DHI Assists Tamil Nadu DOE to Develop ICZM Plan

In order to help Tamil Nadu Department of Environment (DOE) sustainably develop its coastline, DHI has assisted them in the preparation of an Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) plan.

This plan will improve the coordination of developmental activities along the coast of the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It will also help preserve the balance between development and natural dynamics in the region.

Population growth, urbanisation, industrialisation and growing pollution are putting increasing pressure on the Tamil Nadu’s coastal zone. In addition, the state receives an average of 16 cyclonic storms every year – some of them quite severe. Furthermore, tsunamis in the Bay of Bengal are also of concern.

With support from the World Bank under the Emergency Tsunami Rehabilitation Project, DHI helped the Tamil Nadu DOE develop an ICZM plan. This was the first such plan attempted and completed successfully in India.

As part of the ICZM plan, DHI:

• conducted land use, capability and vulnerability mapping
• developed a Special Area Management Plan (SAMP)
• conducted an inter-sector impact assessment

Since ICZM is a new tool in India, DHI also provided training to the government officials, NGOs and stakeholders.

[mappress]

Press Release, July 7, 2014