Nearly 10% of the Odisha coast is highly prone to erosion with stretches near Puri, Chandrabhaga, Gopalpur, Satabhaya and Pentha being most vulnerable, reveals the Regional Coastal Process Study. The Odisha coast undergoes constant change in the shoreline due to strong littoral drift (the process by which beach material is gradually shifted laterally as a result of waves meeting the shore at an oblique angle) coupled with sediment movement. The report further states that anthropogenic activities in the coastal region have also aggravated the issue and calls for an integrated approach for sustainable management.
Over 12,500 acres of standing paddy crops have been detroyed in several Telangana districts across Andhra Pradesh, due to untimely rainfall, report Agriculture Department Officials. The harvested paddy piled up in the fields have also been destroyed alongwith the damage to cotton, chilli and horticulture crops, especially mango. However, no loss of life or property have been reported so far.
The Central Government is planning to carry out a socio-economic survey of people living in and around forests, in order to understand how dependent they are on these forests for their livelihood. The survey hopes to understand their dependence on timber, fuelwood, fodder, grazing and other non-timber forest produces. It will be conducted through the stratified multi-stage random sampling of villages located within a limit of 3km.
Paddy farmers in Karnataka's Manvi and Raichur taluks are finding it difficult to sell their paddy crops even at throwaway prices, as their cops are low in quality. These farmers are present at the tail-end of the Tungabhadra Left Bank Canal (TLBC) and are deprived of water. The Irrigation Department illegaly irrigates the upper part of the canal and supplies the remaining water to the lower part and tail-ends only after the former is completely satisfied, claim the farmers.
Seeing the possible impacts to the downstream flow of the Valvonti river, the Goa Government has resolved to oppose the construction of Kattika nullah in Virdi by Maharashtra and to move the Mhadei water dispute Tribunals with respect to the violations committed by the latter. As claimed, Maharashtra has begun work on the project unilaterally without submitting any plans to either the Tribunal or to the Goa Government.
This is a weekly roundup of important news from May 4-11 2014. Also read last week's policy matters updates.
Lead image source: Geology for Global Development