2012 Chilika Lake ecosystem health report card

The World Bank-funded Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) project serves to assist the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India, in building national capacity for implementation of a comprehensive coastal management approach, and piloting the integrated coastal zone management approach in states of Gujarat, Odisha, and West Bengal, all with long coastlines and unique biodiversity conditions. Each state has a State Project Management Unit (SPMU), which, for the State of Odisha, the Chilika Development Authority (CDA) has been designated. Chilika Lake, on the Bay of Bengal in the Indian State of Odisha, is rich in natural and cultural beauty, and important to local livelihoods. But, the lagoon is subjected to constant pressures from both natural processes and human activities. This is the first of a proposed series of Chilika Lake Ecosystem Health Report Cards, supported by the CDA and the National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management, Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India. The 2012 report card will serve as a baseline to enhance the understanding and management of the Chilika Lake ecosystem for the benefit of all.

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