neighborhoods. National grid operator ONS said five hydroelectric dams and transmission lines were shut down due to the heavy rains. The city’s airport, its apron under water, has suspended all flights since Friday.

    Fuel shortages were reported as state-run oil company Petrobras said it was having trouble moving diesel from its refinery in badly-flooded Canoas within metropolitan Porto Alegre, a senior government official said.

    President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said on a government television program that the extent of the damage will not be known until the waters subside. He promised federal aid for the state in what is considered its worst ever climate disaster. JP Morgan economists projected that the impact of the floods on Brazil’s economy would be a modest dent in GDP growth and a marginal increase in inflation, mainly due to higher prices for rice that is largely produced in Rio Grande do Sul. The government said Brazil will import rice to stabilize the market.

    Besides destroying critical infrastructure, the heavy rains and flooding have left grains fields under water and killed livestock, interrupting the soy harvest and halting work at multiple meat plants.

    The Rio Grande port, a major port for grain exports, was operating normally, the state’s port authority said. However, main access roads were impassable, disrupting grain deliveries to the port as trucks had to make a wide detour, exporters said.

  • ISRO Satellite Images Unveil Concerning Expansion of Himalayan Glacial Lake |

    New Delhi: The latest satellite images shared by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)have raised concern globally as it show a significant expansion of the glacial lakes in the Himalayas in the past 3 to 4 decades. According to ISRO’s data, over 600 lakes which amount to 89% of the total glacial lakes on the Himalayas have grown over twice their size in the past 30- 40 years.

    Long-term changes in the Ghepang Ghat glacial lake (Indus River Basin) at an elevation of 4,068 m in Himachal Pradesh, India, show a 178 per cent increase in size from 36.49 to 101.30 hectares between 1989 and 2022. The rate of increase is about 1.96 hectares per year.


    Long-term satellite imagery covering the catchments of Indian Himalayan river basins from 1984 to 2023 indicates significant changes in glacial lakes. Of the 2,431 lakes larger than 10 hectares identified during 2016-17, 676 glacial lakes have notably expanded since 1984. Specifically, 130 of these lakes are situated within India, with 65, 7, and 58 lakes located in the Indus, Ganga, and Brahmaputra River basins, respectively, the statement read.

    The Himalayan Mountains are often referred to as the Third Pole because of their extensive glaciers and snow cover. They are considered highly sensitive to changes in the global climate, both in terms of their physical characteristics and their societal impacts.

    Research conducted worldwide has consistently shown that glaciers across the globe have been experiencing unprecedented rates of retreat and thinning since the onset of the Industrial Revolution in the eighteenth century.

    This retreat leads to the formation of new lakes and the enlargement of existing ones in the Himalayan region. These bodies of water, created by the melting of glaciers, are known as glacial lakes and play a crucial role as freshwater sources for rivers in the Himalayan region.

    However, they also pose significant risks, such as Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs), which can have devastating consequences for communities downstream. GLOFs occur when glacial lakes release large volumes of meltwater due to the failure of natural dams, such as those made of moraine or ice, resulting in sudden and severe flooding downstream, ISRO further stated.

    These dam failures can be triggered by various factors, including avalanches of ice or rock, extreme weather events, and other environmental factors. Monitoring and studying the occurrence and expansion of glacial lakes in the Himalayan region is considered challenging due to the inaccessible and rugged terrain.

    Satellite remote sensing technology proves to be an excellent tool for inventory and monitoring due to its wide coverage and revisit capability, the ISRO stated, adding that assessing long-term changes in glacial lakes is crucial for understanding glacier retreat rates, assessing GLOF risks, and gaining insights into climate change impacts.

    Elevation-based analysis further reveals that 314 lakes are located in the 4,000 to 5,000 m range and 296 lakes are above 5,000 m elevation. The glacial lakes are categorized based on their formation process into four broad categories, namely Moraine-dammed (water dammed by moraine), Ice-dammed (water dammed by ice), Erosion (water dammed in depressions formed by erosion), and other glacial lakes. Among the 676 expanding lakes, the majority of them are Moraine-dammed (307) followed by Erosion (265), other (96), and Ice-dammed (8) glacial lakes, respectively, the release further stated.

    Satellite-derived long-term change analyses provide valuable insights for understanding glacial lake dynamics, which are essential for assessing environmental impacts and developing strategies for GLOF risk management and climate change adaptation in glacial environments, it added. 

  • The flip side of climate change? Likely to boost solar, wind energy potential of Kerala, TN, says study

    Express News Service

    ALAPPUZHA: A study carried out by the researchers of the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune, has revealed that global warming will change the climate of Kerala and Tamil Nadu compared to other Indian states. It will increase the solar and wind energy potential of these states.

    According to the study published in the latest issue of Current Science magazine, the potential for renewable energy sources will increase in these states, while other states will face crises.

    “While the situation in most parts of India will be a reduction in solar radiation, which is also expected to impact during most of the monsoon and post-monsoon seasons (June to November), the situation may be different for both Tamil Nadu and Kerala. The projection of solar potential across Tamil Nadu and Kerala is much better than in other regions of India. The region is also found to be less cloudy in future,” Parthasarathy Mukhopadhyay, a member of the research team told TNIE over phone from Pune.

    The study titled ‘Analysis of future wind and solar potential over India’ was carried out by T S Anandh, Deepa Gopalakrishnan, and Parthasarathy with the assistance of the Ministry of Earth Sciences.

    Researchers carried out the study by using various state-of-the-art climate models, devised by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), to analyse the wind and solar projections for the renewable energy sector over the Indian subcontinent for the next 40 years. The study also stated that the future wind potential for both states is also positive across the region. “Some of the high wind speeds projected in future lie along Tamil Nadu and Kerala. The wind speed is found to increase in future during all seasons except monsoon,” said Parthasarathy.

    ALSO READ | Kochi Corp seeks global help to face flood, climate change

    The study will become a game changer to the mission of state government to make the state carbon neutral by 2050. According to the latest information provided by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Tamil Nadu recorded solar energy generation with 8,605 million units (MU) between April 2021 and May 2022 while Kerala saw 600.56 MU during the same period. MNRE’s data also show a significant increase in Tamil Nadu’s solar capacity from 2016 (1,062 MW) to 2022 (5690.79 MW).

    However, the same cannot be said of Kerala which witnessed just 13 MW in 2016. It increased to 539.60 MW in 2022, the report said.

    Tamil Nadu’s latest Renewable Energy Policy has set an ambitious target of 20,000 MW of solar power projects, with adequate battery storage. The Kerala government, on the other hand, announced earlier this year its ambition to become carbon neutral by 2050 with a focused approach toward the growth of renewable energy. Kerala, however, has been lagging behind in overall solar installations, the researchers said.

    ALAPPUZHA: A study carried out by the researchers of the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune, has revealed that global warming will change the climate of Kerala and Tamil Nadu compared to other Indian states. It will increase the solar and wind energy potential of these states.

    According to the study published in the latest issue of Current Science magazine, the potential for renewable energy sources will increase in these states, while other states will face crises.

    “While the situation in most parts of India will be a reduction in solar radiation, which is also expected to impact during most of the monsoon and post-monsoon seasons (June to November), the situation may be different for both Tamil Nadu and Kerala. The projection of solar potential across Tamil Nadu and Kerala is much better than in other regions of India. The region is also found to be less cloudy in future,” Parthasarathy Mukhopadhyay, a member of the research team told TNIE over phone from Pune.

    The study titled ‘Analysis of future wind and solar potential over India’ was carried out by T S Anandh, Deepa Gopalakrishnan, and Parthasarathy with the assistance of the Ministry of Earth Sciences.

    Researchers carried out the study by using various state-of-the-art climate models, devised by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), to analyse the wind and solar projections for the renewable energy sector over the Indian subcontinent for the next 40 years. The study also stated that the future wind potential for both states is also positive across the region. “Some of the high wind speeds projected in future lie along Tamil Nadu and Kerala. The wind speed is found to increase in future during all seasons except monsoon,” said Parthasarathy.

    ALSO READ | Kochi Corp seeks global help to face flood, climate change

    The study will become a game changer to the mission of state government to make the state carbon neutral by 2050. According to the latest information provided by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Tamil Nadu recorded solar energy generation with 8,605 million units (MU) between April 2021 and May 2022 while Kerala saw 600.56 MU during the same period. MNRE’s data also show a significant increase in Tamil Nadu’s solar capacity from 2016 (1,062 MW) to 2022 (5690.79 MW).

    However, the same cannot be said of Kerala which witnessed just 13 MW in 2016. It increased to 539.60 MW in 2022, the report said.

    Tamil Nadu’s latest Renewable Energy Policy has set an ambitious target of 20,000 MW of solar power projects, with adequate battery storage. The Kerala government, on the other hand, announced earlier this year its ambition to become carbon neutral by 2050 with a focused approach toward the growth of renewable energy. Kerala, however, has been lagging behind in overall solar installations, the researchers said.

  • Hottest April in 122 years for northwest, central India: IMD 

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Northwest and central India experienced their hottest April in 122 years with average maximum temperatures reaching 35.9 and 37.78 degrees Celsius respectively, the weather office said on Saturday.

    Addressing a press conference, India Meteorological Department Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said northwest and west central parts of the country – Gujarat, Rajasthan, Punjab and Haryana – will continue to experience above normal temperatures in May as well.

    Nights would be warmer in May in most parts of the country, except some regions of south peninsular India, Mohapatra said.

    Relentless and punishing heatwave in Pakistan & India is entering the next level.Sadly, this is just the beginning. Over 1 billion people will endure the excessive heat. Shaded on the map is where we expect over 40° C (104°F).Some will approach 50°C (122°F). pic.twitter.com/YLRHwpe4mO
    — Scott Duncan (@ScottDuncanWX) April 26, 2022
    The average temperatures observed pan-India for April was 35.05 degrees, which was the fourth-highest in 122 years, he said.

    “The average rainfall in May 2022 over the country is most likely to be above normal,” Mohapatra said.

    However, parts of northwest and northeast India as well as the extreme southeast Peninsula are expected to get below normal rainfall in May, he said.

    The high temperatures in March and April were attributed to “continuously scanty rainfall activity”, he said.

    In March, northwest India recorded a deficit in rainfall of around 89 per cent, while the deficit was nearly 83 per cent in April, mainly on account of feeble and dry western disturbances, Mohapatra said.

    North India witnessed six western disturbances but they were mostly feeble and moved across the higher parts of the Himalayas, he said, adding the last three western disturbances caused strong winds in parts of Delhi and duststorms over Rajasthan in April.

    The significance of the current Indian/Pakistani heatwave is less about smashing records (though various records have fallen) and more about very long duration.The last ~6 weeks have been repeatedly challenging the top of the historical range and baking this part of the world. pic.twitter.com/Md4SPi3udc
    — Dr. Robert Rohde (@RARohde) April 29, 2022
    India, particularly the northwest and western parts of the country, has been reeling under intense heatwave conditions for the past few weeks.

  • Siachen Glacier melting slower than others in Himalayas

    Express News Service

    BENGALURU: The Siachen Glacier is escaping the high rate of melting that other Himalayan glaciers are experiencing due to the impact of climate change. This means that the glacier, which is considered strategic to both India and Pakistan, is likely to remain the highest battleground in the world for many more decades to come than imagined.

    A team of researchers from the University of Leeds, which studied 14,798 Himalayan glaciers during and since the Little Ice Age (which occurred between the 14th and 19th century) by computer reconstruction of the sizes and ice surfaces of these glaciers, has found these glaciers to be melting at a rate ten times faster, losing around 40 per cent of their area — shrinking from a peak of 28,000 sqkm to around 19,600 sqkm today.

    However, renowned glaciologist and professor at the Divecha Centre for Climate Change (DCCC) at the Indian Institute of Science, Dr Anil V Kulkarni told The New Indian Express that despite Himalayan glaciers losing ice ten times quicker than on an average in the last 400 to 700 years, as found by the University of Leeds researchers, Siachen Glacier will remain relatively stable longer. 

    He explained that the Siachen Glacier, situated north of Ladakh and wedged between the Trans Karakoram Tract in the north, Gilgit-Baltistan in the west and Aksai Chin in the east, is in the Karakoram mountain range and is subject to the “Karakoram anomaly”. This deviation in glacial melt trend found in Siachen Glacier is part of an anomalous growth of glaciers in the central Karakoram, which is in contrast to the retreat of glaciers in nearby Himalayan ranges. This means glaciers within the range — including Siachen — are relatively stable, despite glaciers in nearby regions retreating and shrinking faster due to global warming.

  • It’s now or never if we want to limit global warming to 1.5°C: IPCC report

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: Without immediate and deep emissions reductions across all sectors, limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees C is beyond reach and this requires global greenhouse gas emissions to peak before 2025 at the latest, and be reduced by 43 per cent by 2030, said the latest series of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) Sixth Assessment Report.

    What is of concern is that the report highlights that even if we do this, it is almost inevitable that we will temporarily exceed this temperature threshold but could return to below it by the end of the century.

    “It’s now or never if we want to limit global warming to 1.5°C. Without immediate and deep emissions reductions across all sectors, it will be impossible. Action in this decade is critical to capture the mitigation potential of buildings,” said IPCC Working Group III Co-Chair Jim Skea.

    This assessment shows that limiting warming to around 2°C still requires global greenhouse gas emissions to peak before 2025 at the latest, and be reduced by a quarter by 2030.

    The intergovernmental panel finds that all unabated coal-fired power plants need to be shuttered by 2050 if the world is to limit global temperature rise to 1.5c. Global use of coal would need to fall by 95 per cent by 2050 compared to 2020. As far as India is concerned, it is still in process of constructing coal power plants and none of them have the capture and store carbon (CCS) technology as recommended in the report.

    The publication of the report was delayed due as the rich nations wanted dilution of text on climate financing for the developing nations and small countries.

    On the finance part, the report noted that annual public and private finance for climate change mitigation and adaptation rose by up to 60 per cent from 2013 to 2020 but these gains have slowed in recent years, and finance for fossil fuels still outstrips funding for climate action.

    “Financial flows are a factor of three to six times lower than levels needed by 2030 to limit warming to below 2°C though there is sufficient global capital and liquidity to close investment gaps,” it noted.

    Current climate policies and pledges are massively insufficient: If NDCs are followed to 2030, it is “likely” the world will pass 1.5C and there is no way to limit warming to 1.5C with “no or limited overshoot”

    Limiting global warming will require major transitions in the energy sector. This will involve a substantial reduction in fossil fuel use, widespread electrification, improved energy efficiency, and use of alternative fuels (such as hydrogen).

    “Having the right policies, infrastructure, and technology in place to enable changes to our lifestyles and behavior can result in a 40-70 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The evidence also shows that these lifestyle changes can improve our health and wellbeing,” said IPCC Working Group III Co-Chair Priyadarshi Shukla.

  • Glasgow climate meet kept 1.5-degree Celsius limit alive, but it was a fragile win: COP 26 president

    By PTI

    New Delhi, Dec 13 (PTI) The United Nations’ climate conference in Glasgow kept alive the ambition to limit global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius but it was a “fragile win”, COP 26 president Alok Sharma said on Monday while calling for rapid global action.

    In his virtual address at the Partnership Summit organised by Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Sharma said that climate action requires change across the real economy and can only succeed with businesses on board.

    Speaking at a session on ‘Climate Action: The Road Beyond COP26 Glasgow’, he said that countries and companies must honour the promises made at the conference.

    Hailing the several commitments and announcements made at COP 26 like the Green Grid initiative — ‘One Sun, One World, One Grid (OSOWOG)’ — launched by India and the UK, the commitment of countries to phase down coal power and phase out non-fossil fuel subsidies, commitment of developed countries to double finance for climate adaptation by 2025, among others, Sharma said it brings countries back to the table next year to revisit and strengthen the 2030 emission reduction targets necessary to align with the Paris Agreement temperature goal.

    “Together, with those commitments made outside the negotiating halls, the Glasgow Climate Pact keeps the 1.5 degrees Celsius limit within reach. But this is a fragile win. Of course, 1.5 degree lives but its pulse continues to be weak and will only survive with rapid global action.

    “That means, delivery is the order of the day. Countries and companies must honour the promises made at COP 26 and the governments must deliver on the expectation of the Glasgow Climate Pact by taking action to phase down coal by strengthening their emission reduction targets by the end of 2022 and for developed countries by delivering on the finance and this is going to be my focus for the next year,” he said.

    He also said that for driving the commitments that were made at COP 26 into actions during 2022 and beyond, “my request to companies around the world and in India is to work with us, help us, support us on this journey. Governments need to know that business is behind the net zero world.”

    Citing COP 26 as a pivotal movement for nations, he stated, “The green economy presents enormous opportunities for businesses and countries and working together can achieve the changes we need. Looking at all the announcements made at COP26, we now have 90 per cent of the global economy covered by net zero commitments, and this compares to less than 30 per cent when we took on the role of organising COP26 two years ago.”

    Stating that governments need to know that business is behind a net-zero world, he urged industries across the board to join the ‘Race to Zero’ campaign, commit to short-term targets based on science and take action across the supply chain, utilise purchasing power and encourage suppliers to set their own 2050 net zero targets.

    Revisiting his speech at last year’s CII Partnership Summit, Sharma said that by working together, required changes can be achieved.

    “As I said then, by working together, we can achieve the change we need. We did see this at UNFCCC COP 26, held just a few weeks ago in Glasgow. I do believe this was a pivotal moment for our planet. And going into it, we knew that it was our last hope of keeping alive the ambition of limiting the rise in global temperature to 1.5 degrees Celsius, which as scientists said, will avoid the worst effects of climate change.

    We know that the higher the temperatures rise, the more severe we see the heat waves and rainfalls across South Asia.

    “So keeping the 1.5-degree limit alive was very much a key challenge for COP 26. Collectively, we have delivered with governments, businesses and financial institutions, we have worked together,” he said.

    Speaking at the CII summit, Environment Secretary Rameshwar Prasad Gupta said India’s COP 26 commitments, including becoming net zero by 2070 and increasing the renewable energy capacity to 500 gigawatt (GW) before the deadline of 2030, are ambitious yet achievable.

    “India’s commitments are very ambitious yet very much achievable,” Gupta said.

    He said that while global discussions like those at COP26 are important, a more tangible arena for climate action now lies at national and sub-national levels and across businesses and the industry.

    “The revised pledges and net-zero commitments by countries have reposed trust in the idea of national and sectoral action for a resilient future,” he said.

    Bringing to light the importance of addressing concerns on a cross-sectoral scale, he said that the road ahead is to expand clean energy options while making them affordable, accessible, and attractive across all sectors by 2030.

    “Focus must shift to steel, power, road transport, hydrogen, and agriculture — which together account for more than half of global emissions,” he said.

    R Mukundan, Chairman CII Environment Committee and Managing Director and CEO, Tata Chemicals, India, observed that deliberations at COP 26 should now ensure climate justice with a transition that leaves no one behind.

    “It must enable countries affected by climate change through adaptive measures to protect communities and natural habitats; protect and restore ecosystems; and build defenses, warning systems and resilient agriculture practices and infrastructure to avoid loss of homes, livelihoods, and lives in the near future,” he said.

  • Climate change makes children vulnerable to infectious diseases: Study

    Globally, it is estimated that children are to bear most of the burden of disease due to climate change, with the poorest disproportionately affected.

  • Climate change on list in conference of top cops in Lucknow

    By Express News Service

    NEW DELHI:  In a first, the All India Conference of Director Generals and Inspector Generals of Police this year will give great emphasis to the impact of climate change and its possible impact on the security situation in the country, according to sources in the government.

    The conference will be held in Lucknow from November 19-21.

    Other key issues to be discussed are the security situation in Kashmir and Naxal areas, cyber crime, refugee crisis, cyber threat from China, radicalisation of youth and impact of extremism in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh.

    The conference will be attended by PM Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

    Whether the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir is connected with developments in Afghanistan will also be discussed, sources said.

    A senior home ministry official said that Modi and Shah are likely to honour  Covid warriors and police forces that worked through the pandemic.

    An overview of the internal security situation in the country will be presented to Modi and Shah and suggestions will be made on improving the overall security scenario. 

  • Coastal areas to bear maximum brunt of climate change: Expert

    By Express News Service

    What was assumed as a possibility has now become a reality — global warming and climate change. Scientists felt the impulse nearly a decade ago, post the industrial revolution and its after-effects. First, it was acid rain, followed by gradual increase in average temperature, followed by melting of ice and swelling of seas. All these are now contributing to the climate change impact on coastal communities. Added to this are unscientific developmental activities and policies influenced by pressure from rich and influential people.

    Traditionally, the coastline belonged to fishermen and their associates involved in processing, marketing and fishery linked jobs. Mechanisation, overfishing, indiscriminate fishing, fishing during breeding season, reduced mesh size, are some of the human causes of declining fish catch.

    These are being addressed in the form of fishing holidays, regulation of mesh size, regulation of engine power, ban on light fishing, bull trawling etc. But these are hardly monitored and the capable violate laws, while innocent traditional fishermen suffer.

    However, there are other issues that need to be viewed seriously. They include an increased number of cyclones, acidification of the sea, migration of population due to increasing temperature and rise in sea level. All these are global issues that have to be addressed by policy makers from all over the globe, and implemented locally by providing proper education and support.

    Coastal Regulation Notification 1991 was an effort to safeguard the interest of fishermen and other coastal populations, considering several issues that include climate change too.  Notable features are marking 500 metres from the shoreline as ‘No Development Zone (NDZ)’, protection of ecologically sensitive regions, mangroves etc. Unfortunately, this notification saw a series of amendments and fresh notifications to favour the rich and influential in the name of development, tourism promotion etc. Private players are entering the coastal regions, and fishermen are victims of all these developments.

    Coastal erosion is a natural phenomenon occurring all over the world, and is seasonal. The erosion is due to change in the current monsoon pattern. These erosions are temporary and accretion occurs within three months when the current pattern changes. Increase in the impact and area covered is due to human interference in the form of dredging, construction of sea walls, encroachment of the sea etc. All these affect traditional fishery.

    Sagara Mala is a project which is totally unscientific. When the existing infrastructure is not even utilised, plans for further expansion is uncalled for. The question is, why such a development when it does not favour local communities?

    Dr Venkatray Nayak, Retd Prof of Marine Biology and Honorary Secretary, Uttara Kannada Zilla Vignana Kendra