Bhubaneswar: A high-level meeting on the proposed Adaptive Resilience Investment in Coastal Systems on Economics (ARISE) Project was held today at Lok Seva Bhawan to deliberate on a comprehensive and long-term strategy for protecting Odisha’s 573-km coastline and enhancing climate resilience.
Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari, who chaired the meeting, emphasised the need for a comprehensive approach that combines coastal protection, environmental conservation, livelihood security, biodiversity protection and economic sustainability. He said the ARISE project should strengthen the resilience of coastal communities and ecosystems against climate change impacts.
A preliminary assessment of Odisha’s coastline has been undertaken jointly by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Odisha State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA). Consultations have been held with ADB and departments of Water Resources, Forest, Fisheries & Animal Resources Development and Revenue & Disaster Management on coastal erosion, sediment management and protection of coastal villages.
Based on these consultations, ADB and OSDMA have prepared a preliminary report, which was discussed in detail. It was informed that ADB has also been working with Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu on coastal protection initiatives, with the first phase in Karnataka already completed. The Minister informed that after completion of the final assessment and report for Odisha, the ARISE project will be taken up in a phased manner.
The meeting discussed integrated, scientific and technology-driven measures to address coastal erosion, development of Odisha’s Blue Economy for sustainable livelihood opportunities, and promotion of climate-resilient coastal tourism. Coastal protection and sediment management were identified as key components, with emphasis on understanding natural coastal dynamics and strengthening natural defence systems.
For effective implementation, special emphasis was laid on institutional strengthening, capacity building and use of modern technology, real-time data and digital platforms for tracking erosion, hazard forecasting and data-driven decision-making.
Special Relief Commissioner and Managing Director, OSDMA Rajesh Prabhakar Patil, senior officials of OSDMA and representatives of the Asian Development Bank attended the meeting.
