6.3 Integrated Coastal and Marine Area Management (ICMAM)

The concept of Integrated Coastal and Marine Area Management(ICMAM) is being promoted extensively in developed countries to ensure a sustainable development of the coastal areas,rational utilisation of marine resources and proper management of marine environment to prevent its degradation from man-made activities like pollution. Adoption of such a concept was also recommended by the Earth Summit, 1992. The programme has two components viz. i) Capacity Building and ii) Infrastructure and Development. The capacity building component is supported by the International Development Association (IDA). Under this component, development of a Geographic Information System(GIS) for selected critical habitats in the coastal and marine areas in India; preparation of model integrated coastal and marine area management plans; determination of waste assimilation capacity of selected estuaries and coastal areas; development of guidelines for EIA studies for marine and coastal developmental activities are proposed to be undertaken.

During 1997-98 a Project Directorate was established at Chennai and preparatory work to implement the above activities have been initiated.