Bhubaneswar: Odisha is looking at a long-term, integrated strategy to protect its 573-km coastline from climate-related risks, with the proposed ARISE project focusing on coastal erosion, community livelihoods, biodiversity and sustainable economic development.
A high-level meeting on the proposed Adaptive Resilience Investment in Coastal Systems on Economics (ARISE) Project was held at Lok Seva Bhawan on Saturday under the chairmanship of Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari.
Pujari said coastal resilience could not be addressed through protection measures alone and called for an approach that brings together environmental conservation, livelihood security, biodiversity protection and economic sustainability.
He said the proposed project should help strengthen the ability of both coastal communities and ecosystems to withstand the growing impacts of climate change.
ADB, OSDMA assess Odisha coastline
A preliminary assessment of Odisha’s coastline has been jointly undertaken by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Odisha State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA).
The assessment followed consultations with the Water Resources, Forest, Fisheries & Animal Resources Development and Revenue & Disaster Management departments on issues including coastal erosion, sediment management and protection of vulnerable coastal villages.
A preliminary report prepared by ADB and OSDMA was presented and discussed during the meeting. Officials informed that ADB has also been working with Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu on coastal protection initiatives, with the first phase of its work in Karnataka already completed.
Pujari said the ARISE project would be taken up in phases in Odisha after completion of the final assessment and preparation of the detailed report.
Focus on science, technology and Blue Economy
The proposed project will explore scientific and technology-based solutions to coastal erosion while strengthening Odisha’s Blue Economy and creating sustainable livelihood opportunities for coastal communities.
The meeting also discussed promoting climate-resilient coastal tourism and strengthening natural coastal defence systems. Greater understanding of natural coastal processes and sediment movement was identified as essential for designing effective and sustainable protection measures.
Officials also stressed the need to move beyond conventional interventions and use modern technology, real-time information and digital platforms to monitor changes along the coastline.
Stronger institutions, better preparedness
Institutional strengthening and capacity building will form an important part of the proposed initiative. Digital tools and real-time data are expected to support erosion tracking, hazard forecasting and evidence-based decision-making.
The proposed approach is aimed at creating a coordinated system in which coastal protection, environmental management and disaster preparedness work together to improve the resilience of Odisha’s coastal belt.
Special Relief Commissioner and OSDMA Managing Director Rajesh Prabhakar Patil, senior OSDMA officials and representatives of the Asian Development Bank attended the meeting.
