Affiliations: National Dewatering and Land Draining Company, P O Box 20782, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. E-mail: anilqq@rediffmail.com
Note: [] Department of Coastal Mining, Centre for Marine Science and Technology, M S University, Rajakkamangalam, Nagercoil - 629 502, Tamil Nadu, India
Note: [] Department of Disaster Management, SASTRA Deemed University, Thanjavur - 613 403, Tamil Nadu, India
Abstract: The marine environment of India, which includes the adjacent coastal areas, supports productive and prospective habitats such as mangroves, coral reefs, and sand dunes. The main challenge facing the sustainable use of coastal and marine areas is the loss of natural habitat and biodiversity, and consequently the loss of opportunity of exploiting renewable living resources. The marine environment is facing extreme pressure due to the growing needs of people and the multi-use that coastal and marine areas are put to. These pressures contribute to the depletion of marine resources and degradation of the marine environment. This paper briefly discusses the sustainable development of coastal zone including islands and the unsustainable anthropogenic activities that enhance the vulnerability of the coastline. In the absence of integrated coastal and marine management, our coasts may witness severe stress in the near future.
