Rising sea could swallow Goa: Greens

Rising sea could swallow Goa: Greens 
HERALD REPORTER
PANJIM, JUNE 5
Goa’s existence from the map would be wiped off if the current trend of sea-level rise continues, said a renowned environmentalist.
“With the current trend of sea level rise, Goa will soon meet the fate of Dvarka,” Dr Kasturi Dessai, a scientist, told Herald.
“Rise in sea levels poses a big threat to all coastal cities of the country. No wonder, the people of Goa are coming to realise that some of its best beaches and towns could go under water in the next few decades,” she added.
Dr Dessai said that large portions of land are engulfed by the sea every year due to sea-level rise, which is attributed to climatic change and global warming.
“It’s not possible to predict when the entire State will be submerged as sea-level rise is a slow process. It will slowly and steadily erode the shoreline,” she feels.
A scientific study has revealed that around 4.3 per cent of  Goa’s 105 kilometre coastline has already been affected by a one meter rise in sea level, which continues. The study also says that 7.3 per cent of Goa’s coastal population is affected by beach erosion which is also very high compared to other States  
“By 2050 and 2080 if the sea level would rise by 38 and 59 meters respectively, then Goa would lose maximum percentage of its land and its population,” an article in the book on ‘Global warming and climatic change’ by Dr Desh Bandhu has claimed.
Dr Dessai was addressing a panel discussion on a theme ‘Climatic change and biodiversity’ on the occasion of World Environment Day and the International Year of Biodiversity, organised by the Center for Environment Education (CEE) at the National Institute of Oceanography (NIO).
Dr Unnikrishnan, an NIO scientist, said that thermal expansion in the ocean, melting of glaciers and ice are mainly attributed to global warming and global sea level rise.
“About Goa, a lot needs to be studied and examined. The sea-level rise has affected large portions of land here but to what extent it will lead in future can’t be predicted at the moment,” he said replying to a question.
Dr Baban Ingole also pointed out that the increasing sea-level rise has a long term impact on mangrove plantations in the State. “As it’s a slow process, the impact is not visible. But mangroves, which are a hinter-tidal plants wont be in a stage to expose themselves as they require low tide,” he explained.
During the discussion, Dr Dessai, who has done several studies on sand dunes across the State, said that large number of sand dune vegetation throughout the State has been destroyed due to tourism activities, which are mushrooming along the coast.
“To give way to tourism development, vegetations on sand dunes have been  cleared. In 2009, when I conducted a survey, I found that almost all the vegetations were cleaned and the dunes were open,” she said.
When asked whether, the sand-filled geotubes are the only option to protect the heavily eroded beach stretch, Dr Dessai said that the geotubes are not a supplement for vegetation.
“Candolim and Keri beach are supplemented with geotubes, which is not a solution. And as such I feel that in next five years, the entire Goa coast will be full of geotubes and no plantation,” he predicted.
However, Minister for Environment, Alexio Sequeria said that the State government was forced to take up the idea of geotubes at Candolim, which is affected with River Princess.
“If the vessel still continues over there, it will wipe out the shore,” he said.
Other members present for the panel discussion were  Professor B S Jangode, Agriculture University, Shirshi, Pankaj Kudtadkar, and Sandeep Azrekar.
Director of Science and Technology Micheal D’Souza and the Chairman of the Goa State Pollution Control Board Dr Simon D’Souza were also present during the occasion.