New Delhi (ABC Live): Indian Ministry of Environment and Forests with Survey of India is all set to Map and Demarcate the hazard line along India’s coast.

A Memorandum of Understanding was signed on the 12th May, 2010 between the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) and Survey of India (Department of Science and Technology).

This initiative of the MoEF forms a critical part of its responsibilities vis-a-vis planning and management of the country’s coastal zone. Under this World

Bank assisted project, the hazard line for the mainland coast of India will be mapped, delineated and demarcated on the ground over a period of five years.

Total cost of the project is Rs.125 crores. This will include the collection and presentation of data identifying flood lines over the last 40 years (which includes sea level rise impacts) and a prediction of erosions to take place over the next 100 years.

This process involves:

(i) Digital Aerial Photography at 9cm GSD and photogrammetric surveys and preparation digital terrain model at 0.5m for the entire mainland coast;

(ii) Collection of historical tide gauge data and its analysis to determine 100years flood levels;

(iii) Analysis of maps and satellite imagery/Aerial Ortho imagery since, 1967 to predict the erosion line over the next 100 years;

(iv) Preparation of composite maps, showing the hazard line on the digital data and;

(v) Transfer of the hazard line to topographic maps for public dissemination. Once the hazard line is delineated, ground markers will be constructed. This is important as the revenue maps used for local planning purposes are not comparable to topographic maps.

Survey of India has now submitted inception report in accordance with the MoU which is being hosted on website of Society of Integrated Coastal Management.

The deliverables indicated in the inception report includes Digital Elevation Model of 0.5meter, contour lines of 0.5metres elevation, ortho rectified photographs in 1:10,000 scale, hazard line marked down on ortho rectified prints, hazard line demarcated on the ground villages boundaries with name, village roads. Other features would include river, lakes, sea, railway lines, channels, etc