TAMLUK, Aug. 12: Members of the National Coastal Protection and Development Advisory Committee (NCPDAC) have been roped in to study the alarming trends of sea invasion along the coast of Digha-Sankarpur in West Bengal and suggest preventive measures.

After paying their visit to Sankarpur on 10 August, the committee members said that owing to the incomplete and faulty erection of the geo-tube wall along the coast of Sankarpur, it could not resist the tidal surge that hit the coast recently.

Staff Reporter

Bangladesh is increasing in size contradicting forecasts that the parts of the country will disappear under water due to global warming.

Scientists at the Centre for Environment and Geographic Information Services (CEGIS) say that the country's landmass has increased by 20 square kilometres (12.5 square miles) annually.

They said that they have studied 32 years of satellite images and found that the country's landmass has increased by 20 square kilometres annually during that time.

It is just as well that the Centre is now seriously considering an alternative route for the Sethusamudram ship channel project. The idea of dredging the sea in shallow coastal waters to allow large seagoing vessels to pass around peninsular India is not new. Various alignments for the proposed channel have been suggested ever since 1860, all aimed at cutting costs by cutting shipping time. However, when the Manmohan Singh government gave signs of starting implementation of the project, it ran into a wall of controversy.

A solution for the problem of beach erosion in both Meedhoo and Hulhudhoo islands in Addu atoll was to have breakwaters built around the affected areas as soon as possible, the Island Offices in both islands have said. Reporters who visited the island on Tuesday to see the erosion were shocked at the extent at which beach erosion had affected some regions of the beach. It was also apparent that Meedhoo was the more severe case of erosion.

Climate change could have "severe implications" for the Irish economy if its effects on water supply are not addressed, an expert has warned. Water supplies could be stretched by climate change Dr Conor Murphy, climate change expert and hydrologist, outlined his fears to the annual Engineers Ireland Conference in Limerick.

Here is an existential dilemma. They belonged to Bengal till they woke up one morning to find themselves in Jharkhand. Now both the states won't have them. Bengal won't have them because what was their village has submerged under the sea and they have scampered on to chars or new land emerging out of the sea which fall in Jharkhand. Jharkhand won't have them since they have papers that show them belonging to Bengal. And the chars of course will remain without any civic amenities as they are not revenue villages as yet.

people living in Sipasarubali near the coast in Puri, Orissa, are under threat. Waves have swept away parts of a beach in this popular tourist spot. While local residents are perturbed and visitors