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Karnataka, one of the rich, unique coastlines of the country but the picturesque 320-kilometre stretch flanked by the biodiversity hotspot of the Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea is facing an existential threat. The mushrooming of power plants, the rapid disappearance of mangrove forests and the coastal wetlands, and pollution have posed severe challenges to the thriving coastline of the state.However, sea erosion due to various factors has posed a severe threat to Karnataka's coastline, especially in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts, when compared to the Uttara Kannada district. The population density is much higher in these two districts, and dependency on the sea for livelihood is also greater. The sea erosion has affected thousands of fishermen, and the situation is likely to worsen.