The vulnerability of Orissa's coastline and the extent of coastal erosion which the state has witnessed will come to the fore with the release of 'Shoreline Change Assessment Atlas of Orissa and Report of Shoreline Change'.
The assessment atlas and shoreline report will be released by the Union minister for environment & forests Jairam Ramesh at Gupti in the state's Kendrapara district on Friday.
The minister will also assess the progress of the Integrated Coastal Zone Management Project (ICZMP), a joint initiative of the Union ministry of environment & forests (MoEF), World Bank and the Orissa government during his visit to the state.
The project being implemented on a pilot basis in Orissa, is aimed at developing an integrated approach to coordinate activities of various government agencies and departments for sustainable management and use of coastal resources.
The shoreline change assessment is done by Anna University and is funded by the MoEF. Orissa would be the third state to have the Shoreline Change Atlas.
The minister will also review the ICZM Project components and interact with the stakeholders, SHG (Self-Help Group) members, local representatives and beneficiaries of the project area at Gupti on the same day.