PANAJI
As Goa’s coastline grapples with persisting erosion since 2010, the Goa Forest Development Corporation (GFDC) has proposed planting cashew sampling along the beach belts to address the issue.
The GFDC in a proposal moved to the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) seeking CRZ clearance, has proposed to plant cashew samplings along the No Development Zones of CRZ areas.
The proposal highlights that such plantations are existing in the CRZ areas of Varca, Carmona and Cavelossim and have proven successful. The Corporation also said that the States like Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Tamil Nadu have also adopted similar measures to stabilise sand dunes in the coastal region.
“The primary objective is to address beach and sand dune erosion through cashew plantation,” the proposal stated.
The Corporation has said that it will identify sites for plantation in consultation with GCZMA as well as the local village panchayats. The GFDC will maintain the plantations for a period of three years.
At present, GFDC has around 6,000 ha of cashew plantation under its jurisdiction which has been taken up for revitalisation.
According to the study undertaken by National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM), from 2010 to 2024, of the Goa’s total 193.9km coast, 25-27 per cent was affected by erosion, which is around 48-52km. The study has found that erosion has gone up by 3-6 per cent over just five years from 21-22 per cent seen in 2019-2020.
The report shows that the stable coastline in North Goa went down from 30 per cent to 18 per cent while in South Goa from 23 per cent to 9 per cent. As against the erosion, there was minimal accretion of 6 per cent to 7 per cent along Goa’s coast.
