By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, February 6, 2016 : World Bank on Saturday offered its support for extension of the Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) Project in Odisha.

A 3 member expert team of World Bank under the leadership of WB, senior director, environment, Ms. Paula Caballero made this offer during a high level meeting with Chief Secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi at a high level official meeting here.

Chaballero said that the outcomes of the ICZM interventions taken up during Phase-I in Odisha has been quite impressive and encouraging. She offered to extend further World Bank support for the interventions like capacity building, scientific management of fishery resources, eco-management in costal industrial sites like Paradeep etc.

Padhi said that State would like to have World Bank support in development of the infrastructure for fishery, eco-tourism and livelihood promotion activities. Chief Secretary added that the best practices developed during Phase-I interventions should be replicated and scaled up during Phase-II of the project.

Odisha is the leading state followed by Gujarat and West Bengal in the performance outcome in implementing this kind of project. Coastal Zone Management Society of Odisha has been formed under chairmanship of chief secretary for monitoring the implementation of the project.

In the Phase-I of the project, about 180 kilometers of coastal area has been covered under the project. Odisha government has proposed to extend the project to 300 kms of coastal zone in the second phase.

The Pahse-II proposal has been submitted to Govt of India, the sanction of which is awaited. The senior officers present in the meeting also raised the concern about delay in release of funds from the union government for implementation of Phase-I activities.

The Phase-I project period has been scheduled up to 2017 with a revised financial outlay of Rs. 334 crore. The major interventions taken up in the project include strengthening of Wetland Research & Training Center at Chilika, protection measures for control of coastal erosion at Pentha in Kendrapara district, conservation of biodiversity & livelihood security through eco-tourism, alternative livelihood for coastal fishermen, development of participatory ecotourism at Chilika and Tampara.

Besides, it entails establishment of Coastal Mitigation Laboratory at Paradeep, Solid Waste Management Project at Paradeep, construction of multipurpose cyclone centers along the coast lines, conservation and improvement of Coastal Archaeological and Cultural assets, Regional Coastal Process Study and Coir Training–cum-Production Center along Chilika coast and livelihood enhancement support to people through SHGs etc.

The activities are being implemented through 14 departments, urban local bodies and special agencies. So far Rs.160 cr has been utilized. The Annual action Plan of Rs. 78.54 crore had been prepared for 2015-16.

Principal secretary forest and environment Suresh Chandra Mohapatra and Project Director ICZM Dr. Ajit Kumar Pattanaik along with other senior officers participated in the discussion.