The Union Minister of State for Human Resources Development D. Purandeswari today said that an integrated approach was required to manage coastal and marine resources in the country.

Speaking at the Conference on Biodiversity, the Union Minister said, “The country has several laws and we need to ensure that all of them are in sync with each other and see that they are effectively monitored and implemented to protect the flora and fauna.”

She felt that a concerted effort is lacking in addressing the challenges of protecting natural resources. In fact, it is very difficult to separate coastal area and marine life and then address them in isolated manner. “Therefore, I feel we need to see that both marine and costal resources are protected while ensuring livelihood for those dependent on them,” she said.

Agriculture scientist M.S. Swaminathan said, “In spite of important coastal regulations, there are not enough measures to protect scarce natural resources.

Therefore, a new Coastal Zone Management team has been constituted, which seeks to address both aquatic life and land points.”

One of the better ways of addressing the coastal regions is to encourage sea water farming. This assumes importance in the backdrop of scarce water resources due to climatic changes. It will also ensure there is food security, he added. The MS Swaminathan Foundation released a study paper that seeks to address feasibility of establishing a cross-sectoral institutional mechanism for coastal and marine biodiversity conservation. This is based on a major research initiative in Andhra Pradesh.

>rishikumar.vundi@thehindu.co.in

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