Odisha Coast under strain, experts call for immediate safeguards

By Nalini Sahu

Bhubaneswar, Jan. 11: Mounting pressures from climate change and unregulated development are pushing Odisha’s ecologically sensitive coastline into a zone of heightened vulnerability, experts warned at a workshop organised by the Orissa Environmental Society (OES) on Saturday. The participants underlined the urgent need to prioritise coastal security and strictly enforce Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) norms to arrest further degradation.

The workshop, titled “Odisha Coast: Problems and Mitigation Measures”, brought together scientists, academicians, environmentalists and civil society representatives to deliberate on the growing threats facing the state’s coastal ecosystems. Speakers cautioned that rising sea levels, intensifying cyclones, storm surges and indiscriminate developmental activities were jointly undermining both ecological stability and the livelihoods of communities dependent on coastal resources.

Stretching over 574.71 km along the Bay of Bengal and spanning six districts—Balasore, Bhadrak, Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur, Puri and Ganjam—Odisha’s coastline is recognised as a biodiversity hotspot. It is home to two internationally important Ramsar sites, the Bhitarkanika mangrove ecosystem and the Chilika lagoon, and supports a wide array of fauna, including olive ridley sea turtles, Irrawaddy dolphins, migratory birds, and commercially valuable fish and shellfish species.

At the same time, the coast is emerging as a key economic corridor, with operational ports at Paradip, Dhamra and Gopalpur, and several new port projects in various stages of planning. Experts, however, cautioned that unregulated industrialisation and coastal infrastructure expansion could aggravate shoreline erosion, disrupt natural sediment flows and accelerate ecological decline if not guided by robust environmental safeguards.

Delivering the keynote address, Prof. Sarat Kumar Palita, former Vice-Chancellor (in-charge) of the Central University of Odisha, stressed the importance of rigorous implementation of CRZ provisions to protect ecologically sensitive zones while ensuring the safety and livelihoods of coastal populations. He underscored the urgency of adopting climate adaptation and mitigation strategies to address the impacts of both natural processes and human-induced pressures on the coastline.

Presiding over the workshop, OES working president Dr. Jayakrushna Panigrahi emphasised that preserving the natural character of coastal ecosystems was critical for sustaining the flow of essential ecosystem services. OES president Dr. Sundar Narayana Patro echoed the sentiment, calling for a judicious balance between development imperatives and environmental conservation.

OES secretary Manoranjan Mishra said the discussions and expert recommendations emerging from the workshop would be compiled into a book volume, aimed at supporting future research, policy formulation and public awareness on coastal management issues. The event witnessed active participation from scientists, academicians, environmental experts and members of civil society.

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Photograph: Experts take part in a workshop on ‘Odisha Coast: Problems and Mitigation Measures’ in Bhubaneswar on Sunday.