National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM)
Why in News?
The National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM) is in the news because it has successfully completed the satellite mapping, documentation, and physical "ground-truthing" of 23,404 out of 23,415 total wetlands in Maharashtra.
Institutional Framework
- Establishment: Founded in February 2011 as a specialized research body.
- Parent Ministry: Functions as an autonomous institution under India’s Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (MoEF&CC).
- Headquarters: Located in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
Primary Objectives and Vision
- Coastal Integrity: Aims to protect, conserve and rehabilitate India’s vast 7,517 km long coastline.
- Policy Guidance: Serves as the central scientific hub advising central and state governments on science-backed policies regarding Integrate Coastal Zone Management (ICZM).
- Community Welfare: Focuses on Balancing environmental conservation with the livelihood security of traditional coastal and island-dwelling populations.
Core Operational Roles & Research Divisions
- Specialized Divisions: Houses six specialized research wings including Geospatial Sciences (GIS), Integrated Social Sciences, and Coastal Environmental Impact Assessment.
- Hazard Line Mapping: Collaborated with the Survey of India to map the official Hazard Line for the entire country to track flooding, erosion risk, and sea-level rise.
- Ecological Audits: Actively monitors blue carbon sequestration capacity (e.g., seagrass systems), maps over 34,000 sq. km of Ecologically Sensitive Areas (ESAs), and contributes to national mangrove restoration via Mission MISHTI.
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