Wildlife Mitigation Plan

WILDLIFE MITIGATION PLAN FOR THE PROJECT REPLACEMENT OF BOTH OFFSHORE PIPELINES FROM NARARA BET TO SPMs AND INTERCONNECTING LOOP LINE BETWEEN SPMs, REPLACING AND RELOCATING PIPE LINE END MANIFOLD AND INSTALLATION OF SPM BUOY AT GULF OF KACHCHH, VADINAR COAST, GUJARAT

PROJECT PROPONENT

INDIAN OIL CORPORATION LIMITED (PIPELINES DIVISION) VADINAR, GUJARAT

INDOMER

CONTENTS

CONTENTS i

1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 1.1. Background 1.1 1.2. Project proponent 1.2 1.3. Brief project description 1.2 1.4. Location, nature and size of the project 1.3 1.5. Need for the project 1.3 1.6. Chronology of important events 1.4 1.7. Scope of the mitigation plan 1.4

2. PROJECT DESCRIPTION 2.1 2.1. Project location 2.1 2.2. Existing facilities 2.3 2.3. Proposed facilities 2.7 2.3.1. Pipe laying methodology 2.8 2.3.2. Leak and accident prevention 2.9 2.3.3. Decommissioning of existing lines 2.10

3. ECOLOGY AND BIODIVERSITY ASSESSMENT 3.1 3.1. Land Use/Land Cover 3.2 3.2. Environmental sensitivity 3.5 3.3. Pipeline crossing and corridor in the protected areas 3.6 3.4. Marine ecology and biodiversity 3.16 3.4.1. Coastal vegetation 3.16 3.4.2. Mangroves 3.18 3.4.3. Seaweeds 3.22 3.4.4. Sea grass 3.24 3.4.5. Corals 3.24 3.4.6. Molluscs 3.30 3.4.7. Fishes 3.30 3.4.8. Reef fishes 3.34 3.4.9. Turtles 3.36 3.4.10. Coastal birds 3.36 3.4.11. Marine mammals 3.37

4. BIODIVERSITY IMPACT ASSESSMENT AND MITIGATION MEASURES 4.1 4.1. Identification, prediction and mitigation of impacts 4.1 4.2. marine environment - Construction phase 4.2 4.2.1. Impact due to construction in the offshore area 4.2 4.2.2. Impact due to construction in the nearshore area and intertidal zone 4.5 4.2.2.1. Impact on Mangroves 4.6 4.2.2.2. Impact on Intertidal zone without Mangroves 4.7 4.3. Marine environment - Operation phase 4.7 4.3.1. Impact due to oil spill 4.8 4.3.1.1. Impact on offshore waters 4.9 4.3.1.2. Biological impacts 4.10 4.3.1.3. Impact on Plankton 4.10 4.3.1.4. Impact on Benthos 4.10

Wildlife Mitigation Plan for the Project Replacement of Offshore Pipelines from Narara Bet to SPMs and Page i Interconnecting Loop Line Between SPMs, Replacing and Relocating Pipeline End Manifold and Installation of SPM Buoy at Gulf Of Kachchh, Vadinar Coast, Gujarat INDOMER 4.3.1.5. Impacts on corals 4.11 4.3.1.6. Impacts on Fish and shellfish 4.11 4.3.1.7. Impact on Fisheries 4.12 4.3.1.8. Impacts on Seabirds 4.13 4.3.1.9. Impacts on Marine Mammals 4.13 4.3.1.10. Impact on Microbes 4.13 4.3.1.11. Impact on Sea Plants 4.13 4.3.1.12. Impacts on Sea bottom 4.14 4.3.1.13. Impact on sediment quality 4.14 4.3.1.14. Impacts on Shoreline 4.15 4.3.1.15. Impacts on Mangroves 4.15 4.3.2. Impact due to ship discharges 4.18 4.4. Terrestrial environment 4.19

5. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN 5.1 5.1. Environmental Management Plan – Construction phase 5.1 5.1.1. Construction site management 5.1 5.1.2. Trenching and piling management 5.2 5.1.3. Mangrove Management Plan 5.3 5.2. Environmental Management Plan - Operational phase 5.9 5.2.1. Corrosion Management Plan 5.9 5.2.2. Leak and accidental spill management 5.10 5.2.3. Mangrove and Coral Management Plan 5.11 5.3. Institutional arrangement 5.12 5.4. Implementation of EMP 5.13

6. POST PROJECT MONITORING 6.1 6.1. Environmental impact matrix 6.1 6.2. Post project monitoring program 6.2 6.3. Review and reporting 6.2 6.4. Onsite mock drill 6.2

7. CONCLUSION AND ACTIVITIES RECOMMENDED FOR MITIGATION 7.1

Wildlife Mitigation Plan for the Project Replacement of Offshore Pipelines from Narara Bet to SPMs and Page ii Interconnecting Loop Line Between SPMs, Replacing and Relocating Pipeline End Manifold and Installation of SPM Buoy at Gulf Of Kachchh, Vadinar Coast, Gujarat INDOMER

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1. Background

Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL), an integrated energy major Public Sector Unit company operates 2660 km long Salaya - Mathura Pipeline from Salaya near Vadinar in Devbhumi Dwarka District (earlier Jamnagar District) on the coast of Vadinar to bring Crude Oil to Indian Oil refineries located at Koyali in Gujarat, Mathura in Uttar Pradesh and Panipat in Haryana.

For the receipt of Crude Oil, Single Point Mooring systems (SPMs) are operated at Gulf of Kachchh of Vadinar coast with offshore and onshore pipelines connected to nearshore Crude Oil Terminal (COT) of 50 MMTPA capacity. The offshore terminal has been in operation since 1978 with Country's first Single Point Mooring system. Presently, there are two SPM terminals installed at Vadinar to facilitate Crude Oil unloading. The second SPM was commissioned in 1997 with a loop line connecting SPM E1 and SPM E2.

SPM E1 is connected to the tank farm through 5.3 km long offshore (submarine) pipeline and 5.7 km long onshore pipeline. The SPM E2 is connected to the tank farm through 6.3 km long offshore (submarine) pipeline and 5.7 km long onshore pipeline. SPM E1 and SPM E2 are connected through 2.1 km long loop line to facilitate unloading of tankers through simultaneous flow from SPM E1 & SPM E2 and to facilitate periodic pigging operation of both the pipelines. All the applicable clearances are in place for existing operation.

Since existing SPM E1 & SPM E2 offshore lines were laid ages ago in 1978 and 1997, with the passage of time these lines are nearing their life span. A recent survey on existing lines noticed several anomalies like reduction in wall thickness. As a long-term solution and looking into site- specific protected areas like Marine National Park, Marine Sanctuary and Reserved Forest area, IOCL has proposed to replace the offshore portion of both the SPM lines.

As unloading operation from the existing facilities cannot be stopped, IOCL at first plans to install new SPM buoys about 2 km away from the existing location. Upon successful commissioning of the new offshore section, the existing offshore section of the pipeline will be decommissioned following prevailing guidelines.

The project does not involve any increase in the volume of the crude oil handled from existing approval of 50 MMTPA, no change in purpose and entails laying of similar diameter pipelines as laid earlier.

The project in brief includes the following:

i. Laying of a new offshore pipeline from Narara bet isolation valves to new PLEM locations.

ii. Discard both the existing PLEMs and install new PLEMs at proposed locations.

iii. Installation of SPM N1 and SPM N2 at new PLEM locations.

iv. New offshore lines will be hooked up with the existing onshore pipelines at Narara bet isolation valves.

1.2. Project proponent

Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL), India’s flagship national oil company and downstream petroleum major was incorporated in 1959. It is the largest commercial enterprise in India and a Fortune “Global 500” Company.

The Indian Oil Group of companies owns and operates 11 of India's 23 refineries with a combined refining capacity of 80.7 MMTPA. The company operates the largest and the widest network of petrol and diesel stations in the country. It provides Indane cooking gas to the doorsteps of 14.8 Crore households through a network of about 12,000 distributors. Indian Oil's Aviation Service commands a 60% market share in the aviation fuel business meeting the fuel needs serving national and international flag carriers, private airlines and the Indian defense services.

IOCL has one of Asia's finest downstream petroleum R&D center at Faridabad. With four decades of pioneering work in lubricants formulation, refinery processes and pipeline transportation, the Centre has garnered about 800 patents of which nearly 550 are international patents.

Indian Oil also has successfully combined its corporate social responsibility agenda with its business offerings, meeting the energy needs of millions of people every day, across the country. The Corporation has been partnering communities in which it operates by supporting innumerable initiatives connected with health, family welfare, education, environment protection, provision of potable water, sanitation, and empowerment of women and other marginalized groups.

Currently, Indian Oil refineries are on the last leg of upgradations to produce world-class BS-VI compliant automotive fuels for supplies across the country next year.

Indian Oil Pipeline Division

Indian Oil Pipeline Division operates a network of 14,200 km cross-country pipelines for transporting crude oil, refined petroleum products and natural gas with cumulative throughput of 94.20 MMTPA for crude oil & petroleum products and 21.69 MMSCMD for gas. Also, it owns and operates two SPM terminal at Vadinar and three SPM terminal at Paradip.

1.3. Brief project description

Indian Oil Corporation Limited has been operating an Offshore terminal since 1978 at Vadinar with country's first-ever Single Point Mooring (SPM) system. Presently, there are two SPM terminals installed in the Gulf of Kachchh of Vadinar coast. The second SPM system was commissioned in 1997 with a loop line connecting SPM E1 and SPM E2.

The project does not involve any increase in the volume of the crude oil handled from existing approval capacity, no change in purpose and entails laying of similar diameter pipelines as laid earlier.

1.4. Location, nature and size of the project

Project Location: IOCL crude oil terminal and marine offshore terminal at Vadinar is situated on the southern shore of Gulf of Kachchh, Devbhumi Dwarka District, Gujarat. Project location offers important trade link between neighbouring oil-producing countries like Iran, Yemen, Oman and United Arab Emirates etc. as it stands close to the marine trading route. Location map is shown below.

Location map

Nature of Project: Replacement of subsea crude oil pipelines and associated facilities.

Size of the Project: Project only intends to replace both the existing offshore subsea crude oil pipelines and interconnecting loop line connecting new SPMs. The proposal does not involve any increase in the volume of the existing approved handling capacity of 50 MMTPA.

1.5. Need for the project

IOCL, Vadinar unit operates 2660 km long Salaya-Mathura Pipeline from Salaya (near Vadinar) to bring crude oil to IOCL refineries at Koyali in Gujarat, Mathura in Uttar Pradesh and Panipat in Haryana. Hence, IOCL Vadinar unit serves as one of the vital links of energy distribution in India.

Wildlife Mitigation Plan for the Project Replacement of Offshore Pipelines from Narara Bet to SPMs and Section 1 Interconnecting Loop Line Between SPMs, Replacing and Relocating Pipeline End Manifold and Installation of SPM Buoy Page 1.3 at Gulf Of Kachchh, Vadinar Coast, Gujarat INDOMER Existing SPM E1 and subsea offshore line 1, SPM E2 and subsea offshore line 2 at Vadinar was laid around 42 years and 23 years ago respectively. Since pipelines were laid long ago a health assessment study is conducted to ensure capability of these lines in carrying the crude oil unloaded at offshore. Survey noticed several anomalies like reduction in wall thickness and suggested replacement of offshore lines and interconnecting loop line between SPMs.

In order to serve this purpose, IOCL proposed to replace existing offshore lines and interconnecting loop line between SPMs. Project will ensure energy demands of Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana will be met through continuous operation of IOCL Vadinar unit.

1.6. Chronology of important events

Sl. No. Event Date 1 Issue of ToR by MoEF&CC 14.05.2019 2 Issue of CTE by GPCB 20.07.2020 3 Public hearing for the project 07.08.2020 4 Wildlife clearance at SBWL 10.12.2020 5 CRZ clearance from GCZMA 25.02.2021 6 Wildlife clearance at NBWL 10.03.2021 7 EC recommendation by EAC of MoEF&CC 31.03.2021 8 Forest clearance-Stage-1 approval 30.04.2021

1.7. Scope of the mitigation plan

i) To provide details of the species Wildlife in Forest and Eco sensitive Zone.

ii) To Identify the Impacts due to the project and suggest suitable mitigation measures

iii) To Elaborate on the Environment Management Plan Proposed by the client

iv) To Identify Budgets for implementation of mitigation efforts.

2. PROJECT DESCRIPTION

2.1. Project location

Site Description: Proposed project site is located in Gulf of Kachchh on its southern shore at Vadinar coastal village in Khambhalia Taulka, Devbhumi Dwaraka District, Gujarat. Project site forms part of Narara Bet, Gulf of Kachchh Marine National Park and Marine Sanctuary (Ist National Park in India). Project location superimposed on Hydrographic chart is shown below.

Location map superimposed on Hydrographic chart

Vadinar and nearby islands are a famous tourist destination (Narara) known for its rich and diverse marine biodiversity. Vadinar coast which is very typical in its characteristics with the presence of wide and long intertidal flats consist of sand ripples, mangroves, diverse benthic organisms, birds and corals. The coastline supports high level biodiversity. Tidal flats of about 2 km wide get completely exposed during low tide and during high tide, it gets completely inundated. During low tide hours, Narara bet is open for tourists to experience rare marine features.

Marine National Park and Sanctuary: The entire southern coast of Gulf of Kachchh is noticed under MNP and MS. Project site is surrounded by islands such as Kalubhar island on west and Goose reef, Didika Mundeka & Pirotan island on the east which forms as part of Marine National Park and Marine Sanctuary of Gulf of Kachchh. Marine Sanctuary of the project site is dominated with the presence of intertidal features and dead corals in majority whereas Marine National park contains live corals and associated fauna.

Nearby Industries: Calm wave activity in the Gulf of Kachchh and proximity to Middle East countries, Salaya -Vadinar-Sikka coast also serves as land for major Oil Refineries, Thermal Power Plant, Fertilizer Industries etc. Eleven SPMs are in operation namely, Nayara Energy Limited (1),

Wildlife Mitigation Plan for the Project Replacement of Offshore Pipelines from Narara Bet to SPMs and Section 2 Interconnecting Loop Line Between SPMs, Replacing and Relocating Pipeline End Manifold and Installation of SPM Buoy Page 2.1 at Gulf Of Kachchh, Vadinar Coast, Gujarat INDOMER Bharat Oman Refinery Limited (1), Reliance Petroleum Limited (5) and Indian Oil Corporation Limited (2), HMEL (1) and Adani (1) are operating in this area. IOCL and Nayara are located in the conservancy of Deendayal Port Trust, which provides pilotage and associated facilities for offshore operation. Fertilizer plant of GSFC, Reliance Industries Limited, Essar Oil Refinery are major industries under operation near to project site. Also, this coast includes major captive jetties of the above industries. Overall, Vadinar coast is an Industrial hub on the periphery of rare marine features.

Site Connectivity

Road connectivity: Project site is well connected with State Highway No. 6 at 16 km south.

Rail connectivity: The nearest railway station is located at Jam Khambhaliya which is about 30 km southwest.

Air connectivity: The nearest domestic airport is Jamnagar at 30 km southeast and the international airport is Ahmedabad. The nearest urban area is Sikka at 13 km southeast. Villages in the 10 km site radius include those like Singach, Vadinar and Bharan.

Salient features of project region

The salient features of the project site are given below.

Sl. No. Particulars Details Vadinar village, Khambhaliya Taluka, Devbhoomi Dwarka 1 Location Gujarat 2 Toposheet No. F42J11 3 Current land use MNP, MS, ESZ, Forest area and open sea (pipeline route) 4 Nearest Village Vadinar and Singach 5 Taluka Khambhaliya 6 Nearest town/urban area Sikka (～13 km SE) 7 Nearest highway SH 6 8 Nearest railway station Jam Khambhaliya (～ 30 km SW) 9 Nearest airport Jamnagar airport (～ 30 km SE) 10 Nearest port Vadinar port (～5.5 km West) 11 Nearest water bodies Gulf of Kachchh Bharat Oman Refinery Limited (～ 6 km Southeast) Reliance Petroleum Limited (～17 km Southeast) 12 Industries Nayara Energy Limited (～ 9 km Southwest) GSFC (～11 km southeast) Protected areas (National Gulf of Kachchh Marine National Park, Marine Sanctuary and 13 parks/ sanctuaries) Eco-sensitive zone 14 Forest area Forest area under section 20 Gulf of Kachchh Marine National Park, Marine Sanctuary and 15 Ecologically Sensitive Areas Eco-Sensitive Zone Forest Area (mangroves) 16 Seismic Zone Zone IV (High risk zone) 17 BSF Posts No 18 Defense installations No *All distances are measured as aerial distances from Land Fall Point.

2.2. Existing facilities

Existing offshore facilities consist of the following:

i) Single Point Mooring system (2 Nos.) ii) Pipe Line End Manifold (2 Nos.) iii) Subsea crude oil offshore pipeline connecting SPMs & Narara Bet isolation valves (2 Nos.) and interconnecting loop line between SPMs. i) Single Point Mooring (SPM)

The marine terminal at Vadinar consists of two SPMs (SPM E1 & SPM E2). Location details of existing SPM E1 and SPM E2 are given below.

UTM Coordinates Geographic Coordinates Distance from Year Details (UTM Zone 42) WGS 84 LFP commissioned X (m) Y (m) Latitude N Longitude E (km) SPM E1 570111.8 2488823.2 22°30'34" 69°42'04" 1978 5.3 SPM E2 572109.2 2489385.9 22°30'16" 69°40'54" 1997 6.3

*Representation Image for SBM operational facilities.

The Single Point Mooring (SPM) system comprises of a buoy moored to the seabed by anchor legs connected to the anchor points, having a rotating part carrying the mooring and product transfer equipment. The buoy is secured by chains called as Catenary Anchor Leg Mooring (CALM). This facilitates the buoy to keep its position during rising as well receding tide. This system is a preferred option in open sea and exposed locations, which permit the moored tanker to swing freely around it allowing the vessel to orient itself in most advantageous position under

Specially designed hoses are permanently flanged to pipes leading to a central swivel and offloaded crude oil flows from the tanker to the body of the buoy and then through the under buoy hoses to Pipeline End Manifold (PLEM) permanently installed on the seabed below the SPM which is anchored to the sea bed with six anchors driven into seabed. Hoses connected below the SPM called under-buoy hoses which connect through buoy to the Pipe Line End Manifold (PLEM). Offloaded crude oil is then transferred through subsea pipeline to the tankfarm location.

SPM terminal is designed to accommodate various range of vessel sizes ranging from 1,20,000 DWT to 3,15,000 DWT.In general average water depth required for safe mooring and discharging of tankers is about 30-35 m. ii) Pipe Line End Manifold (PLEM) and Subsea Pipelines

Pipeline End Manifold (PLEM) is permanently installed at the seabed below the Single Buoy Mooring which is anchored to the seabed using anchors driven into the seabed. The PLEM is a junction point which connectes concrete coated 42’’ subsea pipelines and underbuoy hoses from SPM buoys and for transfer of crude oil to the shore based tankages.

The central swivel type pipe connections enable liquids to pass through the buoy while the vessel and deck rotate around the central axis of the buoy. The lengths of under-buoy hoses and floating hoses are provided in such way that it takes care of tidal variation. The hoses are never given any other undue stresses except the pressure while pumping and the stresses as a result of currents in open Gulf.

The SPM E1 and SPM E2 are connected to nearshore tank farm by 42" OD subsea pipelines of 5.3 km and 6.3 km long respectively. Both the SPMs are also inter-connected by a 2.1 km long, 42" OD submarine pipeline.

This arrangement facilitates shore based pigging of the entire pipeline system. In the crude oil terminal, a pig launcher is connected to the first onshore line through a Tee connection. A pig receiver is provided on the second onshore line with another Tee connection. A pig launcher pump is installed to push the pig all along the pipeline through the existing PLEM, loop line, submarine pipeline to the onshore pipeline and finally to the pig receiver. The pig launcher pump is also provided with alarm facilities to monitor the discharge pressure.

In order to reduce internal corrosion due to presence of water & sediments in crude oil, Corrosion inhibitor dosing from SPM buoy is done with the help of support tug fitted with inhibitor storage tanks and dosing pumps.

Plan of existing SPM, onshore and offshore pipelines iii) Crude oil offloading operation

Using tugs of Deendayal Port Trust, tankers are moored to the SPMs using mooring ropes. The two strings of floating hoses are lifted by a crane of the tanker and are connected to the tanker’s manifold. When not in use, these hoses float freely in the sea and have butterfly valves to blind the line to prevent spillage of oil.

Before commencement of discharge of the crude oil, shore tanks are aligned, and tank valves are opened for receipt of the cargo. The inlet and outlet valves of the shore tanks are motor operated (MOV) and are remotely operatead from Control Room during normal operation condition. In case of any emergency valves can be operated locally also During the unloading of a tanker, there is a constant watch on the SPM system & hoses, further hourly figures are exchange between vessel & terminal to closely monitor susceptibility of any leakage orThe operation of connection and disconnection of hoses and repaire & maintenance of offshore facilities is carried out by IOCL by engaging expert agencies in the field.

A typical sketch of Single Point Mooring, Floating hose and PLEM arrangement

Schematic sketch of existing subsea lines and SPMs of IOCL, Vadinar

2.3. Proposed facilities

Both the existing SPMs and associated offshore facilities will be replaced with new SPMs and subsea pipelines at proposed new location close to the existing facilities.

Route of the existing and proposed pipeline is shown below.

Route map of the existing and proposed pipeline

UTM Coordinates Geographic Coordinates Distance from Details (UTM Zone 42) WGS 84 LFP (km) X m Y m Latitude N Longitude E SPM N1 572821.6 2491303.6 22°31'36.23" 69°42'29.23" 6.9 SPM N2 570722.7 2491235.7 22°31'34.34" 69°41'15.74" 7.8 LFP N1 574609.3 2484728.6 22°28'2.14" 69°43'30.70" - LFP N2 574600.1 2484724.7 22°28'2.01" 69°43'30.39" - Loop line between SPM N1 and SPM N2 – 2.1 km Distance between existing SPM E1 and proposed SPM N1 – 2.0 km Distance between existing SPM E2 and proposed SPM N2 – 2.5 km Water Depth at proposed SPM N1 – 34.7 m CD Water Depth at proposed SPM N2 – 36.7 m CD

Proposed SPM N1 and SPM N2 will be connected to Nararabet valves by 42" OD subsea pipelines of 6.9 km and 7.8 km long respectively. Both the SPMs will be interconnected through a 2.1 km long, 42" OD submarine loop line.

Offshore subsea pipelines will be hooked up with existing onshore pipeline at Narara bet LFP.Post commissioning of new offshore lines, existing old offshore sections/lines shall be decommissioned as per recommended guidelines.

Existing operational procedure, handling capacity, vessels handled, land fall point, onshore facilities and crude oil terminal will remain the same.

2.3.1. Pipe laying methodology

Pipeline on-bottom stability analysis are summarized in Table below.

Selected Pipeline Segment Water Depth Pipeline S. No. Conc. Coating w.r.t CD (m) Installation From To Thk. (mm) Pipeline from LFP to SPM N1 KP 0.0 1 KP 2.920 0 - 20 Trenching 120 (LFP N1) 2 KP 2.920 KP 6.894 20 – 34.7 On seabed 120 Pipeline from LFP to SPM N2 KP 0.0 1 KP 2.875 0 - 20 Trenching 120 (LFP N2) 2 KP 2.875 KP 7.822 20 – 36.7 On seabed 120 Pipeline from SPM N1 to SPM N2 1 KP 0.0 KP 2.100 34.7 – 36.7 On seabed 120

Trenching: Offshore pipeline shall be installed by pre-trenching methodology and buried by backfilling after hydrostatic testing of pipeline between 1.5 m to 2.5 m cover/ burial from the top of concrete coated pipe with respect to nearby undisturbed seabed level.

Wildlife Mitigation Plan for the Project Replacement of Offshore Pipelines from Narara Bet to SPMs and Section 2 Interconnecting Loop Line Between SPMs, Replacing and Relocating Pipeline End Manifold and Installation of SPM Buoy Page 2.8 at Gulf Of Kachchh, Vadinar Coast, Gujarat INDOMER In shallower water regions near shoreline, where the pipelay barge cannot approach due to lack of draught, the pipeline shall be by using shore-pulling techniques. A pulling head shall be welded to the pipeline onboard the pipelay vessel and then the pipeline section shall be laid by using a pulling winch located onshore. The winch shall be suitably anchored to counter the reaction forces expected during shore-pull procedure. The winch capacity requirement may be optimized by placing support buoys along the pipe string.

On seabed: The offshore pipeline shall be installed by a pipelay barge of adequate capacity using S-lay method as shown in figure below. The concrete coated line pipes shall be transported from onshore storage yard to the pipelay barge using a suitable vessel. Once the pipelines are transferred onto the pipelay vessel using the onboard cranes, the pipes will be transferred to the vessel firing line one by one. The line pipes will be welded inline using automatic welding techniques. This will be followed by non-destructive testing to ensure that the desired weld quality has been achieved.

The entire welding procedure shall be carried out at pipelay barge only and therefore there shall not be any pollution to environment on account of these activities.

S Lay pipeline installation technique

Subsequently, field joint coating shall be applied over the pipeline before transferring the pipeline through the tensioner and stinger into the water. The stinger configuration shall be such that it prevents excessive straining of pipe in the overbend region. The pipeline configuration at the sag bend shall be controlled by the onboard tensioners.

Back filling: The pipe trench will be backfilled with excavated soil. In areas where the backfill material is regarded to damage the pipe coating due to the presence of rocks or stones, sand shall be used to protect the pipelines.

Restoration: Restoration of proposed corridor and adjacent area will be progressively followed upon completion of construction activity in order to encourage the ecological restoration.

2.3.2. Leak and accident prevention

To ensure safety in petroleum installations and pipelines, continuous efforts are required for carrying out various periodical inspection and maintenance.

Wildlife Mitigation Plan for the Project Replacement of Offshore Pipelines from Narara Bet to SPMs and Section 2 Interconnecting Loop Line Between SPMs, Replacing and Relocating Pipeline End Manifold and Installation of SPM Buoy Page 2.9 at Gulf Of Kachchh, Vadinar Coast, Gujarat INDOMER b) Integrity Test: In line OISD-139 Half yearly pressure testing of the SPM system (not the pipeline) with test pressure shall be 150% of the maximum working pressure but limited to rated pressure. c) Oil Spill Mock Drills: Oil spill Mock drills are being carried out on regular basis involving all the mutual aid parties, port authorities and Indian Coast Guard to replicate the actual scenario of oil spill and combat efforts. To assess stability of pipeline alignment and any threat to its safety from external sources, following three types of surveys are conducted

 Free span (by seabed washout) survey  Lateral displacement (by heavy turbulence by severe cyclones) survey  Debris (dumped by traversing ships in vicinity) survey  Continuous soil to pipeline survey

Marine spread around SPM System: IOCL has lined up a dedicated contractor for Operation & Maintenance of the existing SPMs & related offshore pipelines. Diving support vessel, a pollution response vessel, a tug and two boats are deployed around the SPM system for handling the operation, Maintenance, Oil spill preparedness and any contingency. Required manpower for the jobs is present on the vessels/boats. The oil spill equipment as per the requirement of (Tier-I) are present onboard the pollution response vessel. The diving support vessel is equipped with firefighting facility and water flushing arrangement to flush the lines in case of any exigency.

2.3.3. Decommissioning of existing lines

Decommissioning of existing pipelines will be done as per procedure laid down by Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas for "Site Restoration and Abandonment for Petroleum Operations, 2017".

Summary of guidelines to be followed is given below.

 Each pipeline abandoned in-situ must be disconnected from all sources and supplies of gas, purged of gas. However, the pipeline need not be purged when the volume of gas is so small that there is no potential hazard.

 Except for service lines, each inactive pipeline that is not being maintained under this part must be disconnected from all sources and supplies of gas. Whenever service to a customer is discontinued, one of the following must be complied with:

. The valve that is closed to prevent the flow of gas to the customer must be provided with a locking device or other means designed to prevent the opening of the valve by persons other than those authorized by the Contractor.

. A mechanical device or fitting that will prevent the flow of gas must be installed in the service line or in the meter assembly.

. The customer's piping must be physically disconnected from the gas supply and the open pipe ends sealed.

 If air is used for purging, the Contractor shall insure that a combustible mixture is not present after purging.

 Each abandoned vault must be filled with a suitable compacted material.

 Site shall be properly restored and cleared off from wastes etc.

3. ECOLOGY AND BIODIVERSITY ASSESSMENT

The Gulf of Kachchh, an inlet of the Arabian Sea in India is located between 22° 15' to 23° 40' N latitude and 68° 20' to 70° 40' E longitude. It has a length of over 170 km and a width of about 75 km at the mouth covering an area of approximately 7350 sq km with a mean depth of 30 m. The coastline and the intricate network of 42 islands situated in the Gulf have an assemblage of different ecologically sensitive ecosystems supporting over 800 species of different organisms. The Kachchh and peninsular regions of Saurashtra surrounding the Gulf of Kachchh fall under the administrative boundaries of Rajkot, Devbhumi Dwarka, Jamnagar and Kachchh Districts.

The Gulf of Kachchh is considered to be one of the richest ecosystems in Gujarat. Situated between Kachchh and Saurashtra peninsulas, it is characterised by the occurrence of diversity of habitats such as mudflats, beaches, rocky coast, offshore islands, marsh vegetation, patches of mangroves, seagrasses and coral reefs. Mangroves and coral reefs of the Gulf are considered as the richest biotic habitats. The flora of the study area is varied and cover mangroves, sea grasses and marine algae. Marine National Park, Marine Sanctuary, Forest area and Eco-sensitive map of Gulf of Kachchh is shown below.

(Source: Forest Department, Govt of Gujarat & BISAG) MNP, MS, Forest area and Eco-Sensitive Map of Gulf of Kachchh

Gujarat State government declared the biologically rich regions of the Gulf of Kachchh as a Marine Sanctuary in 1980. This was subsequently expanded in 1982 to cover a total area of 457.92 sq km. Intertidal regions of Narara bet and Kalubar areas as well as all Islands have been included in the marine protected area. With a view to provide additional protection 162.89 sq km of area which included 33 islands and some coastal areas were notified as a Marine National Park, which

Wildlife Mitigation Plan for the Project Replacement of Offshore Pipelines from Narara Bet to SPMs and Section 3 Interconnecting Loop Line Between SPMs, Replacing and Relocating Pipeline End Manifold and Installation of SPM Buoy Page 3.1 at Gulf Of Kachchh, Vadinar Coast, Gujarat INDOMER is the first Marine National Park of India. The additional area of 259.03 sq. km which includes the area of five islands and intertidal zone of the mainland falls under the Marine Sanctuary.

The major part of the study area consists mainly of the intertidal zone and of the intricate network of creeks, coral reefs and mangroves forests. The study area includes eastern intertidal areas of Kalubar island and the fringing Narara bet mangrove areas. The area falls under the jurisdiction of the Jamnagar Range of the Marine Protected Area. In the entire Gulf of Kachchh the mangroves of Narara bet is one of the richest in diversity and density.

The assessment area especially Narara bet and Kalubar regions have favourable hydrographic conditions for the development of ports as well as SPMs. Hence it is found that many SPMs are situated in this area. Results of assessment of Ecology and Biodiversity of the terrestrial (Vadinar, Singach, Jhakhar and Bharana villages) and marine ecosystems (coastal and marine areas near LFP) are detailed in this Chapter.

3.1. Land Use/Land Cover

Land use/ land cover mapping gives comprehensive idea on distribution of various spatial features in the study area. The land use map also helps in planning of project and to predict anticipated impacts, identification of sensitive zones etc. Remote sensing in combination with Geographic Information System (GIS) is used to map land use/ land cover of study area.

For land use mapping 10 km radial distance from Land Fall Point is considered. This covers an area of about 31391 ha. Land use map of study area is given below.

Land use / Land cover map

Land use either side of pipeline on 500 m of proposed offshore pipeline

Various geospatial techniques and satellite data and other relevant Govt. notifications were used to produce the LU/LC map of the study area. The present LU/LC map is classified based visual

Wildlife Mitigation Plan for the Project Replacement of Offshore Pipelines from Narara Bet to SPMs and Section 3 Interconnecting Loop Line Between SPMs, Replacing and Relocating Pipeline End Manifold and Installation of SPM Buoy Page 3.3 at Gulf Of Kachchh, Vadinar Coast, Gujarat INDOMER image interpretation techniques. Land use classes were identified based on its tone, texture, size, shape, pattern etc. along with ground truth verification.

The present map is prepared based on the LU/LC classification provided by the National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC). The Bhuvan thematic web map service layer was used as the background reference and the ground truth verification was carried out using GPS.

The details of different land use classes identified in the study area are described below:

(i) Built-up land: Built-up land of study area can be divided into Built-up (Rural) and Built-up (industrial). Built-up (Rural): Built-up land (rural) constitutes about 0.38% of the total area. Area under built up rural land are Vadinar and Singach village. All these built up area are dependent on agriculture, fisheries and nearby industrial units.

Built-up (Industrial area): Industries hold meager share of 1.22 % of the total area. This constitutes storage units of IOCL, Nayara Energy and BORL.

(ii) Agricultural land: Land under agriculture land exist in the south east and south western side of the LFP. Agricultural land contributes about 3.30% of the total area. Even though study area is known for its arid climatic conditions crops which require less water is being practiced. Wheat, Bajara, Castor, Cotton, Groundnut, Gram and Cumin are cultivated.

(iii) Water bodies: Water bodies in the study area include pond/stream/nallah. All the streams/nallah noticed during the assessment area are seasonal. Most part of the year these streams remain dry and which functions only during monsoon.

Water body in the study area forms 0.44% of total area and in major constitutes creek network of Gulf of Kachchh.

(iv) Salt pan: Saltpan constitutes 5% of the total area. Entire coast of Vadinar (either side of SH 6 c) is occupied with solar salt pan of Grasim Industries Limited (Singach saltworks) and Tata salt works.

(v) Protected Areas: Protected areas in the 10 km radius consist of Gulf of Kachchh (Narara bet and Kalubar Island) Marine National Park, Marine Sanctuary, Eco-sensitive zone and Forest area under section 20. Forest area includes mangroves of Narara bet. Protected area forms part of wide intertidal belt of Narara bet. Intertidal area constitutes a share of 26.38%.

Area Percentage Sl. No. LULC (ha) (%) 1 Rural Built up 120.50 0.38 2 Industries 384.49 1.22 3 Marine Interpretation Centre 5.35 0.02 4 Narara MNP Campsite 5.51 0.02 5 Agriculture Land 1034.84 3.30 6 Plantation 52.81 0.17 7 Land with Scrub 162.90 0.52 8 Land without Scrub 132.75 0.42 9 Barren Land 206.61 0.66 10 Mangroves 2094.89 6.67 11 Creek/River/Canals 118.03 0.38 12 Tank/Pond/Lake/Reservoir 22.58 0.07 13 Waterlogged area 44.52 0.14 14 Intertidal area 8279.49 26.38 15 Saltpan 1794.74 5.72 16 Bund Road 45.13 0.14 17 Jetty 1.27 0.00 18 Vadinar Port 17.65 0.06 19 Gulf of Kachchh 16866.94 53.73 Total 31391.00 100 (Source: ploted based on satellite imageries and MNP & MS map Gulf of Kachchh, Govt. of Gujarat)

Major land use class of 10 km study area contains Marine area (intertidal belt with MNP, MS & Forest area and coastal waters of Gulf of Kachchh) and salt pan area.

3.2. Environmental sensitivity

Environmental sensitivity of study area is studied using land use map, secondary information and relevant notification released by Govt. of Gujarat and Ministry of Environment and Climate Change for the study area. Finding of the study are briefly described below.

Sl. Details Findings No. 1 Dominant land use Intertidal area and water body Intertidal area (Marine National 2 Land use of pattern of project site Park, Marine Sanctuary, Forest Area) and Gulf of Kachchh Areas protected under international conventions, national or Yes, Gulf of Kachchh Marine 3 local legislation for their ecological, landscape, cultural, National Park heritage or other related value 4 Areas which are important or sensitive for ecological reasons Yes, Gulf of Kachchh Marine – wetlands, mangroves, watercourses or other water bodies, National Park and Sanctuary. coastal zone, biospheres, mountains, forests Coastal Zone and mangroves of Narara bet. 5 Areas used by protected, important or sensitive species of Yes, Gulf of Kachchh Marine flora or fauna for breeding, nesting, foraging, resting, over National Park and Sanctuary. wintering, migration 6 Inland, coastal, marine or underground waters Coastal waters of Gulf of Kachchh 7 State, national and international boundaries No 8 Routes or facilities used by the public for access to recreation Yes, tourist destination (Gulf of or other tourist, pilgrim areas Kachchh, Narara bet Marine National Park) 9 Defense installations No 10 Densely populated or built-up area No densely populated areas. 11 Areas occupied by sensitive man-made land uses (hospitals, No, closest artificial sensitive land schools, places of worship, community facilities) uses are found in village areas which are > 5 km away from LFP. 12 Areas containing important, high quality or scarce resources Yes, Gulf of Kachchh, Marine (groundwater resources, surface resources, forestry, National Park agriculture, fisheries, tourism, minerals) 13 Areas already subjected to pollution or environmental damage No (those where existing legal environmental standards are exceeded) 14 Areas susceptible to natural hazard, which could cause the Yes, study area is prone to project to present environmental problems (earthquakes, Earthquake, Storms and Cyclones. subsidence, landslides, erosion, flooding or extreme or adverse climatic conditions)

3.3. Pipeline crossing and corridor in the protected areas

Requirement of 4.9 ha in the Forest land and 41.1 ha in the Protected area (MNP, MS and ESZ)

 Based on Geophysical survey, pipeline routes were finalized keeping as close as possible to old lines. Since the Vadinar offshore facility is receiving crude oil to feed 3 major refineries, it is not possible to suspend the operation of existing facilities till new facilities are commissioned. Therefore, it has been planned to commission new offshore facilities prior to suspension of existing facilities. The new crude oil unloading facilities and pipeline routes are finalized at distance to continue safely uninterrupted operation of existing system during construction of new facilities and laying of new pipeline. Upon successful commissioning of the new crude oil unloading facilities and offshore pipelines, the existing facility and pipeline will be abandoned as per recommended guidelines.

Existing, Overlapped and Demanded area in the Protected area

 After construction, new offshore pipelines shall be hooked up with existing onshore pipelines at Narara bet. Therefore, the distance between the two pipelines at Narara bet shall be smallest and this distance shall gradually increase as it goes towards offshore side in wild life and high sea areas.

Demanded area in forest and protected area

Width Location Length (m) Area (m2) Area (ha) W1 (m) W2 (m) Pipeline in forest area 960 0 102 49000 4.9 Pipeline in MS 1200 0 226 136000 13.6 Pipeline in MNP 900 226 262 220000 22.0 Pipeline ESZ 200 262 297 55000 5.5

 Being in ecological sensitive environment of Marine National Park and carriage of crude oil which is highly pollutant in nature, utmost care shall be taken for safety and security of the pipelines. For installation of each offshore pipeline, around 10 m wide trench and 15- 20 m adjacent width along the trench shall be required for movement of vehicles/equipment during laying of new pipelines. As shown in the above drawings, pipelines are very close near Narara bet but widening as they go away from Narara bet. Though the large area falling between these two pipelines will not be disturbed during construction or operation, but required to be diverted as requested in our application so that this area is not used for any other purpose that may risk the crude oil pipeline in the highly eco sensitive area.

Hence, pipeline corridor demanding least area in Forest (section 20), Marine National Park, Marine Sanctuary and Eco-Sensitive area is selected. Proposed corridor does not cross any river, channel, road, rail, settlements and only laying of buried subsea crude oil pipelines in intertidal, subtidal and offshore will be undertaken. Details of area demanded in protected area is given below.

Forest under section 20: Part of the pipeline corridor in the forest area (section 20) to about a length of 350 m from the LFP consists of dense mangroves dominated by Avicennia Marina and the rest is beaches without the presence of any vegetation. These beaches are composed of waves formed ripples. Hence, laying of pipeline from the LFP to 350 m involves removal of mangroves falling in the proposed corridor.

Coordinates of demanded in the forest area for pipeline is given below.

Geographical coordinates (WGS 84) Sl. No Latitude, N Longitude, E A 22⁰ 28' 03.5008" 69⁰ 43' 33.0292" B 22⁰ 28' 30.0679" 69⁰ 43' 15.0079" C 22⁰ 28' 31.3196" 69⁰ 43' 18.2376" The total length of pipeline in the forest area = 960 m

Total demanded area in the forest (Section 20) = 4.9 ha

Demanded area map of forest area

Compensatory afforestation: For projects implemented by Public Sector Unit as per Section 2.5 (i) (f) of Handbook for forest clearance Dt. 28.03.2019, IOCL will raise compensatory afforestation twice in extent of diverted forest land in degraded forest land identified by forest department.

Marine National Park (MNP) and Marine Sanctuary (MS): Next to the forest area, MNP and MS area of Narara Bet begins. Narara Bet is fortified with dense and diverse intertidal organisms. It consists of crabs, octopus, fishes, algae colonies, seaweeds, live and dead coral reefs etc. Although marine sanctuary comprises of live corals, it is dominated with presence dead corals throughout.

Pipeline corridor in Marine National Park in major includes live corals.

Eco-Sensitive Area: In order to protect the MNP and MS area from industrial developments, MoEFCC has notified an area of 326.26 km2 as Eco-sensitive zone on 22nd August 2013. Proposed crude oil subsea lines will also pass through ESZ of Narara bet. A length of 200 m of the pipeline will fall inside this zone.

Total demanded area in Protected Area = 41.1 ha

Demanded area map of protected areas

Coordinates of pipeline demanded area in the Marine Sanctuary and Marine National Park area is given below.

Geographical coordinates (WGS 84) Sl. No. Latitude, N Longitude, E Marine Sanctuary D 22⁰ 28' 31.4447" 69⁰ 43' 18.5605" E 22⁰ 29' 04.7531" 69⁰ 42' 55.4068" F 22⁰ 29' 07.4619" 69⁰ 43' 02.3965" Marine National Park E 22⁰ 29' 04.7531" 69⁰ 42' 55.4068" F 22⁰ 29' 07.4619" 69⁰ 43' 02.3965" G 22⁰ 29' 31.3453" 69⁰ 42' 42.1971" H 22⁰ 29' 34.4749" 69⁰ 42' 50.2720" Eco-Sensitive Zone G 22⁰ 29' 31.3453" 69⁰ 42' 42.1971" H 22⁰ 29' 34.4749" 69⁰ 42' 50.2720" I 22⁰ 29' 37.0447" 69⁰ 42' 38.6878" J 22⁰ 29' 40.7948" 69⁰ 42' 48.3235" The total length of pipeline in the MS = 1200 m The total length of pipeline in the MNP = 900 m The total length of pipeline in the ESZ = 200 m Demanded Area Total demanded area in Marine Sanctuary = 13.6 ha Total demanded area in Marine National Park = 22 ha Total demanded area in Eco-Sensitive Zone = 5.5 ha Total Area in Protected Area = 41.1 ha

Demanded pipeline corridor in protected areas

Existing SPM operation at Gulf of Kachchh, Vadinar

IOCL Crude Oil Terminal Mangroves of Narara bet intertidal zone (mudflat)

IOCL existing pipeline corridor (LFP to offshore) Wide tidal flats of Narara bet during high tide

Marine Sanctuary (Narara Bet) along the pipeline corridor

Marine National Park (Narara Bet) along the pipeline corridor

Alternatives locations identified for SPM N1 and SPM N2 are shown below. Location has been finalized based on oceanographic survey and eco sensitivity of project location. Keeping the eco sensitivity of project location and optimum project cost, proposed corridor demanding minimum area in marine national park, marine sanctuary, eco sensitive area and forest area is selected.

Alternative routes identified for proposed subsea pipeline

3.4. Marine ecology and biodiversity

At project site, a general paucity of the flora and fauna is observed on the intertidal sandstones, while at some pools it is observed that there is an abundance of marine life.

Molluscs especially gastropods such as Small sea snails (Littorina spp.), the winkles or periwinkles, Astrea semicostata, Thais rudolphi, Cerithidea fluviatilis and Trochus niloticus are seen in the intertidal areas. Besides molluscs the common animals noticed are a few crabs. Below this a distinct zone of small barnacles, encrusting calcareous algae are found mixed with the barnacles. Many species of calcareous algae are also present. The subtidal zone has a thick growth of algae mainly Caulerpa racemosa. The area below the sandstone was harboring mostly Cerithium spp.

In the rock pools of the sandstones there are patchy growth of corals including Favia pallida, Goniastrea pectinata and Platygyra daedalea. A species of mussidae coral Acanthastrea hillae was also noticed.

The intertidal zones at several places is sandy and with mud flats. There are plenty of live boulder coral found in this area. The upper layer gets exposed at low tide. Coral growths of this area are patchy type either on intertidal sandstones or on the surface of wave-cut, eroded, shallow banks. The growth of corals reefs in Narara bet is confined only to intertidal sandstones or on the surface of totally submersible wave-cut banks. The coral fauna includes, Montipora venosa, Favites halicora, Platygyra daedalea, Symphyllia nobilis and Turbinaria spp. None of the common species such as Acropora, Pocillopora, Stylophora and Seriatopora was observed in living condition. The estimate of coverage is roughly less than 20%.

Intermittent with coral colonies there are many large sea anemones Discosoma spp. on sandy patches. More than 10 individuals were counted in about 1 m2.

3.4.1. Coastal vegetation

Coastal vegetation comprises of marine algal vegetation of littoral and sub littoral, phanerogamic and algal vegetation of salt and brackish marshes, vegetation of sand dunes, vegetation of shingle beaches, plants found on coastal cliffs and mangrove. Each of these types of vegetation grows under specific environmental gradient which subsequently leads to a distinct vegetation zonation in coastal or estuarine areas.

Most of the coastal flora grow in a wide variety of saline habitats, from coastal regions, salt marshes and mudflats, hinterland deserts, salt flats, etc. Coastal sandy patches along the Narara bet coast are intermittently covered with Ipomoea pescaprae. This is a sand binder protecting the underlying sand from wind.

Coastal vegetation in the Narara bet and surrounding 10 km radius of the LFP is patchy and comprised of mostly dwarf shrubby halophytes, with a few halophytic annuals and a mangrove tree species.

Among the species reported from this assessment Acacia planiforns, Pluchea arguta, Phoenix sylvestris were rare and present in some locations only. The dominant halophytic vegetation belongs to the families Poaceae, Asteraceae, Cyperaceae, and Chenopodiaceae. In the present study, Balanites aegyptiaca, Eucalyptus globulus, Aloe vera, Cassia auriculata, Datura metal and Grewia tenax etc. were also found near the villages which are not considered as halophytes but occur near the LFP of Narara bet.

Wildlife Mitigation Plan for the Project Replacement of Offshore Pipelines from Narara Bet to SPMs and Section 3 Interconnecting Loop Line Between SPMs, Replacing and Relocating Pipeline End Manifold and Installation of SPM Buoy Page 3.16 at Gulf Of Kachchh, Vadinar Coast, Gujarat INDOMER Little interior of the Narara bet, the soil is less sandy and saline and is colonized by Asparagus demosul, Aeluropus lagopoides, Cucumis pophretum, Celosia argentea, Hyptis suvavelans, Cenchrus biflorus and Urochondra setulosa.

The soil is halomorphic and it promotes the survival of many halophytic vegetation, chiefly Aeluropus, Cressa, Haloxylon, Heliotropium, Suaeda, Salicornia, Sporobolus etc. In the present study, coastal villages edged by sea and having high saline habitat appear to support minimum halophytes diversity. The following are the species of halophytes observed from 10 km surrounding coast.

Cucumis pophretum Indigofera cordifolia

List of halophytes noticed in the study area is given below.

List of halophytes in the study area

Species Status of species Aeluropus lagopoides (L.) Less abundant Bergia ammannioides Roxb. Common Chenopodium album L. Common Cressa cretica L. Less abundant Cyperus conglomeratus Rottb. Common Eleusine indica (L.) Gaertn Common Enicostema axillare (Lamk.) Common Evolvulus alsinoides (L.) L. Common Euphorbia tirucalli L. Uncommon Halopyrum mucronatum (L.) Very rare Haloxylon recurvum Bunge Rare Haloxylon salicornicum (Moq.) Less abundant Heliotropium curassavica L. Rare Indigofera cordifolia Roxb. Less abundant Ipomoea pescaprae (L.) Rare Juncus maritimus Lam. Very rare Limonium stocksii Kuntze Rare Salsola baryosma (Schult.) Common Salvadora persica L. Quite common Solanum incanum L. Not Common Tamarix stricta Boiss. Rare Tamarix troupii Hole Uncommon Trianthema triquetra Rottler & Willd. Less abundant Urochondra setulosa (Trin.) Less abundant

3.4.2. Mangroves

Mangrove vegetation has developed along protected bays, creeks and muddy flats along the Vadinar coast. The formations are isolated or contiguous and occur in the Narara bet along the coasts of the Gulf. The mangroves of Kachchh in general are of the open scrubby type with low wooded Avicennia marina and Rhizophora mucronata. In Narara bet mostly a single species is seen, i.e. A. marina while some patches were found mixed with Avicennia and Rhizophora. The mangroves at higher zones are found with Salicornia and Suaeda. Mangroves of Narara Bet and Kalubar Island

Three species/ sub species of Avicennia (A. marina, A. alba, A. officinalis), Rhizophora mucronata, Ceriops tagal, Bruguiera gymnorrhiza and Aegiceras corniculatum have been reported from Narara bet, whereas mangroves on shore have only the species of Avicennia. A. marina has stunted growth with their roots rising up from the mud while R. mucronata send arching prop roots down into the mud.

According to one estimate, the dense mangrove cover of Narara bet is spread over an area of 5.5 km2. About six species of mangroves and four associated species were recorded at Narara. Avicennia marina was the dominant species and species like Rhizophora mucronata were rarely seen. These mangroves are stunted in appearance not growing more than two to three meters in height. Salicornia brachiata, Suaeda fruticosa, Suaeda maritima and Sesuvium portulacastrum were irregularly seen along high saline areas.

Apart from the true mangroves, mangrove associates such as Salvadora persica, Salicornia brachiata, Suaeda fruticosa etc., were also observed.

Also, mangrove area has increased in the recent years due to extensive plantations made by the Forest Department. Selected areas of Narara bet have been afforested with A. marina by the Forest Department especially near the IOCL and ESSAR subsea pipeline corridor.

Avicennia marina Ceriops tagal

Salvadora persica Suaeda fruticosa

Pipeline corridor in mangrove area: Mangroves are present in the existing and demanded pipeline area. This forms part of Forest area under section 20.

Out of the toal demanded area of 4.9 Ha, mangroves are present in only 0.7-0.8 Ha and most of them are not envisaged to be disturbed during the construction work as IOCL has aligned its pipeline is such a way that pipeline passes through open area and hence causes minimum damage to the mangrove area leaving 0.7 Ha (the area having relatively higher mangrove density).

Further, in the existing area, some mangroves are expected to be damaged for which IOCL shall keep optimum fund in the mitigation plan to restore the site post construction work.

Less dense mangroves near LFP Mangrove marking near LFP area

mangroves at mid part of demanded area Mangrove marking in the demanded area

Sparse isolated tall mangroves at the tail end of mangrove demanded Mangrove marking at the tail end of mangrove demanded area area

Mangroves near Narara IOCL LFP

3.4.3. Seaweeds

Seaweeds are marine benthic algae and are multicellular, macrothallic, and is differentiated from algae that are of microscopic. They are of red, green, and brown and most commonly found in the littoral zones of Narara as well as throughout Kachchh region.

Many of the rocky beaches, mudflats, estuaries, coral reefs and lagoons of this zone along the project site and surrounding 10 km coast provide many suitable habitats for the growth of different species of seaweeds. There are about 39 species of red algae (Rhodophyceae), 25 species of green algae (Chlorophyceae) and 25 species of brown algae (Phaeophyceae) in Gulf of Kachchh Marine National Park. Most of the algal formations are observed in the coastal stretches of Narara bet and Kalubar islands.

Seaweeds are protein rich and are used for human consumption in the form of soup salad, curry etc. Jelly, jam, chocolate, pickle and wafer can be prepared from certain seaweeds. Seaweeds are ecologically and economically important marine ecosystem and make a substantial contribution to marine primary production and provide habitat to near shore benthic communities.

A luxuriant growth of seaweeds and Zoanthus sp was seen in the subtidal zone along with corals. Main seaweed species reported are Sargassum, Ulva reticulata, Gracilaria edulis, Melobesia farinosa, Amphiroa fragilissima, Cheilosporum, Spatoglossum and Jania rubens. Except Sargassum, the other algal flora showed patchy distribution. The occurrence of different species of algal growth is seasonal.

A list of seaweeds reported in and around the eastern side of Kalubar Island Narara bet and their importance and their uses by locals is given below.

Economically important marine macro algae reported from Narara bet and Kalubar island

S. No. Name of the taxa Importance Medicinal properties Chlorophyceae Ulvaceae 1 Ulva compressa L. Edible, Fodder, Medicinal Anti allergic activities 2 Ulva fasciata Delile Edible, Fodder, Medicinal Antibacterial activity Edible, Fodder, Medicinal, Insecticidal and fungicidal 3 Ulva lactuca L. Manure activity 4 Ulva reticulata Forssk. Edible, Medicinal Antibacterial activity 5 Ulva rigida C. Agardh Edible, Medicinal Antioxidant activity Acrosiphoniaceae Acrosiphonia orientalis (J. Agardh) P.C. 6 Medicinal - Silva Bryopsidaceae Treatment of lung cancer, 7 Bryopsis plumosa (Huds.) C. Agardh - tumours and AIDS. Caulerpaceae 8 Caulerpa peltata J.V. Lamour. Edible, Fodder, Manure - 9 Caulerpa racemosa (Forssk.) J. Agardh Edible - Caulerpa sertularioides (S. G. Gmel.) M. 10 Edible, Fodder, Manure - Howe Edible, Fodder, Medicinal, 11 Caulerpa taxifolia (Vahl) C. Agardh To control cellular growth. Manure

S. No. Name of the taxa Importance Medicinal properties Phaeophyceae Dictyotaceae Edible, Fodder, Medicinal, 12 Dictyota bartayresiana J. V. Lamour. - Manure Lobophora variegata (J. V. Lamour.) 13 Industrial - Womersley ex E. C. Oliveira Edible, Fodder, Industrial, 14 Padina gymnospora (Kutz.) Sond. - Manure Edible, Fodder, Industrial, 15 Padina tetrastromatica Hauck - Manure Sargassaceae Edible, Manure, Industrial 16 Sargassum tenerrimum J. Agardh - (Agaroid) Edible, Fodder, Industrial 17 Sargassum wightii Grev. - (Algin) 18 Turbinaria ornata (Turner) J. Agardh Edible, Industrial (Agaroid) - Rhodophyceae Bangiaceae Porphyra kanyakumariensis V. 19 Edible - Krishnam. & Baluswami Gelidiaceae 20 Gelidium micropterum Kutz. Edible, Industrial (Agar) - 21 Gelidium pusillum (Stackhouse) Le Jolis Industrial (Agar) - Gelidiella acerosa (Forssk.) J. Feldmann 22 Industrial (Agar) - & G. Hamel Gracilariaceae Gracilaria corticata (J. Agardh) J. 23 Industrial (Agar) - Agardh Gracilaria corticata (J. Agardh) J. 24 Industrial (Agar) - Agardh var. cylindrica M.U. Rao 25 Gracilaria foliifera (Forssk.) Borgesen Industrial - 26 Gracilaria verrucosa (Huds.) Papenf. Manure, Industrial (Agar) - Halymeniaceae Grateloupia filicina (J. V. Lamour.) Edible, Industrial 27 - C.Agardh (Carageenan) 28 Jania adherens J. V. Lamour Industrial - Hypneaceae Hypnea musciformis (Wulf.) J. V. Edible, Medicinal, Inhibits TNBS induced 29 Lamour. Industrial (Carageenan) intestinal damage in rats Edible, Medicinal, 30 Hypnea valentiae (Turner) Mont. Antibacterial Industrial (Carageenan) Rhodomelaceae Acanthophora spicifera (Vahl.) 31 Edible, Industrial (Agaroid) - Borgesen Centroceras clavulatum (C. Agardh) Anthelminthic and insecticidal 32 Medicinal Mont. activities 33 Chondria armata (Kuetz.) Okamura Medicinal Domoic acid, kainik acid 34 Laurencia.paillosa (C. Agardh) Grev. Medicinal Domoic acid, kainik acid

Sargassum sp. Ulva sp.

3.4.4. Sea grass

Many edible fishes, crabs, prawns are associated with sea grass beds of Narara bet. Sea grass meadows prevent coastal erosion and pollution and sedimentation of coastal waters, stabilize the bottom of coastal areas, and trap nutrients and are indicators of coastal ecosystem health.

The sea grass is one of the important primary producers and serves as habitat, feeding and nursery grounds for many endangered species like dugong, sea turtles as well as many recreationally important fish species. The only sea grass found abundant in the Narara bet is Halophila beccarii. Thalassia hermprichii is also found rarely on the coastal side of the reef flats of Narara Reef. Some of the other seagrasses are Halophila ovalis, Halophila beccarii, Zostrea marina, Halodule uninervis and Halophila ovata. None of these species were found on the intertidal region where IOCL pipeline leads to SPM in the Narara Bet. The deeper regions beyond the reef are muddy and turbid which is not suitable for the growth of either coral or sea grass.

3.4.5. Corals

The abundant and significant fauna found in the intertidal regions of Narara Bet and Vadinar Coast are sponges, corals, tube worms, different species of molluscs, sipunculids, annelids, crabs and echinoderms. Species of crabs, shrimps, prawns, lobsters, etc. are of commercial value as food. Usually, the intertidal area has an excellent diversity of invertebrate fauna supported by different species of crabs, gastropods and bivalves. Intertidal region of Narara Bet

The rocky fore reef of the Narara Bet faces a strong surf and wave action, which is the most diverse habitat for different species of top shells, periwrinkles, nudibranchs, oysters and a variety of algae; whereas, the mangrove swamps situated in the fore front of the Narara Bet mostly support a few gastropod species like telescope shells and a variety of mud crabs. This is being harvested often by the local fishermen.

Wildlife Mitigation Plan for the Project Replacement of Offshore Pipelines from Narara Bet to SPMs and Section 3 Interconnecting Loop Line Between SPMs, Replacing and Relocating Pipeline End Manifold and Installation of SPM Buoy Page 3.24 at Gulf of Kachchh, Vadinar Coast, Gujarat INDOMER In the Land Fall Point of Narara Bet as well as 10 km surrounding area, only a few species have been reported till date. Crabs, molluscs and fishes constitute the most economically important groups of animals from the assessment area.

The corals in the Gulf of Kachchh survive through extreme environmental conditions such as high temperature, salinity changes and high-suspended particulate loads. Coral reefs of the Gulf of Kachchh are the northern most occurrences in the Indian continent. Patchy type of coral growth can be seen on intertidal sandstones fringing; barrier or atoll types of reefs do not occur in the Gulf of Kachchh. It is very difficult to find live corals in the back reef and is mostly found at the edges of the seaward slope of the reef (fore reef). In most of the intertidal region only dead coral blocks and pebbles are found.

Most of the species found in the Narara Bet are either affected by siltation or by the over growth of algae. Only small colonies are found in the pools and depression fount near the fore reef. The size of the coral colony is also very small and is facing the sea. Heavy current with a lot silt is the major reason for the smaller number of species in the intertidal region of Narara bet. Same is the condition in Kalubar reefs found on the northern side towards the channel where the Vadinar Jetty is situated. The northern intertidal area of Kalubar Island falls within 10 km radius of the Land Fall Point where in only dead coral is found on the land word back reef and some favids are present along the channel. Mostly the species which can tolerate turbidity survives in these reefs of Narara and Kalubar. A general list of twelve species of hard corals observed in the intertidal region of Narara Bet Vadinar coast and Kalubar and their present status is provided below.

Family Species Status/Remarks Siderastreidae Pseudosiderastrea tayami Yabe Sub massive and rare & Sugiyama, 1933 Siderastrea savignayana Massive and sparingly Edwards & Haime, 1850 available Faviidae Favia speciosa (Dana, 1846) Found throughout the reef Massive and found throughout Favia favus (Forskal, 1775) the reefs Massive and sparingly Favites chinensis Verrill, 1866 available Lobophyllidae Lobophyllia radians (Milne Massive and rare Edwards & Haime, 1849) Merulinidae Massive and sparingly Cyphastrea serailia Forskal, 1775 available Goniastrea pectinata Massive and rare (Ehernberg, 1834) Dendrophylliidae Turbinaria mesenterina Lamarck, Rare 1816 Poritidae Porites lutea (Milne Edwards Massive and found and Haime, 1851) everywhere. Porites lichen Dana, 1846 Massive and rare Goniopora minor Crossland, 1952 Common

All the 12 hard corals are protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife Act, 1972.

Present assessment noticed good coral population in the subtidal area of MNP (about 250 m from LTL). In the mid intertidal zone of Narara bet, high percentage of dead corals with isolated distribution of corals were noticed. The reef flat with live corals was associated with a rich and

Wildlife Mitigation Plan for the Project Replacement of Offshore Pipelines from Narara Bet to SPMs and Section 3 Interconnecting Loop Line Between SPMs, Replacing and Relocating Pipeline End Manifold and Installation of SPM Buoy Page 3.25 at Gulf of Kachchh, Vadinar Coast, Gujarat INDOMER diversified marine flora and fauna. The dominant flora consisted of Sargassum, Enteromorpha, Ulva, Caulerpa, Padina, Gracillaria, Dictyota, Codium etc. The rare faunal components like Bonellia sp, Stoichactis giganteum and Pinna bicolar were noticed in the study area. Towards the deeper region of sea, no corals are found.

List of species identified in the subtidal and intertidal corridor of proposed subsea pipeline is given below.

Common intertidal species

i) Dipsastraea favus ii) Goniastrea pectinata iii) Symphyllia radians iv) Platygyra pini v) Goniopora planulata vi) Porites lutea

Common subtidal coral species

i) Symphyllia radians ii) Siderastrea savignaya iii) Dipsastraea favus iv) Turbinaria mesenterina v) T. peltata vi) Platygyra pini vii) Coscinaraea monile viii) Goniopora planulata ix) Porites lutea x) P. compressa

Symphillia radians Platigyra sinensis

Montipora hispida Montipora monasteriata

Porites lutea Siderastrea savignyana

Goniopora minor Platygyra pini

Coscinaraea monile Symphyllia radians

Montipora foliosa Montipora explanata

Goniopora planulata Platygyra pini

Goniopora planulata Siderastrea savignyana

Scuba diving during MNP & S site assessment by MNP officials

Marking of pipeline corridor in MNP & S area Scuba diving by Indomer near KPT jetty

Near Subtidal zone of MNP area

3.4.6. Molluscs

Oysters, mussels, clams, pearl oysters and chank are the important molluscs, mostly exploited for commercial purposes. Molluscan fisheries are of sustenance in nature and are used for edible purpose, source of lime, as decorative shells or for industrial purpose by some of locals. Molluscs are observed both in the intertidal coral areas as well as near mangroves. Some of the molluscs are Cellana radiata, Rhyssoplax peregrina, Diodora bombayana, Nerita (Theliostyla) albicilla, N. insculpta, Cerithidea cingulata, Telescopium telescopium, Cypraea annulus, Tonna dolium, Bursa granularis, Onchidium verruculatum Crepidula walshi, etc.

Rhyssoplax peregrina Cerithidea cingulata Onchidium verruculatum

A total of 73 species are reported from Narara Bet and Kalubar. The population status of many of these species is not known and hence they are included only under the "Data Deficient Category" in the IUCN Red List. Government of India has included 24 species of molluscs under Schedule-I & IV of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 to protect and conserve these animals. All the species reported in this assessment are not protected under Schedule list of Wildlife Act 1972.

3.4.7. Fishes

Earlier studies conducted on fishes of Gulf of Kachchh revealed 486 species belonging to 257 genera, 112 families and 26 orders of marine and estuarine fishes. About 148 species of fishes were recorded from the Narara and Vadinar coast which are either commercially exploited or found during fishing operation by local fishermen. Some of the fishes are Scoliodon laticaudus, Sphyrna lewini, Elops machnata, Megalops cyprinoides, Anguilla bengalensis, Chirocentrus dorab, Coilia dussumieri, Sillago sihama, Mugil cephalus, etc.

Boleophthalmus boddarti Pampus argenteus

None of the above 148 species of fishes are of conservation importance. None of the fishes are listed either in the Indian Wildlife Act, 1972 or IUCN Red list and CITES Appendix as protected fishes. Rhincodon typus the whale shark IUCN Red Listed species is reported from the Gulf of Kachchh region. Whale sharks have been classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species and listed on Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species (CITES) in 2002. However, there is no information available in the vicinity of Narara Bet and Vadinar coast or Kalubar Island areas.

The Vadinar region has no established trawling grounds for fishery operations due to uneven bottom topography associated with rocky/dead reef zones, hence, the trawlers are operated at other fishing areas. The common fishes in the landings of the Devbhumi Dwarka District are pomfret, jaw fish, thread fin, shark, catfish, seer fish, clupeids, ribbon fish, perch, sciaenids, shrimp, prawn and cuttle/squid. December to May is the peak fishing period while the period from June to August is the lean season. The species-wise comparison of fish landings of the Devbhumi Dwarka District during the last three years is given below (2015-16, 2016-17 and 2017- 18). The major catch at the fish landings at Vadinar was white pomfret, threadfin, jewfish, clupeids, sharks, mullet, catfish, seer fish silver bar and crabs.

Fish landing center, boat, marine fish production of Jamkhambhaliya

Fish Name of landing FRB FRB Name of taluka Trawler Gill Neter production in centres IBM OBM MT Vadinar 0 5 17 0 421 Nana Ambala 1 7 19 5 314 Jamkhambhadiya Bharana 11 4 11 1 184 Salaya 187 168 124 2 4352 (Source: Department of Fisheries, Gujarat)

Total Marine Fish Production (in MT) in Jamnagar (2015-2018)

Production in Devbhumi Production Year Dwarka (in MT) in Gujarat (in MT) 2015-16 64761 697328 2016-17 65288 698832 2017-18 66179 700743

The fish species/group wise catch data from 2015 to 2018 indicate that species like Small Scieneidies, Ribbon Fish, Catfish, Seer Fish, Pomfret, Leather Jacket fish, Cuttle/Squids are the major catch of the district.

Sl. No Species 2015 - 2016 2016 - 2017 2017-2018 1 White pomfret 765 787 791 2 Black pomfret 773 780 641 3 Bombay duck 1293 1305 2051 4 Thread fin 2050 2100 1096 5 Jew fish 2472 2493 1891 6 Hilsa 31 32 1703 7 Other clupeids 1236 1260 44 8 Coilia 71 75 1346 9 Shark 1127 1154 829 10 Mullet 921 925 3533 11 Catfish 3820 3863 234 12 Eel 997 1016 234 13 Leather jacket 866 853 931 14 Seer fish 4881 4927 4957 15 Indian salmon 137 136 120 16 Ribbon fish 4368 4459 4440 17 Silver bar 901 918 1004 18 Perches 4911 4938 5284 19 Small scieniedes 10603 10624 11594 20 Shrimps 3029 3097 3256 21 Prawns (Medium) 1210 1229 1365 22 Prawns (Jambo) 529 550 306 23 Lobster 171 173 252 24 Crabs 247 251 319 25 Squid fish 4371 4366 4466 26 Tuna 902 922 1025 27 Carangies/Macarel 421 407 346 28 Rani fish 53 53 59 29 Sole 694 696 696 30 Miscellaneous 10912 10896 11367 Total 64761 65288 66179

Results of experimental trawl survey off Vadinar is given below. Results obtained are almost compared with previous results

Period Catch rate (kg/hr) No of species Nov 2004 5.5 – 13.5 15-28 Apr 2005 4.5 – 16.0 15-31 Nov 2005 4.7 – 13.0 19-30 Apr 2006 8 -12.5 18-26 Nov 2006 3.8 – 12.5 16-28 Apr 2007 7.0 – 18.0 15-28 Apr 2008 4.0 -12.0 14-25 Apr 2009 8.0 -13.0 14-24 Nov 2019 6-14.2 17-26 (Present study) (Earlier studies - Source: NIO, Goa)

Arius maculatus Catla catla Labeo rohita

Liza parsia . Pampus argenteus Pangasius pangasius

Piaractus brachypomus Rhabdosargus sarba Rhizoprionodon acutus

Sardinella gibbosa Scomberoides commersonnianus Sillago sihama

Trichiurus lepturus Portunus pelagicus Penaeus monodon

3.4.8. Reef fishes

Some of reef fishes found on the coral reef of Narara is given below. They are Alectis indica, Pomadasys aheneus, Lethrinus nebulosus, Lethrinus ornatus, Abudefduf sordidus, Epinephelus coioides, Epinephelus erythrurus, Pomacanthus annularis, etc.

Epinephelus coioides Pomacanthus annularis

On the coral reefs of Narara Bet and Vadinar coast certain fishes are reported to fulfil ecological functions that are fundamental in sustaining the ecosystem state. Their presence or absence is functionally important to know the phase shift from functional state to a degraded ecosystem. The loss of an entire functional group of fishes, especially those comprising of multiple species, may appear unlikely except during extreme (severe or prolonged) disturbances. Hence, absence of any one group or more species reported below is the indication of degradation of coral reef ecosystem of Narara Bet.

Reef fishes of the Narara and Kalubar coral reefs

Family Scientific Name Common Name IUCN Category Apogonichthyoides Double bar cardinal Least Concern pseudotaeniatus (Gon, 1986) fish Apogonidae Ostorhinchus fasciatus (White, Broad banded Least Concern 1790) cardinal fish Allenbatrachus grunniens Batrachoididae Grunting Toad Least Concern (Linnaeus, 1758) Bothus myriaster (Temminck & Indo-pacific oval Bothidae Least Concern Schlegel, 1846) flounder (Ruppell, 1830) Indian thread fish Least Concern Carangidae Caranxsex fasciatus (Quoy & Bigeye trevally Least Concern Gaimard, 1825) Neotrygon kuhlii (Müller &Henle, Blue spotted Dasyatidae Least Concern 1841) stingray Spot-fin pocupine Diodontidae Diodon hystrix (Linnaeus, 1758) Least Concern fish Drepane punctata (Linnaeus, Drepaneidae Spotted sickle fish Least Concern 1758) Haemulidae (McKay & Randall, 1995) Yellow back grunt Least Concern Black barred Hemiramphidae Hemiramphus far (Forsskål, 1775) Least Concern halfbeak Lethrinidae (Valenciennes, 1830) Ornate emperor Least Concern Lutjunus lemniscus Yellow streaked Least Concern Lutjanidae (Valenciennes, 1828) snapper Lethrinus nebulosus (Forsskål, Spangled emperor Least Concern

Family Scientific Name Common Name IUCN Category 1775) Halichoeres nigrescens (Bloch & Labridae Bubble fin Wrass Least Concern Schneider, 1801) Mugilidae Mugil cephalus (Linnaeus, 1758) Grey Mullet Least Concern Muraenesox cinereus (Forsskål, Daggertooth pike Muraenesocidae Least Concern 1775) conger Plotosus lineatus (Thunberg, Plotosidae Striped eel cat fish Least Concern 1787) Pomacanthidae (Bloch, 1787) Blue ring angel fish Least Concern Pomacentridae (Bloch, 1787) Baga Least Concern Abudefduf bengalensis (Bloch, Bengal sergent Least Concern 1787) Scorpaenopsis venosa (Forsskål, Sarcopaenidae Pygmy filefish Least Concern 1775) Scorpaenidae Stephanolepsis sp. (Cuvier, 1829) Raggy scorpion fish Least Concern Orange spotted (Forsskål, 1775) Near threatened grouper Serranidae (Valenciennes, 1828) Cloudy grouper Least Concern Cephalopholis formosa (Shaw, Bluelined hind Least Concern 1812) Acanthopagrus bifasciatus Two bar sea bream Least Concern (Forsskål, 1775) Acanthopagrus berda (Forsskål, Sparidae Goldsilkseabream Least Concern 1775) Acanthopagrus arabicus Arabian yellow Least Concern (Iwatsuki, 2013) finseabream Hippocampus jayakari Jayakari's seahorse (Boulenger, 1900) Least Concern Hippocampus kuda Bleeker CITES Appendix II; Common Seahorse Schedule I of Wild Syngnathidae Trachyrhamphus serratus crested pipefish or Life (P) Act 1972. (Schlegel) saw pipe fish Oxyeleotris marmorata (Bleeker, Marble goby Least Concern 1852) Terapon jarbua (Forsskål, 1775) Jarbuaterapon Least Concern Terapontidae Arothron hispidus (Linnaeus, White spotted Least Concern 1758) puffer Torquigener pleurogramma Tetraodontidae Weeping Toad Least Concern (Regan, 1903) Trichiurus lepturus (Linnaeus, Large Head Hairtail Least Concern 1758) Oxyurichthys microlepis (Bleeker, Trichiuridae Maned goby Least Concern 1849) Pomacentrus trichrourus Pale tail Damsel Least Concern (Gunther, 1867) Helogramma lacuna (Williams & Tripterygiidae Cavern triplefin Least Concern Howe, 2003)

Three species viz. Hippocampus jayakari, Hippocampus kuda and Trachyrhamphus serratus of the family Syngnathidae are protected under Wildlife Act (1972) and in CITES Appendix II and Orange Spotted Grouper Epinephelus coioides is enlisted Near Threatened under the category of IUCN found in the coral reefs of Narara.

3.4.9. Turtles

Four species of turtles and nine species of sea snakes are found to occur in the coastal of Narara Bet and Vadinar. The beaches of Narara Bet and Vadinar recorded some nesting sites of marine turtles. Though four turtle species are reported to occur in the whole of Gulf of Kachchh, only the breeding of olive ridleys has been observed so far in the assessment area. Sporadic nesting takes place throughout the year along the coast.

IUCN/ Family Species Common name Wildlife Act CITES Endangered/ Chelonia mydas (Linnaeus) Green Turtle Schedule I Appendix I Critically Eretmochelys imbricata Hawksbill sea Schedule I Endangered/ Cheloniidae (Linnaeus) Turtle Appendix I Lepidochelys olivacea Loggerhead sea Endangered/ (Eschscholtz) Schedule I turtle Appendix I

Dermochelyidae Dermochelys coriacea Leather Vulnerable/ Schedule I (Vandelli) back Sea Turtle Appendix I

3.4.10. Coastal birds

On both sides of the road leading to Narara Bet, large areas of salt pan and mud flats are available. In these areas several flamingos roost during night hours. A number of dalmatian pelican and spot billed pelicans were seen fishing during day time. On the way to Vadinar Port (near Hazrat Gabhanshah Dargah) vast areas of mud flats and mangrove thickets were found on both sides of the road. During the low tide and before high tide thousands of waders and pipers were seen roosting on the mudflats. Many herons roost in the mangrove found in this mud flat and a large number of waders were also seen foraging in the high tide waters. A large population of egrets of black and white is always found feeding during the receding waters of low tide. The following are the birds sighted from the study area.

The common wetland birds are white throated kingfisher, white breasted water hen, comb duck, common coot, great white pelican, great cormorant, little cormorant, grey heron, little heron, Indian pond heron, cattle egret, etc.

All the 40 bird species of wetlands are listed in Schedule IV of the Indian Wildlife Act, 1972. Under IUCN Red list all species are "Least Concerned", except four species which are "Near Threatened". They are painted stork, spot-billed pelican, darter and Eurasian curlew.

Dromas ardeola - Crab Plover Egretta gularis - Western Reef Egret

Flamingoes Pelecanus crispus - Dalmatian Pelican

3.4.11. Marine mammals

The marine mammals include the cetaceans (whales, dolphins, and porpoises), the sirenians (dugong). They are often vulnerable or endangered due to a history of commercial exploitation for blubber, meat. During the present visit none of the species mentioned above were sighted. However, the locals informed about the washing ashore of dolphins, whales and Sea cow due to reasons not known. About 13 species of marine mammals are reported from the Gulf of Kachchh region but not sighted during the present study. They are Eubalaena australis, Balaenoptera musculus, Megaptera novaeangliae, Delphinus delphis, Globicephala macrorhychus, Peponocephala electra, Orcinus orca, Pseudorca crassidens, Sousa chinensis, Tursiops truncates, Neophocaena phocaenoides, Kogia breviceps and Dugong dugon.

Among the 13 marine mammals (Whales, dolphins and dugongs) reported from the Gulf three are vulnerable, one species endangered, five are least concerned and four are data deficient. All the thirteen species are Schedule I under Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 and six species are Appendix I and seven are under Appendix II.

Primary Gross primary Net primary Station production productivity productivity mgC/m3/day SS1 1.4 0.8 420 SS2 1.5 0.7 450 SS3 1.4 0.6 420 SS4 1.3 0.5 390 SS5 1.4 0.7 420 SS6 1.4 0.7 420 SS7 1.2 0.4 360 SS8 1.4 0.5 420 SS9 1.4 0.6 420 SS10 1.3 0.6 390 Average 411

Station Sl.No. Genus / Species SS1 SS2 SS3 SS4 SS5 SS6 SS7 SS8 SS9 SS10 Class: Bacillariophyceae (Diatoms) Order: Centrales 1 Bacteriastrum hyalinum + + - + + - + - + - 2 Bellerochea malleus + + + + - + + + + + 3 Chaetoceros sp. - + + - + + - + + - 4 Chatoceros lorenzianus - - + + + - + - - + 5 Coscinodiscus sp. + + - + + + + - + + 6 Coscinodiscus centralis + + + + + + + + + + 7 Coscinodiscus marginatus + + + + + - + + - + 8 Ditylum brightwellii - + + - + + - + + - 9 Hemidiscus hardmannianus + - + + - + + - - + 10 Odontella mobiliensis + + + + + + + + + + 11 Odontella sinensis - + - + - + - + - + 12 Planktoniella sol + + - + + - + - + - 13 Rhizosolenia sp. + - + - + + + + + + 14 Rhizosolenia cylindrus - + + + + + - + + + 15 Rhizosolenia robusta + + + + - + + - + + 16 Rhizosolenia styliformis - + - + + + - + + - 17 Skeletonema costatum + + + - + - + + - + 18 Triceratium sp. - + - + - + - + + - 19 Thalassiosira subtilis + - + + + + + - + + Subtotal 12 15 13 15 14 14 13 12 14 13 Order: Pennales 20 Amphora sp. - + - + - + + - + - 21 Asterionella glacialis + + + - + + - + + + 22 Bacillaria paradoxa + - + + - + + + - + 23 Leptocylindrus sp. - + + + + - + - + +

Station Sl.No. Genus / Species SS1 SS2 SS3 SS4 SS5 SS6 SS7 SS8 SS9 SS10 24 Navicula sp. + + - + + + + + + - 25 Nitzschia sp. + + + + - + + - + + 26 Nitzschia longissima - + + + + - + + - + 27 Nitzschia sigma + - + - + + - + + - 28 Pleurosigma sp. + + + + - + + + - + 29 Pleurosigma elongatum - + - + + + - + + - 30 Thalassiothrix frauenfeldii + + - + - + - + + - 31 Thalassionema nitzschioides + + + + + + + + - + Subtotal 8 10 8 10 7 10 8 9 8 7 Class: Dinophyceae (Dinoflagellates) 32 Ceratium furca + - + + - + - + + - 33 Ceratium macroceros - + - + + - + + - + 34 Ceratium fusus - + + - + + - - + - 35 Ceratium tripos + + + - + + - + - + 36 Dinophysis caudata - + - + - + - - + - 37 Dinophysis sp. + + - + + - + + - + 38 Prorocentrum micans - + - + + - + - + - 39 Protoperidinium sp. + + + - + + - + - + 40 Protoperidinium oceanicum + - + + - - + - + - Subtotal 5 7 5 6 6 5 4 5 5 4 Class: Cyanophyceae (Bluegreens) 41 Chlorella marina + + - - - + - + - - 42 Spirulina sp. - + + + ------43 Trichodesmium erythraeum + + + + + - + + + + Subtotal 2 3 2 2 1 1 1 2 1 1 Total 22 35 28 33 28 30 26 28 28 26

Sl. Station Genus / Species Total % No. SS1 SS2 SS3 SS4 SS5 SS6 SS7 SS8 SS9 SS10 Class: Bacillariophyceae (Diatoms) Order: Centrales 1 Bacteriastrum hyalinum 800 600 - 600 800 - 800 - 600 800 5000 2.1 2 Bellerochea malleus 600 - 800 1000 - 800 600 800 800 600 6000 2.5 3 Chaetoceros sp. - 800 1000 - 1000 800 - 1000 800 - 5400 2.3 4 Coscinodiscus sp. 1400 1000 - 800 1400 1200 1000 - 1000 800 8600 3.6 5 Coscinodiscus centralis 2400 2800 2000 1400 2000 1600 1200 2000 2400 1600 19400 8.2 6 Coscinodiscus marginatus 1000 1200 800 1000 1200 - 800 1200 - 800 8000 3.4 7 Ditylum brightwellii - 1000 1000 - 600 800 - 1000 800 - 5200 2.2 8 Hemidiscus hardmannianus 600 - 600 800 - 600 800 - - 800 4200 1.8 9 Odontella mobiliensis 1200 1400 1200 1000 1400 1000 1000 1200 1200 1000 11600 4.9 10 Odontella sinensis - 1000 - 800 - 800 - 800 - 600 4000 1.7 11 Planktoniella sol 600 800 - 600 800 - 800 - 800 - 4400 1.9 12 Rhizosolenia sp. 800 - 800 - 1000 1000 800 800 1000 800 7000 3.0 13 Rhizosolenia cylindrus - 1200 600 800 800 800 - 1200 1000 1000 7400 3.1 14 Rhizosolenia robusta 1000 800 800 1000 - 600 800 - 800 800 6600 2.8 15 Rhizosolenia styliformis - 600 - 800 1200 800 600 800 1000 - 5800 2.5 16 Skeletonema costatum 800 1200 1000 - 800 - 800 800 - 600 6000 2.5 17 Triceratium sp. - 800 - 800 - 800 - 600 800 800 4600 1.9 18 Thalassiosira subtilis 1000 - 800 - 600 800 600 - 1000 600 5400 2.3 Sub total 12200 15200 11400 11400 13600 12400 10600 12200 14000 11600 124600 52.7 Order: Pennales 19 Amphora sp. - 600 - 600 - 800 800 - 800 - 3600 1.5 20 Asterionella glacialis 800 800 600 - 800 600 - 800 1000 800 6200 2.6 21 Bacillaria paradoxa 600 - 800 800 - 800 600 1000 - 800 5400 2.3 22 Leptocylindrus sp. - 600 600 - 600 - 800 - 1200 600 4400 1.9 23 Navicula sp. 600 800 - 800 1000 800 600 800 1000 - 6400 2.7 24 Nitzschia sp. 1000 1000 800 1000 - 600 800 - 800 800 6800 2.9 25 Nitzschia longissima - 800 600 800 1000 - 600 1000 - 1000 5800 2.5 26 Nitzschia sigma 800 - 800 600 800 800 - 800 800 - 5400 2.3 27 Pleurosigma sp. 800 1000 1200 800 - 600 800 600 - 800 6600 2.8

Sl. Station Genus / Species Total % No. SS1 SS2 SS3 SS4 SS5 SS6 SS7 SS8 SS9 SS10 28 Pleurosigma elongatum - 800 - 800 800 800 - 800 800 - 4800 2.0 29 Thalassiothrix frauenfeldii 600 600 - 600 - 800 - 1000 1000 800 5400 2.3 30 Thalassionema nitzschioides 1200 800 1000 1200 1000 600 800 1200 - 600 8400 3.6 Subtotal 6400 7800 6400 8000 6000 7200 5800 8000 7400 6200 69200 29.2 Class: Dinophyceae (Dinoflagellates) 31 Ceratium furca 800 - 600 800 - 800 - 800 800 - 4600 1.9 32 Ceratium macroceros - 800 - 600 800 - 800 600 - 800 4400 1.9 33 Ceratium tripos 800 600 800 - 1000 800 - 800 - 600 5400 2.3 34 Dinophysis caudata - 800 - 800 - 600 - - 800 - 3000 1.3 35 Dinophysis sp. 600 800 800 - 800 - 600 800 - 800 5200 2.2 36 Prorocentrum micans 400 600 - 800 600 - 600 - 800 - 3800 1.6 37 Protoperidinium sp. 1000 800 1000 - 1000 800 - 800 - 800 6200 2.6 Subtotal 3600 4400 3200 3000 4200 3000 2000 3800 2400 3000 32600 13.8 Class: Cyanophyceae (Bluegreens) 38 Chlorella marina 200 400 - - - - - 200 - - 800 0.3 39 Trichodesmium erythraeum 800 1000 1200 1000 800 - 1000 1400 1200 1000 9400 4.0 Population (nos./l) 23200 28800 22200 23400 24600 22600 19400 25600 25000 21800 236600 100 No. of Species 27 32 25 28 26 28 25 28 26 27 - -

Sl. Station Genus / Species Total % No. SS1 SS2 SS3 SS4 SS5 SS6 SS7 SS8 SS9 SS10 Phylum: Protozoa Order: Tintinnids (Ciliate groups) 1 Eutintinnus tenuis 4132 - 2825 - 2963 2755 - 4213 - 2751 19639 2.1 2 Favella sp. 1377 2841 - 4155 - 4132 2717 5618 2699 - 23540 2.5 3 Tintinnopsis sp. 2755 - 4237 - - - 1359 - 1350 1376 11076 1.2 Phylum: Cnidarian 4 Diphyes sp. 4132 - 4237 2770 4444 - 2717 - 2699 2751 23752 2.5 Phylum: Chaetognatha 5 Sagitta sp. 4132 5682 - 5540 7407 4132 - 4213 5398 4127 40632 4.3 Phylum: Annelida Class: Polychaeta 6 Polychaete larvae - - 2825 4155 - 5510 - 2809 - 2751 18050 1.9 Phylum: Mollusca 7 Bivalve veliger 2755 2841 - 5540 - 2755 - 2809 - 2751 19451 2.1 8 Gastropods veliger - - 4237 2770 1481 - 1359 - 4049 - 13896 1.5 Phylum: Arthropoda Order: Copepoda Sub-order: Calanoida 9 Acartia danae 2755 - 4237 - 4444 5510 4076 5618 - 4127 30767 3.3 10 Acartia erythraea 8264 9943 7062 11080 10370 8264 6793 9831 8097 11004 90711 9.6 11 Acartia spinicauda 6887 5682 - 4155 - 4132 - 5618 - 4127 30601 3.2 12 Acrocalanus sp. 5510 7102 5650 8310 7407 8264 9511 8427 6748 6878 73807 7.8 13 Calanopia minor - 4261 - 4155 - - 4076 5618 - 5502 23613 2.5 14 Centropages furcatus - 5682 - - - 4132 - 4213 4049 - 18076 1.9 15 Eucalanus sp. 5510 - 5650 - 4444 5510 4076 - 5398 5502 36090 3.8 16 Subeucalanus sp. 6887 8523 7062 8310 5926 5510 6793 2809 6748 - 58568 6.2 17 Labidocera sp. - - 4237 5540 - - - 4213 - 4127 18117 1.9

Wildlife Mitigation Plan for the Project Replacement of Offshore Pipelines from Narara Bet to SPMs and Interconnecting Loop Line Between SPMs, Section 3 Replacing and Relocating Pipeline End Manifold and Installation of SPM Buoy at Gulf Of Kachchh, Vadinar Coast, Gujarat Page 3.43 INDOMER Sl. Station Genus / Species Total % No. SS1 SS2 SS3 SS4 SS5 SS6 SS7 SS8 SS9 SS10 18 Paracalanus parvus 5510 5682 - 6925 5926 - 5435 - 4049 5502 39028 4.1 19 Pontella sp. - - 4237 - 4444 5510 4076 - - 4127 22394 2.4 20 Tartanus barbatus - 4261 5650 4155 5926 - 5435 4213 5398 5502 40541 4.3 21 Temora discaudata 4132 - 4237 - - 4132 - 2809 - 4127 19437 2.1 Sub-order: Cyclopoida 22 Corycaeus danae 2755 4261 - 2770 - 4132 - 2809 4049 - 20776 2.2 23 Oncaea venusta - 2841 2825 4155 4444 - 4076 - - - 18341 1.9 24 Oithona sp. 4132 5682 4237 - - 2755 5435 4213 - 4127 30581 3.2 Sub- order: Harpacticoida 25 Euterpina acutifrons 5510 - 4237 5540 - 4132 4076 4213 - 4127 31835 3.4 26 Macrosetella sp. - 2841 - 4155 4444 - 2717 - 4049 - 18206 1.9 27 Microsetella sp. 4132 - 2825 - 1481 2755 - 2809 2699 2751 19452 2.1 Other Crustaceans 28 Brachyuran zoea 2755 - 2825 4155 - 4132 - 1404 - 2751 18023 1.9 29 Cirripede cypris - 2841 - 2770 4444 - 4076 - 2699 - 16831 1.8 30 Crustacean nauplii 2755 - 2825 - 2963 2755 1359 2809 4049 - 19514 2.1 31 Shrimp larvae - 1420 4237 - - 4132 2717 - - 2751 15258 1.6 32 Lucifer sp. - 2841 - 4155 2963 - - 2809 2699 - 15467 1.6 Phylum: Chordata 33 Oikopleura sp. 4132 1420 - 4155 4444 2755 - 1404 - 2751 21063 2.2 34 Fish eggs - 2841 - 2770 - 2755 - 2809 - 2751 13926 1.5 35 Fish larvae - - 2825 - 2963 - 2717 - 2699 - 11204 1.2 Total 90909 89489 93220 112188 93333 100551 85598 98315 79622 99037 942262 100.0 Biomass (ml/100m3) 42.7 56.8 49.4 84.4 62.2 49.6 57.1 50.6 55.3 64.7 - - No. of Species 21 20 22 23 20 23 21 24 19 24 - -

Subtidal benthic organisms (Nos./m2) Intertidal benthic organisms (Nos./m2) Sl. No. Species SB1 SB2 SB3 SB4 SB5 SB6 SB7 SB8 SB9 SB10 IB1 IB2 IB3 IB4 IB5 Phylum: Annelida Class: Polychaeta 1 Ancistrosyllis sp. - 80 - 80 - 80 - - - - - 2 Capitella capitata 120 - - - - - 30 30 45 - 60 3 Cirriformia sp. - 80 120 - 80 40 - - - - - 4 Goniada emerita 80 - 80 120 - 80 - - - - - 5 Nephtys sp. 80 40 - 80 120 ------6 Perinereis sp. 80 80 120 - - 40 - - - - - 7 Prionospio sp. - - 80 ------8 Pisione indica ------

9 Unidentified polychaetes - 80 - 80 40 - 30 - 75 60 -

Phylum: Arthropoda Class: Crustacea

10 Amphipods 120 - 80 - 80 80 60 45 60 75 45 bstratum

11 Isopods ubstratum - 80 - 40 - - - 30 - - 30 su

12 Crab 80 - 80 40 - 40 30 - 30 45 -

Coral substratum Coral substratum Coral Coral Phylum: Mollusca s Coral Class: Gastropoda 13 Murex ternispina 80 - 80 - 80 ------14 Oliva sp. 80 80 - 80 - 40 - - - - - 15 Nassarius sp. - 40 40 - 40 40 - - - - - 16 Nautica sp. 40 - 40 40 40 40 - - - - - Class: Bivalvia 17 Donax sp. - 80 - 80 ------18 Donax scortum 80 - 80 - - 80 - - - - - 19 Volachlamys sp. 40 - 40 - 80 ------Total 880 640 840 640 560 560 150 105 210 180 135

Type of Stations Media Bacteria SS1 SS2 SS3 SS4 SS5 SS6 SS7 SS8 SS9 SS10 Nut Agar TVC 5.48 5.54 5.61 4.78 5.03 4.89 5.41 4.98 5.36 5.21 Mac Agar TC 0.45 0.56 0.48 0.42 0.53 0.44 0.54 0.52 0.51 0.53 Mac Agar ECLO 0.32 0.34 0.3 0.35 0.32 0.3 0.36 0.34 0.33 0.35 XLD Agar SHLO 0.21 0.23 0.2 0.22 0.25 0.26 0.28 0.24 0.26 0.22 TCBS Agar VLO 0.55 0.58 0.62 0.54 0.63 0.57 0.61 0.6 0.53 0.58 TCBS Agar VPLO 0.23 0.28 0.25 0.27 0.22 0.27 0.25 0.2 0.19 0.22 TCBS Agar VCLO 0.08 0.12 0.1 0.09 0.06 0.08 0.1 0.08 0.09 0.06 CET Agar PALO 0.02 0.01 0.03 0.02 0.01 0.02 - 0.01 - - (- Not detected) Table 3.7. Bacterial population in seabed sediments (x104 nos./g)

Stations Media Type of Bacteria SB1 SB2 SB3 SB4 SB5 SB6 SB7 SB8 SB9 SB10

Nut Agar TVC 5.66 5.48 5.24 5.12 5.34 5.42

Mac Agar TC 0.6 0.61 0.64 0.62 0.54 0.62 Mac Agar ECLO 0.36 0.37 0.35 0.32 0.36 0.36 XLD Agar SHLO 0.25 2.4 0.28 0.27 0.21 0.23 TCBS Agar VLO 0.61 0.58 0.65 0.61 0.62 0.62

TCBS Agar VPLO 0.31 0.29 0.26 0.29 0.26 0.25

Coral substratum Coral substratum Coral substratum Coral TCBS Agar VCLO substratum Coral 0.12 0.16 0.13 0.15 0.14 0.12 CET Agar PALO 0.02 0.01 0.02 0.01 0.02 0.1

TVC -Total Viable Counts; TC- Total Coliforms; ECLO-Escherichia coli like organisms; SHLO-Shigella like organisms; VLO -Vibrio like organisms; VPLO -Vibrio parahaemolyticus like organisms; VCLO-Vibrio cholerae like organisms; PALO-Pseudomonas aeruginosa like organisms.

4. BIODIVERSITY IMPACT ASSESSMENT AND MITIGATION MEASURES

Proposed project envisages handling of Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCC) at the single point mooring system (SPM). SPM's are anchored offshore and are connected to an onshore facility through subsea pipelines. Utmost care was taken in selection of SPM locations and subsea pipeline route by conducting geo-physical, geo-technical survey and eco-sensitivity analysis. The project activities planned are.

i) Installation of two SPMs, ii) Installation of Pipeline End Manifold (PLEM,) iii) Laying of Subsea pipelines from LFP connecting PLEM, Subsea loop line connecting SPMs iv) Decommissioning of existing subsea pipelines connecting LFP and PLEM.

Construction phase of the above activities are likely to influence the marine environment temporarily to some extent whereas no impact is envisaged during the operation phase until unless any incident of leak etc. happens. Since all the activities shall be carried out in intertidal and sea area only, no impact on terrestrial environment is anticipated.

During the construction phase involving trenching and pipeline laying activities, some of the effects shall be of temporary & localized nature where as some shall require re-storation of site post construction activity like plantation of mangroves etc.

All the anticipated impacts of the above activities have been identified and mitigation measures for the same have been proposed to conserve the bio diversity of the area.

Detailed mangrove management plan and coral management plan have been prepared based on detailed study on ecology and biodiversity to keep the impact on protected areas to the least extent possible.

4.1. Identification, prediction and mitigation of impacts

Identification of Impacts:

Impacts are identified with respect to two stages of the project. They are

a) Construction phase b) Operation phase a. Construction Phase

IOCL has proposed two methods for installation of proposed pipelines based on geo physical and geotechnical investigation. Details of these surveys are discussed in brief below.

Geophysical survey along proposed crude oil pipelines covering SPM N1 and SPM N2. Along the proposed corridor connecting LFP and SPM line N1, a coral reef of 500 m x 80 m extending in NE- SW direction between KP 2.402 and 2.425 was recorded. During Geophysical surveys, seabed profile, bathymetry data, sub bottom profiles, sea bed morphology, features, soil strata etc. were analyzed and based on which most suitable route for the pipeline have been selected.

Based on the above assessment, IOCL has proposed trenching between KP 0.0 to KP 2.920 for SPM N1 and KP 0.0 to KP 2.875 for SPM N2. This stretch will include forest area (mangroves), marine sanctuary and marine national park area. For the remaining stretch (KP 2.920 to KP 6.894 for SPM N1, KP 2.875 to KP 7.822 for SPM N2 and KP 0.0 to KP 2.1 for loop line) pipeline will be laid on the seabed.

Hence, based on the type of laying technology various impact during the construction phase is analyzed and are detailed in this section.

Period of direct disturbance to marine environment due to construction of PLEM, installation of SPM, and installation of submarine pipeline will be limited to construction phase. Critical issue to be addressed during construction phase is impact on corals falling in protected areas and mangroves of Narara bet due to pipeline installation. b. Operation Phase

SPM operation includes mooring of oil tankers, transfer of oil from the ship to the SPM & associated pipeline and vessel traffic management. During the operation there is a rare possibility of oil spill. A marginal disturbance to the water column due to operation of SPM is likely to occur. However, since proposed project is a replacement of existing facilities, relevant impacts are addressed.

Prediction of Impacts: Identification of the impacts associated with proposed activities provides anticipated impact on the environment, prediction of impact will give the extent to which these conditions can alter the baseline environment conditions. Based on such predictions, appropriate site-specific mitigation measures have to be drawn up in order to minimize the negative impact on the environment. Environmental impact matrix for the construction and operational phase of the project on marine environment is also presented below. On terrestrial environment, there is no anticipated impact.

Proposed Mitigation Measures: Mitigation measures and management plan are suggested based on the identified and predicted impacts. Mathematical modelling study has been conducted to predict the impact on the marine environment due to accidental oil spill for various likely cases.

4.2. Marine environment - Construction phase

The activities in the marine environment include Installation of PLEM, installation of SPM, and laying of subsea pipelines in the offshore and intertidal area.

4.2.1. Impact due to construction in the offshore area

It is proposed to install new SPM buoy at proposed SPM N1 location and shift the existing SPM E2 to the proposed SPM N2 location. SPM N1 and SPM N2 will be installed at 6.9 km and 7.8 km respectively. For this purpose, new PLEM needs to be installed.

The offshore pipeline shall be installed by a pipelay barge of adequate capacity using S-lay method. The concrete coated line pipes shall be transported from onshore storage yard to the pipelay barge using a suitable vessel. Once the pipelines are transferred onto the pipelay vessel

In shallower water regions near shoreline, where the pipelay barge cannot approach due to lack of draft, the pipeline shall be installed by using shore-pull techniques. A pulling head shall be welded to the pipeline onboard the pipelay vessel and then the pipeline section shall be installed by using a pulling winch located onshore. The winch shall be suitably anchored to counter the reaction forces expected during shore-pull procedure. The winch capacity requirement may be optimized by placing buoys along the pipe string.

Impact

PLEM requires piling at identified locations to keep the buoy in position.

Major activity which may imbalance the existing environment can be installation of new SPMs (Pile driving at number of pre-determined locations to design depths) and laying of subsea pipelines. No trenching in the open sea (KP 2.920 to KP 6.894 for SPM N1, KP 2.875 to KP 7.822 for SPM N2 and KP 0.0 to KP 2.1 for loop line) will be undertaken. Pipeline between these stretches will be laid using pipelay barge S lay method on seabed.

Due to construction of PLEM impact on following environmental parameters are anticipated. • Seawater quality • Seabed sediments • Plankton • Benthos • Fishes

Impact on Seawater and Seabed sediments: Resuspension of sediments in water leads to an increase in the level of suspended solids and concentration of organic matter, possibly to toxic or harmful levels if the seabed is contained of high heavy metal concentration. This may cause temporary impact to seawater quality near proposed SPM locations and along the pipeline corridor. Contaminated bottom sediments (contained with heavy metal concentration) may lead to significant impact to seawater quality during piling and pipeline laying.

Although, impact is anticipated on seawater, seabed sediment and plankton community, it is very clear that compared to direct trenching technology, barge lay method will have the upper hand in terms of minimum disturbance to seabed. The yield of suspended sediments is directly related to laying speed, embedment length, sediment density, and sand-raising rate.

Present study and comparison of available data over the years suggest that, sediment off Vadinar coast is free from heavy metal contamination. Hence, the outcome due to disturbed seabed will not have unbearable impact on marine environment.

Impact on benthos: Piling and other water side construction will cause loss/displacement to bottom habitat and its associated animal and plant life. Footprint on bottom habitat and associated life will be limited to area of piling. The turbidity induced during driving of piles will also have impact on the community structure and distribution of other marine life. Also, since barge lay method will be employed, no disturbance to sub bottom benthos is anticipated. However, the seabed surface will readily be recolonized by replacement of benthic organisms within few seasons.

Wildlife Mitigation Plan for the Project Replacement of Offshore Pipelines from Narara Bet to SPMs and Section 4 Interconnecting Loop Line Between SPMs, Replacing and Relocating Pipeline End Manifold and Installation of SPM Buoy Page 4.3 at Gulf of Kachchh, Vadinar Coast, Gujarat INDOMER Fishes: One of the major impacts of pile driving operations on the marine organisms especially on fishes is the underwater sound pressure waves generated during hammering of the piles. Pile driving may result in 'agitation' of fish indicated by a change in swimming behaviour. For some species like sea turtles, the pile driving operations may result in a disruption in their migratory pattern.

The various factors which are known to influence the impact on fish are: (i) size and force of hammer strike; (ii) distance from the pile; (iii) depth of the water around the pile; (iv) depth at which fish swim in water column; (v) entrapped air in the water; (vi) oscillation of water level, (vii) geological composition of seabed, (viii) size of the fish; (ix) species of the fish; (x) presence of swim bladder; (xi) physical condition of the fish and (xii) effectiveness of sound/pressure attenuation technology used to minimize the impacts.

As the baseline data suggests there will be limited commercial fishing near new location (as the area is declared as no fishing zone) and occasional only marine mammals are seen near SPM area, hence the impact is expected to be limited to sub bottom benthos. These animals will usually return to the area once the disturbance ceases.

Plankton: The proposed project activity like piling and pipeline laying may not have any direct bearing on plankton. It is expected that the plankton will drift away from the disturbed area leading to minimal loss to plankton.

Corals: Proposed SPM, PLEM location and subsea pipeline corridor in open sea are devoid of corals. Hence, no impact on corals due to construction of SPM, PLEM and subsea pipeline laying (S lay barge laying method).

Barge lay method, PLEM and SPM will form part of open sea and are away from MNP, MS and Forest area. Hence, no impact on protected area due to open sea construction is anticipated provided suggested mitigation are effectively put in place during construction stage.

Mitigation measures

Impact on benthos due to laying of pipelines and piling are unavoidable but this will be limited to the construction corridor. It is therefore selected the route of least engineering difficulty to minimize seabed disturbance. Mitigation measures which shall be kept in place during the open sea construction are given below.

 Pre-treatment to the pipes such as coating, concreting etc. and other fabrication works should be undertaken in a yard on land located sufficiently away from the HTL and the transfer of materials to the site should be through a pre decided sea corridor.

 Appropriate selection of pile driving equipment shall be done.

 Clean and efficient construction technique shall be used.

 Proper lubrication of pile driving machinery shall be done to minimize impact of noise.

 The construction schedule should be strictly followed and no over runs should be ensured. Reducing the construction time with efficient techniques will recue the period of impact.

 The scrap and waste construction materials should not be disposed into the seawater and intertidal area.

 Pipeline position on seabed shall be ensured.

 Limit the boundary of construction area. The boundary of construction area should be strictly controlled to reduce the impact on ecological environment as much as possible.

 Strict supervision on construction technologies and machinery by environment management cell.

 Oil pollution from construction supporting vessels should be checked to prevent oil leak. The washing of fuel tanks and pollutant containers should not be done within the marine construction area. No waste/sewage should be discharged into the sea water.

 Brief the workers and contractors on the importance of sensitive coastal environment to restrict the unwanted damage.

 Unwanted barricading the water has to be avoided.

 Installation of marker buoy to warn the fishermen.

 Installation of proper marker lights indicating obstructions if any.

 Use of net enclosures with booms may be placed around the working area in order to control the spread of the turbid plume if found necessary so that impact on MNP and MS can be controlled.

Once pipeline is laid on seabed, during the later stage of operation, areas disturbed during construction stage will stabilize and expected to come back to baseline status.

4.2.2. Impact due to construction in the nearshore area and intertidal zone

Crude oil unloading terminals consisting of Single Point Mooring will be connected to the onshore pipeline at the LFP point by submarine pipeline. A part of this will be passing through the intertidal zone.

Burial of pipeline: Nearshore pipeline from LFP N1 to 2.92 km (0 - 20 m water depth) for SPM N1 and LFP N2 to 2.875 km (0 – 20 m water depth) for SPM N2 shall be laid by pre-trenching methodology and buried by backfilling prior to hydrostatic testing of pipeline between 1.5 m to 2.5 m cover/ burial from the top of concrete coated pipe with respect to nearby undisturbed seabed level. This stretch includes forest area (mangroves), marine sanctuary and marine national park area., shore pulling technique will be used in shallow water regions near the shore.

Area demanded in forest, marine sanctuary and marine national park are as follows.

 Forest area = 4.9 ha (mangrove area – 0.9 ha)  Marine Sanctuary = 13.6 ha  Marine National Park =22 ha

4.2.2.1. Impact on Mangroves

Out of the toal demanded area of 4.9 Ha, mangroves are present in only 0.7-0.8 Ha and most of them are not envisaged to be disturbed during the construction work as IOCL has aligned its pipeline is such a way that pipeline passes through open area and hence causes minimum damage to the mangrove area leaving 0.7 Ha, which houses maximum mangroves in the demanded area.

Further, in the existing area, some mangroves are expected to be damaged for which IOCL shall keep optimum fund in the mitigation plan to restore the site post construction work.

Hence, it can be concluded that pipeline laying using trenching methodology will have following direct impacts.

 Direct impact (removal of limited mangroves from Narara bet).  Disturbance to mangrove associated ecosystem

Mitigation measures

While it was not possible to design the proposed corridor to avoid all direct impacts on mangroves, impacts can be minimised by reducing the disturbance by men and machinery as far as practicable. Construction machinery shall remain within the project footprint to minimise any unplanned loss or damage to adjacent areas of mangroves. The estimated loss has to be compensated by mangroves afforestation (twice the demanded area) and Net present value at designated places as per the procedure of the forest Department.

 Corridor shall be surveyed before trenching and delineated using colored flagging wherever practicable.

 Brief the workers and contractors on the importance of mangroves to restrict the unwanted damage.

 A Mangrove management plan will be drawn for the affected area which shall include mangrove restoration/replantation in consultation with Forest Department.

Invertebrates and Insects that are associated with mangrove habitats will be impacted by the direct loss of habitat that these fauna rely on for food and shelter. There will also be some direct mortality of insects and invertebrates during the clearing of mangrove vegetation during construction works and although important this is considered a relatively minor impact since the area to be cleared is small, relative to the mangrove habitat available in the area.

Generally, it is expected that mobile species and individuals will move away from the site area during construction, particularly in the case of some species of mangrove crabs and mudskippers. For non or less mobile species, it is considered that any direct mortality will be localized and restricted to the project footprint. Furthermore, surrounding mangrove habitat that will not be cleared is expected to support sustainable populations of all species such that there will be no long-term impacts on populations or species in the Narara bet. It is unlikely that implementation

Accumulation of dust on mangrove leaves adjacent to the proposed site area may impact on insects inhabiting mangrove forest. Dust impacts on mangrove canopy insects are not well known, although it is expected that insects will avoid leaves with dust accumulation if it interferes with their foraging, breeding or habitat provision, and will utilise nearby areas that are unaffected by dust accumulation. However, as project site near LFP is mainly in the intertidal area, amount dust generation will be very limited. Also, impact of dust if any will be transient and dust will tend to be washed away by rainfall, and that any impacts on insects will be temporary.

Indirectly, the proposed development may also impact on avifauna through noise disturbance during construction of the project. Construction noise have been shown to reduce densities and feeding behaviour of wetland birds and water birds similar effect is expected during the implementation stage.

Hence, to compensate the direct removal of mangroves in the forest area, as per existing forest rules IOCL shall make arrangements to plant twice the disturbed area at a density of 1000 plants/ha at identified location in association with Forest Department, Jamnagar.

4.2.2.2. Impact on Intertidal zone without Mangroves

Impact

Forest area in the intertidal zone can be divided into two parts, area with mangrove and area without mangroves but with sand ripple formation which supports good population of gastropods. Hence, apart from removal of mangrove area, trenching in the forest area will impact the Crustaceans and Mollusk population present along the proposed corridor. Although, this area supports good population of Crustaceans, Mollusks, benthos, marine algae etc. density will be relatively low compared to the mangrove area.

Mitigation measures

 To minimize the impact on the biota in the intertidal zone, activities should be restricted to the pipeline corridor which shall be marked using colored flagging.  Movement of workers and machinery also shall be restricted to pipeline corridor.

 Brief the workers and contractors on the importance of the sensitivity of the area to prevent the unwanted damage.

Although impact along proposed corridor on the biota are unavoidable, trenched corridor after laying pipeline will be filled with native sediment is expected to recolonize with time. Hence, this impact will be temporary and insignificant.

4.3. Marine environment - Operation phase

Since the transportation of crude oil through the installed offshore facilities shall be carried in a closed system, no risk is anticipated during the operation stage except any accidental leakage for which all the measures shall be taken and implemented in the initial stage itself.

Wildlife Mitigation Plan for the Project Replacement of Offshore Pipelines from Narara Bet to SPMs and Section 4 Interconnecting Loop Line Between SPMs, Replacing and Relocating Pipeline End Manifold and Installation of SPM Buoy Page 4.7 at Gulf of Kachchh, Vadinar Coast, Gujarat INDOMER It is established beyond doubt that the human factor remains to be the cause of about 90% of accidents leading to oil spillages. Training people to work safely and efficiently is therefore vital. Mooring officers, pilots, operators and crew of the SPM terminal and the COT must be trained rigorously in day to day operations as well as in handling emergency situations. Crises exercises should be designed and used in actual drills to ensure readiness of the staff at any given emergency situation.

It must be ensured that detailed and unambiguous protocols for operations of integrated set-up of berthing a tanker, hoses connections, pumping of crude oil, operations of valves etc., are evolved well in advance. Likewise, safety procedures and responses required if an emergency arises should also be freely available to the operational staff.

Another consideration in preventing oil spills is the provision and regular testing of not only emergency shut down devices but also the components vulnerable to fatigue or failure. Hence, it should be ensured that valves, couplings, hoses, pumps, sub-sea pipeline etc., are periodically inspected for their integrity as per internationally accepted norms, to guarantee their proper functioning in an emergency. Accurate records of all inspections, unusual findings, actions taken etc., must be scrupulously maintained as a part of the overall record system, and made available to concerned authority, when required.

Entire pumping operation should be continuously monitored for which state-of-the-art electronic devices should be used and pumping should automatically stop if pre-set optimum conditions are exceeded. Pumping should commence only after optimum conditions are reset. Provision for an effective and reliable communication between the tanker, SPM and storage tanks should be made to avoid ambiguities and time delays in reacting if abnormal situation arises.

Other potential impact which can arise during the operation stage includes Ship Discharges - Oily Ballast, Bilge Water, Sewage/Solid waste.

However, these risks already exist in the study area and IOCL has been in operation for the past 43years without any spill history indicating efficient operation of its manpower and available equipment. Hence, during the operational phase, no additional risk/impacts compared to existing environment is predicted.

IOCL is having a dedicated oil spill response facilities comprising of vessels, booms, skimmers, OSD, absorbent pads, booms etc. to combat oil spill of Tier-1 level which is required to be maintained as per existing practice. In addition, there is Mutual Aid Agreements with nearby oil handling agencies and port authority to share the response facilities to each other in case need arises which is also required to be maintained.

A detailed oil spill modelling for cases such as 33 t, 153 t, 500 t and 20000 t has also been undertaken at new SPM locations. Likely scenario and impacts areas are identified. Details of oil spill modelling is presented in Chapter 6. Likely impact and mitigation measures of accidental oil spill on Vadinar coast is detailed below.

4.3.1. Impact due to oil spill

One of the universal challenges faced by resource managers and spill responders when dealing with oil impacts is the fact that "oil" is a complex mixture of many kinds of chemicals. Even if we could somehow stipulate that all spilled oil was to be of a single fixed chemical formulation, petroleum products released into the environment are subjected to differential processes of

4.3.1.1. Impact on offshore waters

Most oils float on the sea surface where they are spread over a wide area by currents, wind and waves. Depending on the type of oil, it may disperse into the top few metres of the water column. The types of organisms that are commonly impacted in an open sea spill include plankton, fish, seabirds and marine mammals and reptiles.

The oil environmental impact on water in damaging in a variety of ways. When there are oil spills in the sea, it does not blend with the water. Most oils float on the sea surface where they are spread over a wide area by currents, wind and waves. Depending on the type of oil, it may disperse into the top few metres of the water column. Over a very short period of time, the oil spreads out into a very thin layer across the surface of the water. This can block sunlight from reaching oceanic environments, which can severely impact producers and, thus, the entire food chain of an ecosystem. As a result the potential environmental impacts of oil in open waters are generally confined to this upper area of the water column although, on occasion, some types of oil will sink and environmental impacts may be observed on the seabed.

This layer, called a slick, expands until the oil layer is extremely thin and can spread widely. This layer is called a sheen and is usually less than 0.01 mm thick. Oil spills on the surface of the water are subjected to the weather, waves and currents. Thus, an oil spill far out at sea can be carried ashore by wave and current action.

Rough seas can split an oil slick apart, carrying some oil in one direction and more in another. In contrast, a near shore oil spill can be totally controlled by currents and wave action that causes the oil to come ashore, damaging marine shoreline habitat.

No additional impacts on marine environment are anticipated as compared to the impacts related to the existing operation of SPM as the proposed facilities and operations are almost the same as the existing ones. However, impacts which may arise during the operational phase are outlined below.

SPM designed, constructed and operated as per the internationally accepted codes and practices are generally safe and leakages of crude oil during pumping are almost impossible. Measures are in place like Marine Break Away coupling, double carcass hoses etc. for preventing any oil spill.

Leakage/spill during unloading can increase the Petroleum Hydro Carbon concentration which have the direct potential to harm the marine community. The oil spill impact area and concentrations mainly depend on various properties of the crude as well as the environmental factors at the time of the spill. Spillage can affect the seawater quality, seabed sediments and in case it reaches to shore will have effects on marine national park & sanctuary, mangroves and biota in the vicinity of spill.

Even after precautionary steps, accidental spillage of oil can occur. The majority of research relating to the effects of the oil on the marine environment relates to major oil spill events, usually from ship collisions and groundings. The environmental effects of oil spills are less known with respect to small scale spills of oil which are common in port and harbour areas.

4.3.1.2. Biological impacts

The range of biological impacts after an oil spill can encompass.

 Physical and chemical alteration of natural habitats.  Physical smothering effects on flora and fauna.  Lethal or sub-lethal toxic effects on flora and fauna.  Changes in biological communities resulting from oil effects on key organisms

Marine animals and plants tend to be tolerant to low level concentrations of oil in sediments from chronic or small discharges, however this is not always the case.

 Prolonged exposure to major or minor oil spills can lead to mass mortality of plankton, benthic communities, fish, mammals and birds.

 Contamination of sediments with oil may modify chemical, physical and biological processes.  Contaminants can be trapped in the sediments and later released as a result of disturbance such as erosion or dredging.

 In sediments, as it is organic, oil will be broken down relatively quickly by microorganisms which may result in the localized removal of oxygen from the sediments and surrounding water with possible effects on marine life.  The persistent toxic constituents of oil, such as heavy metals, can become stored in the sediments, and taken up into the food chain. This will have devastating effect on the ecosystem.

Open waters of the oceans and the associated pelagic and seabed communities have rarely shown any impacts from oil spills. The high dilution potential that this habitat provides is a major mitigating factor.

4.3.1.3. Impact on Plankton

Even though laboratory research has shown that planktonic organisms which live in surface waters can be variously affected by oil, no long-term effects have been demonstrated due to their huge regenerative potential, as well as immigration from outside the affected area. This regenerative potential is fundamental to the important role the plankton plays in the food chains of the world's seas and oceans.

Planktonic life, whether phytoplankton or zooplankton tend to be fairly sensitive to even low levels of hydrocarbons in water, in the range of parts per billion (ppb) to a few parts per million (ppm) of dissolved hydrocarbons. Effects may range from reduced fecundity to death. It is unlikely, however, that the planktonic component in marine environment would significantly be affected by oil pollution or other industrial activity because of high rate of recruitment from non- affected areas, assured by the wide distribution and large population sizes of plankton.

4.3.1.4. Impact on Benthos

The benthic invertebrate biota is an important component of coastal waters providing an energy base for fish and seabirds. It responds to disturbances and represents an ideal monitoring

Wildlife Mitigation Plan for the Project Replacement of Offshore Pipelines from Narara Bet to SPMs and Section 4 Interconnecting Loop Line Between SPMs, Replacing and Relocating Pipeline End Manifold and Installation of SPM Buoy Page 4.10 at Gulf of Kachchh, Vadinar Coast, Gujarat INDOMER system. Bivalves and echinoderms show behavioural changes to hydrocarbon contamination, which may limit their survival, such as emergence from sediments in mussels and clams and narcosis in many species. This can occur after acute, post-spill exposure as well as after long term chronic contamination in parts per billion range. Other invertebrate fauna behave similarly. Benthic invertebrates are able to accumulate hydrocarbons to high levels from the surrounding medium, suggesting bio-transfer as a possible concern. Sessile and sedentary marine organisms are very sensitive to oil spill residues.

4.3.1.5. Impacts on corals

Coral reefs are important nurseries for shrimp, fish, and other animals as well as recreational attractions for divers. Coral reefs and the marine organisms that live within and around the reefs are at risk from exposure to the toxic substances within oil as well as smothering. Spill impacts vary in severity with the specific conditions at a given spill, including oil type and quantity, species composition, and the nature of oil exposure. Oil can kill corals, depending on species and exposure. Longer exposure to lower levels of oil may kill corals as well as shorter exposure to higher concentrations. Chronic oil toxicity impedes coral reproduction, growth, behavior, and development.

The time of year when a spill happens is critical, since coral reproduction and early life stages are particularly sensitive to oil. Branching corals are more sensitive to oil impacts than are massive or late-like corals.

Areas with intertidal corals could be considered at greatest risk in a spill because of the increased potential for direct contact with a relatively fresh oil slick. Regardless of differences in susceptibility by species or physical form, direct oil contact is most likely to result in acute impact because in this kind of exposure scenario the oil is fresher, with a greater proportion of more toxic lighter aromatic hydrocarbons. Where significant amounts of oil remain on adjacent shorelines after termination of cleanup efforts, such as in mangrove forests, where inaccessible oil is left for natural removal, corals may be affected by chronic oil exposure.

Coral exposure via the water column can be a serious route under some circumstances. Because much of the constituent material in oil has a relatively low solubility in water, in general coral may be protected from exposure by overlying waters. However, if rough seas and a lighter, more soluble product are involved, subtidal corals may experience harmful exposure when oil mixes into the water column. The absolute levels of exposure would be expected to be much lower than those encountered by direct contact with intertidal slicks, since only a small fraction of the total oil can mix into the water column either in solution or physically suspended. However, the components of the oil mix most likely to enter the water column are those generally considered to be most acutely toxic. Corals may therefore be exposed to "clouds" of naturally dispersed oil driven into the water column under turbulent conditions, with impacts dependent on exposure concentrations and length of exposure.

4.3.1.6. Impacts on Fish and shellfish

Concerns are often expressed about the effects of spills on fish and shellfish eggs and larvae which are found in the plankton, especially as their sensitivity to oil pollution has been demonstrated in laboratory toxicity tests. However, there is no definitive evidences that oil induced mortalities of fish and shellfish eggs and larvae in the open sea have resulted in significant effects on future adult populations. This is not surprising because oil-induced

Adult fish are fast swimmers and appear to be fairly resistant to oil exposure in contrast to their sensitive eggs and larval stages which are often planktonic. Fish tend to leave areas of high contamination and relatively little mortality is recorded. Sublethal effects include impaired physiological salt and water balance, which would be crucial to anadromous fish when they enter the fresh water phase of their spawning activities, either because the adult has left a contaminated area or such fish have become perceived to be tainted through contact with oil.

Fish may ingest large amounts of oil through their gills. Fish that have been exposed to oil may suffer from changes in heart and respiratory rate, enlarged livers, reduced growth, fin erosion and a variety of effects at biochemical and cellular levels. If this does not kill them more or less directly, the oil may affect the reproductive capacity negatively and/or result in deformed fry.

Contamination with hydrocarbons will make shellfish, taste and smell bad and thus make it impossible to use them for food.

4.3.1.7. Impact on Fisheries

An oil spill can have a number of direct and indirect effects on fisheries. Commercially exploited animals and plants may be killed as a result of oil smothering and toxicity. Catches and cultivated stock may become physically contaminated or may acquire an objectionable oil-derived taste known as 'tainting'. Valuable fishing and shellfish areas may be closed for fishing for shorter or longer periods because of the risks of the catch being tainted by oil. Concentrations of petroleum contaminants in fish and crab tissue, as well as contamination of shellfish, could pose a significant potential for adverse human health effects, and until these products from nearshore fisheries or aquaculture have been cleared by the health authorities, they could be banned from human consumption.

Catches and cultivated stock may become physically contaminated or may acquire an objectionable oil-derived taste known as 'tainting'. Boats and gear may be directly damaged by an oil spill. Floating and fixed equipment extending above the sea surface are the ones most likely to be smeared.

Precise prediction of recovery is equally difficult. As a generalisation, the toxic effects of oil on marine life depend on the duration of exposure and oil concentration in the environment. Adult free-swimming fish, squid, shrimp and wild stocks of other commercially important marine animals and plants seldom suffer long-term damage from oil spill exposure. This is because oil concentrations in the water will only rarely reach sufficient levels to cause harm. In such circumstances, the effects of oil are usually temporary and localised,

The most serious threat of oil spills to fisheries and aquaculture activity is the economic loss arising from business interruption. Oil on the water and the application of temporary fishing and harvesting bans may prevent normal production, or a loss of market confidence may occur leading to price reductions or outright rejection of seafood products by commercial buyers and consumers

4.3.1.8. Impacts on Seabirds

Oil vapors can cause damage to an animal's central nervous system, liver, and lungs. Animals are also at risk from ingesting oil, which can reduce the animal's ability to eat or digest its food by damaging cells in the intestinal tract. Some studies show that there can also be long-term reproductive problems in animals that have been exposed to oil.

If a bird gets smeared with oil, it may clog the bird's feathers making it impossible for it to fly. The bird may also loose it buoyancy (its ability to float on the water surface) and actually drown.

In their efforts to clean themselves from oil and put their feathers in their original state, the birds may inhale or ingest oil. As many of the substances in oil are toxic, this may result in serious injuries/health effects such as pneumonia, congested lungs, intestinal or lung hemorrhage, liver and kidney damage. This poisoning is often as deadly as hypothermia, although the effects may not manifest themselves as quickly.

Oil may also affect the reproductive success of the birds as oil from feathers of a bird that is laying on eggs may pass through the pores in the eggshells and either kill the embryos or lead to malformations.

4.3.1.9. Impacts on Marine Mammals

Toxic effects due to ingestion of oil or inhalation of oil droplets/ vapours, on marine mammals include, congested lungs, damaged airways, liver and kidney damage, eye and skin lesions from continuous exposure to oil; decreased body mass due to restricted diet; and stress due to oil exposure and behavioral changes.

Whales, dolphins, Dugong dugong are very vulnerable to oil pollution because they need to surface to breathe. Exposure to oil during surfacing and inhaling oil could lead to damage of mucous membranes, injuries in airways or even cause death.

A stressed or panicking dolphin would move faster, breathe more rapidly and therefore surface more frequently into oil which would increase exposure. Dolphins eyesight may also be affected by oil. Habitat loss and diminishing food resources constitute indirect effects on the mammals.

4.3.1.10. Impact on Microbes

It has been determined that the composition of microbial community changes with exposure to hydrocarbons, generally in favour of hydrocarbon degraders - the oleoclasts. Such changes may be faster in tropical oceans.

4.3.1.11. Impact on Sea Plants

Sea plants are very important for the survival of marine animals. Without this, there would be no life in the sea. When an oil spill happens there will be no entry of oxygen in the sea. This will lead to the death of sea plants due to lack of oxygen. Additionally, the lack of oxygen means there will be no photosynthesis

Community Effects of oil spills Period of Impact Decrease in diversity prevalence of dominant Microbes Few weeks after oil spill spill Increase due to reduced grazing, depression of Days to week during and after Phytoplankton chlorophyll, reduction in Photosynthesis rate. oil slicks. Zooplankton Contamination and reduction of population. -do- Amphipods, Isopods, Weeks to years depending on oil Initial mortality decrease in population. Ostracods retention characteristics. Molluscs (bivalves) Initial mortality tainting and contamination. -do- Opportunistic Population Increase. -do- Polychaeters Macrobenthic Decrease in diversity -do- Communities Crustacea & crab Initial mortality and population decrease -do- Fish Eggs & larvae decrease in hatching survival -do- Adults Initial mortality tainting, contamination. Week to months Birds Mortality -do- Mangrove & Mortality reduced growth Months seaweeds Intertidal fauna Mortality & decrease in mortality Months

4.3.1.12. Impacts on Sea bottom

Oil contamination of the seabed may cause serious long- and short term effects on bottom- dwelling organisms (animals, algae and microorganisms). Filtering organisms such as oysters and mussels and clams which filters large volumes of water to get their food are especially likely to accumulate oil or oil components. In addition, if tar-like clumps of oil sink to the bottom, they may destroy living conditions for bottom-living organisms, as well as nursing grounds for fish and shellfish.

4.3.1.13. Impact on sediment quality

Some portion of the spill will be adsorbed by the suspended particulate matter and these particles on settling may increase the load of hydrocarbon in sediment. Moreover, residue remaining after the evaporation of lighter fractions will be broken down in lumps which may also sink or deposited on the shores. The residue may be transported over long distances by current and sinking will spread unevenly on the bed. Hence, sediment levels of hydrocarbon may be found abnormal in such plains. The residue deposited on the bed will be mixed with the sediment by natural physical processes as well as by bioturbation perhaps up to a depth of 5 cm and may remain for several years. The Microbial degradation of hydrocarbons is slow in the sediments since dissolved oxygen becomes a serious limitation. Scouring of the bed material by monsoon flow is prevalent in these areas which may transport the contaminated sediment to other downstream areas.

The sedimentation of weathered residue may have profound effect on benthic animals in shallow waters because of their sedimentary habits depending on the quantum of oil deposited. The sensitivity of benthic animals to crude oil varies among major groups and sometimes within species.

4.3.1.14. Impacts on Shoreline

Sometimes the spills occurring in offshore waters reach the shores and cause tremendous impacts. The greatest impact is likely to be found on shorelines where animals and plants may be physically coated and smothered by oil or exposed directly to toxic components in the oil. The tidal rise and fall exposes a band of the shoreline environment to oil pollution. Edible seaweeds and sea urchins are examples of shoreline species that are especially sensitive to smothering and oil toxicity. In addition to mortality, oil may cause more subtle longer-term damage to behavior, feeding, growth, or reproductive functions. It is a complex task to isolate such sublethal pollution effects from the influence of numerous other factors.

Damage may also result from measures taken to combat an oil spill. Animals and plants which might normally be unaffected by floating oil can become tainted through exposure to oil droplets suspended in the water column if chemical dispersants are used unwisely. For this reason, dispersants should not be used close to aquaculture facilities or spawning grounds and nursery areas

4.3.1.15. Impacts on Mangroves

Mangrove forests are home to a diversity of plant and animal life. Mangroves are highly susceptible to oil exposure. Mangrove trees have long roots, called prop roots, that stick out well above the water level and help to hold the mangrove tree in place. A coating of oil on these prop roots can be fatal to the mangrove tree, and because they grow so slowly, replacing a mangrove tree can take decades. Oiling may kill them within a few weeks to several months. Oil-impacted mangroves may show yellowed and curled leaves, defoliation, and failed biological processes. Other responses include branching of pneumatophores, interference in salt exchange, germination failure, decreased canopy cover, increased rate of mutation, and sensitivity to other stresses. Lighter oils are more acutely toxic to mangroves than are heavier oils. However, heavier oils can result in substantial physical smothering and coating impacts. The amount of oil reaching the mangroves and the length of time spilled oil remains near the mangroves are key variables in determining the severity of effect. Trade-offs include potential increased toxicity to adjacent communities, and increased penetration of dispersed oil to mangrove sediments. Increased weathering generally lowers oil toxicity.

Mangrove-associated invertebrates and plants recover more quickly from oiling than do the mangroves themselves. In extreme cases a massive die-off of plants and animals attached to the mangrove roots will follow the initial release of oil spill. Under severe oiling conditions, mangrove impacts may continue for years to decades, resulting in permanent habitat loss. Five years after the spill, epibiotic bivalves will reduce in oiled areas compared to unoiled reference areas. After 29 years, oysters and snails in the oiled site will decline.

Observations from many spill events around the world have shown that mangroves suffer both lethal and sublethal effects from oil exposure. Past experience has also taught us that such forests are particularly difficult to protect and clean up once a spill has occurred because they are physically intricate, relatively hard to access, and inhospitable to humans. In the rankings of coastal areas in NOAA's Environmental Sensitivity Indices, commonly used as a tool for spill

It is clear from spills, and field and laboratory studies, that oil can harm or kill mangroves. Similar to the oil toxicity situation for many other intertidal environments, the mangrove-related biological resources at risk in a spill situation can be affected in at least two principal ways: first, from physical effects; second, the true toxicological effects of the petroleum. Seedlings and saplings, in particular, are susceptible to oil exposure: in field studies with Avicennia marina, greater than 96% of seedlings exposed to a weathered crude oil died, compared to no deaths among the unoiled controls (Grant et al. 1993). Residual oil remaining on mangrove sediments will increase the ambient soil temperatures affecting germination and growth of plants. Decomposition of the mangrove root mass following large-scale mortality will cause significant erosion. Even if oiling does not result in tree death, the surviving trees can become weakened and vulnerable to drought, flooding, and storms.

Impacts on Tidal flats: Inter tidal zone usually containing rich plant, animal, and bird communities. Deposited oil may seep into the muddy bottoms of these flats, creating potentially harmful effects on the ecology of the area especially on the benthic organisms

Impact on Tourism and recreation: Narara bet at Vadinar is an eco-tourism site where several people visit during low tide. Contamination of the shoreline with oils is a common characteristic of many oil spills, as it may seriously restrict such recreational activities for shorter or longer periods of time.

Public Health: Oil spill not only affect marine life alone but also humans when a spill happens. Petroleum products contain toxic chemicals such as benzene, polyaromatic hydrocarbons, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and toluene. When these chemicals are inhaled by humans it causes health problems. More especially they affect lungs which are a major organ in the human body responsible for breathing.

In relation to public health a few larger aromatic hydrocarbons are carcinogenic compounds. These compounds are present in smaller quantities in crude oil and may not affect those who consume oil contaminated fish and shell fish. But the proportion of these hydrocarbons is more in refined products such as naphtha and may harm the consumers. When the petroleum hydrocarbon concentration in marine organisms exceed 200-300 ppm the organisms acquire a distinct tainted taste, become unpalatable for human consumption.

People's health could be adversely affected by oils either when inhaling or touching oil products, or when eating contaminated sea food. Concentrations of petroleum contaminants in fish and crab tissue, as well as contamination of shellfish, could pose a significant potential for adverse human health effects. However, oil-tainted fish and shellfish will usually taste bad, and that in itself will keep people from eating these products.

Mitigation measures

 To follow oil spill contingency plan this is in place with the IOCL and the Deendayal Port.

 The Marine terminal Operator & the staff, Port authorities & staff and oil tanker crew should be informed about the sensitivity of the area which consists of protected & eco- sensitive zones.

 All required equipment, boat and trained manpower for oil spill combating should be available at any time with required preparedness.

 Mock drill for oil spill combating should be conducted frequently.

 Operating strategy should be no leak under operating condition.

 Spill response should be on the fastest mode.  All attempts should be carried out to prevent the spill reaching MNP, MS and the shore.

 Patrolling should be carried out regularly especially during operation in the operating area near SPMs and the pipeline corridor.

 Favorable operating oceanographic conditions shall be clearly mentioned.

 Internationally accepted codes and practices are to be followed for designing the SPM, PLEM and pipelines.  Internationally accepted best practices should be followed at every stage of operation. The guidelines of MARPOL, IMO, OCIMF and other related organizations should be followed.

 Guidelines of Indian Coast Guard on all aspects of oil spill response should be adhered to

 Frequent inspection, testing and monitoring all parts suspectable to leakage.

 Clear response procedure including emergency alarm for immediate attending of spill in case of oil spill.  Avoid operation during rough sea conditions.

 Regular monitoring of pipelines shall be done to identify minor leakages.

 Response techniques that reduce oil contact with mangroves, such as offshore use of chemical dispersants, reduce the resultant effects as well.

 Spill response to minimize the damage caused by the released oil to mangroves. Mechanical recovery of spilled oil using booms and skimmers is the initial clean up technique. Dispersant application or in situ burning of oil on water may significantly reduce the risk of oil reaching mangroves.

 If mangrove shorelines are oiled, extreme caution must be exercised in selecting clean up activities.

 In some cases, effective clean-up and protective measures can prevent or minimise damage.

 Response techniques including passive collection, flushing, and use of barriers, chemical cleaners, and addition of nutrients can be used to remove oil from mangrove environments.

 Dispersants should not be used close to aquaculture facilities or spawning grounds and nursery areas.

 Computerized monitoring of SPM system shall be considered through telemetry system.

Existing Preparedness

Combating an oil spill in the maritime zone of India is guided by the National Oil Spill Disaster Contingency Plan (NOS-DCP, 2015). Indian Coast Guard is the Central Coordinating Agency for marine response and is engaged in gradually building up response capability to deal with a major oil spill of the order of 20000 t in the EEZ of India. This response capability is considered to be 'Tier 3' response. NOS-DCP makes port authorities responsible to respond to accidents within the port limits (Tier 1 response) though they can seek additional assistance through the Regional Communication/Operational Centre of the Coast Guard.

Under Tier 1 response, all SPM operators in the Gulf should have their oil spill contingency plan for responding to spills of upto 700 t. IOCL too has an oil spill contingency plan (Tier 1).

IOCL has lined up a dedicated contractor for operation & maintenance of the SPMs & related offshore pipelines. Diving support vessel, a pollution response vessel, a tug and two boats are deployed around the SPM system for handling the operation, maintenance, oil spill preparedness and any contingency. Required manpower for the jobs is present on the vessels/boats. The oil spill equipment as per the requirement are present onboard the pollution response vessel. The diving support vessel is equipped with firefighting facility and water flushing arrangement to flush the lines in case of any exigency.

In addition to the facilities available with IOCL, there is a mutual aid scheme with the neighbouring oil handling agencies and Deendayal Port Trust to share the response facilities in case a need arises. If a major spill of 10000 t or more occurs in the Gulf, the Coast Guard will respond with their facilities. The ICG has the North Western regional office at Gandhi Nagar, Gujarat and a station at Vadinar. There are 11 SPMs currently under operation, hence likely risk of oil spill are high. At present, all SPM operators have individual oil spill contingency plan and Tier 1 facilities to combat any accidental spill. In case of oil reaching the shore, shore clean up responsibility should be taken up by State Government as per NOS-DCP.

4.3.2. Impact due to ship discharges

VLCC will be operating at SPMs. Continuous operation of these vessels can generate discharges such as oily ballast, bilge water and sewage. Discharges of onboard wastes are not permitted in the port areas. The ships have to follow the existing regulations of MARPOL, IMO and destination countries.

International Convention on Ballast Water Management: India has introduced Merchant Shipping (Amendment) Bill, 2015 on 29 April 2015 and approved accession to the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ship's Ballast Water and Sediments, 2004 (Ballast Water Management Convention) of International Maritime Organization (IMO). India is signatory of the convention.

The Convention requires all new ships to implement an approved Ballast Water and Sediments Management Plan. All new ships will also have to carry a ballast water record book and follow ballast water management procedures to a given standard.

Wildlife Mitigation Plan for the Project Replacement of Offshore Pipelines from Narara Bet to SPMs and Section 4 Interconnecting Loop Line Between SPMs, Replacing and Relocating Pipeline End Manifold and Installation of SPM Buoy Page 4.18 at Gulf of Kachchh, Vadinar Coast, Gujarat INDOMER Indian ships of 400 Gross Tonnage (GT) and above on international voyages are required to possess an International Ballast Water Management Certificate. Indian ships below 400 GT plying within the territorial waters of India shall be issued an Indian Ballast Water Management Certificate. Ships which are not designed/constructed to carry ballast water, warships, naval auxiliary or other government-owned non-commercial ships are exempted. Strict adherence to International convention shall be followed to minimize impact due to ship discharges.

Hence, no discharge of wastewater/waste from ships calling at SPMs will be permitted. Ships will have their own sewage reception/treatment facilities on board and hence no discharge will be done as per MARPOL convention.

During operational phase potential impact will be due to unexpected oil spill. IOCL already own TIER 1 facilities, regular monitoring and oil spill contingency plan to combat spill up to 700 t. Also, sensitive areas shall be addressed immediately in case of any spill.

Till date there is no history oil spill due to SPM operation of IOCL. Equipment's are serviced and maintained at regular intervals backed up with trained manpower. Hence, with the existing preparedness and the experience gained in operation of SPMs for 43 years, IOCL will be in a position to minimise environmental impact and safeguard the eco-sensitive areas in the future too.

4.4. Terrestrial environment

i) Air Environment

Impact

Construction phase: Since the welding activities shall be carried out at barge in a well closed system, only marginal impact to air quality during construction phase is associated with dust generation and gaseous emission from activities such as site clearing, earthwork, piling work, material transport and onsite vehicle operation. However, the likely chances of dust generation of high intensity are unlikely from the project area (forms CRZ area) due to high moisture content of soil. However, gaseous emission from construction equipment's, DG set, piling equipment and material transport vehicles are likely. Dust fall and gaseous emissions on ecologically sensitive areas like mangroves, intertidal areas, marine national park and sanctuary near to project site are area of concern and should be protected with suggested mitigation measures.

Mitigation measures

 Vehicles entering the site area shall be checked for valid PUC and limit on-site vehicle speeds to 10 kmph.  Maximise the material transportation through sea route only thereby leaving the intertidal area unaffected.  All labourers working in dust areas/sea shall be provided with Personnel Protective Equipment/safety equipment as per the industry norms.  Engines and exhaust systems of all vehicles and equipment shall be maintained to keep the exhaust emission under statutory limits.  DG set used during construction phase shall conform to the noise and air emission norms prescribed by CPCB/GPCB.  Covering/watering of aggregate or dusty material storage piles shall be done to reduce dust emission.

 Tarpaulin covering shall be ensured for all dusty vehicle loads transported to site.  Screen the construction site to stop dust spreading to nearby mangrove/mudflat area, MNP area.  No burning of materials at site.  Switch off construction equipment and vehicle etc. when not in use.

Operation phase: No impact is envisaged.

ii) Noise Environment

Construction phase: The anticipated impacts on ambient noise quality due to construction phase are expected from use of construction equipment, vehicle movement, running machinery etc. The impacts can be minimized by selecting proper equipment, proper maintenance of vehicles and lubrication of equipment and machineries. The construction activities such as transportation of raw materials for civil works, construction machinery are likely to cause increase in the ambient noise levels.

PPEs shall be provided to workers (for noise>85 dB) and good construction practice shall be followed to minimize disturbance to marine and terrestrial habitat.

Mitigation measures

 Use of quieter equipment - Appropriate equipment and machineries shall be selected to maintain the noise levels below the levels stipulated by Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).  Persons exposed to high noise levels (>85 dB/facing difficulty to communicate each other) shall be provided with Personnel Protective Equipment (PPE).  Proper lubrication, muffling and modernization of equipment shall be done to reduce the noise.  Proper work activity scheduling and placing of tools and equipment's.  Weekly maintenance of tools and equipment's.  Maximise the material transportation through sea route only

Operation phase: No impact envisaged.

iii) Water Environment

Construction phase: Anticipated impacts during construction activity on water quality can be due to increased water demand, wastewater generation and its impact on ground water and surface water.

 Water requirement: Water requirement during construction phase will be met from existing Vadinar unit.

 Wastewater generation: Wastewater generation is expected from site run off and sewage. Proper sanitation facilities like toilets and bathrooms will be provided for workers. Sewage generated shall be appropriately treated.

No impact on existing water resource during construction phase is predicted as no ground water and additional surface water withdrawal is required.

Since no discharge of wastewater, abstraction, diversion of ground and surface water will be undertaken, no threat to ground and surface water is anticipated. iv) Land and Soil Environment

The activities will be limited to the marine environment and hence, no impact is anticipated on the land and soil. However, waste generated during construction phase shall be disposed off as per Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016 and Hazardous Waste Management Rules 2016.

Project activities are completely on marine environment. Impact on environmental components such as air, water, noise, land and soil are predicted to be very minimal during both construction and operational phase.

Summary of suggested mitigation measures

 Half yearly environmental monitoring of Seawater, air quality, noise levels, corals and associated biota shall be done close to Single Point Mooring, PLEM and Subsea pipeline corridor.  Regular integrity checks of pipelines as per prescribed norms.  Computerized monitoring of SPM system shall be considered through telemetry system.  Updation of existing oil spill contingency plan from National Coast Guard after modifying for proposed new locations.  No disposal of ship waste/oil waste into marine environment.  Clear marking of pipeline shall be ensured.  Project shall be ensured through competent authority following international standards.  No storage of construction materials in CRZ area shall be ensured.  Mangrove protection and management as recommended in Chapter 7 shall be ensured.  Coral management plan as recommended in Chapter 7 shall be ensured.  Restoration and decommissioning procedure following applicable international standards.  Compliance with clearance conditions of NBWL and Forest Department.  No disturbance to existing fishing activity shall be ensured during the construction.

5. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN

The proposed project involves replacement of existing subsea pipelines, SPM, PLEM at proposed location. The impacts due to construction and operation of these facilities were described in Chapter 5. To address the anticipated impacts and to implement the mitigation measures Environment Management Plan (EMP) needs to be formulated. EMP identifies the approach, procedures and methods that will be used to control and minimize the environmental impacts of construction and operational activities associated with project development. It is intended to reduce the negative impact of proposed project and to enhance the positive benefits from the project. As part of project, proponent shall commit to excel in environmental and social performance by ensuring the following:

 Comply with all environmental and social conditions associated with project approvals.

 Promote environmental awareness and understanding among employees, contractors and local villages through training, identification of roles and responsibilities towards environmental and social management.

 Monitor environmental performance throughout the project and implement an adaptive approach for continuous improvement.

The EMP provides an outline for environmental management measures developed for construction and operations phase to ensure environmental safeguards are in place to minimize and mitigate the identified impacts to the surrounding environment. Since, project activities will be confined to marine environment no major impact on the terrestrial environment is anticipated. Hence, management plan is suggested for marine environment.

5.1. Environmental Management Plan – Construction phase

Environment management cell along with contractor shall form construction environment management plan. Management plan shall constitute main considerations to reduce impact on marine environment.

5.1.1. Construction site management

Labour camp: All the labours shall be on the barge during the construction of SPM, PLEM and pipeline laying in offshore section. Only for small duration of 2-3 months, labours shall work in intertidal area for which suitable accommodation away from forest area shall be selected.Prior to commencement of work, HSE management plan should be worked out with contractor to ensure the health and safety of labours and to keep quality of environment at project site. Workers should be provided with proper sanitation facilities, drinking water, training and awareness, medical checkup, good housekeeping etc. The construction time schedule should be strictly followed so that the impacts from the construction activities are not prolonged.

Further, following shall be ensured:

 All workers shall be provided with PPEs like ear plug/muff, safety helmet, face mask, safety gloves, safety goggles, safety shoes etc.

 Building and Other Construction Workers Act & Rules, 1996 and amended till date will be followed. Basic amenities and welfare facilities as detailed below shall be provided to the construction workers.

a) Wholesome water

Sufficient supply of wholesome water (clean drinking water) to all construction workers at suitable locations marked as "Drinking Water" in local language shall be provided.

b) On site sanitation facilities (Latrines and Urinals)

Sanitation facilities marked separately for Men and Women shall be provided.

c) Temporary living accommodation

Accommodation shall have cooking, bathing, washing and lavatory facilities shall be provided. Employment likely to be generated during construction phase is 300 nos. and the provision for same shall be established near site.

d) First aid facilities

First-aid facilities shall have the following facilities.

 First aid box with essential medicines including ORS packets.  First aid appliances-splints and dressing materials.  15 small sterilized dressings.  8 medium size sterilized dressings.  8 large size sterilized dressings.  8 large size sterilized burn dressings.  8 (15 g) packets sterilized cotton wool.  2 (60 ml.) bottle containing a two per cent alcohol solution of iodine.  2 (60 ml.) bottle containing sal volatile having the dose and mode of administration indicated on the label.  2 rolls of adhesive plaster, a snake-bite lancet.  2 (30 g) bottle of potassium permanganate crystals.  2 pair scissors.  2 copies of the first-aid leaflet.  2-3 bottles containing 100 tablets (each of 5 grains) of aspirin.  Ointment for burns.  2-3 bottles of a suitable surgical anti-septic solution

Sanitation facilities: Proper sanitation facilities for labour camp should be provided. The basic facilities required for the labours at the workplace as per the Contract Labour (Regulation & Abolition) Act, 1970 will be made available.

5.1.2. Trenching and piling management

Trenching and piling are the major activity which can hamper the marine environment. These activities shall be done with care by technically sound personnel. Intertidal area should be refilled with trenched material after laying the pipeline. If found necessary, silt fences/net enclosures

 No construction materials, debris, oil or liquid chemicals or other waste shall be placed or stored where it may be subject to wave erosion and dispersion into marine environment.

 Spoil from trenched area shall only be stored in the right of way and immediate back filling after completion of pipe laying shall be ensured.

 Minimum generation of sediment plume during trenching and backfill work shall be ensured. Plume control equipment such as silt fence etc. shall be provided to control sediment induced effect on corals, mangroves, plankton, seawater quality etc.

 Use of construction equipment with good condition and no spill of hydrocarbon shall be ensured.

 Ensure trenching and piling works are carried out as per field schedule

 Proper cautionary buoys shall be placed around the construction corridor to warn risk and to properly delineate the working corridor.

 Proper restoration trench shall be ensured with native bed. Frequent monitoring of pipeline corridor after construction phase for 6 months shall be undertaken for topsoil run off.

5.1.3. Mangrove Management Plan

In order to support the mangrove management in the pipeline area as well as degradation or after effect once the new pipelines are made with new SPM a few suggestions are made below. The IOCL may either execute this management programme by themselves in consultations with the mangrove experts of the country in collaboration with Gujarat Forests Department or in collaboration with some of the supporting organizations mentioned below. The following are the major suggestions for mangrove management in Narara bet, Vadinar.

Stakeholder's, regulatory and management body, supporting and facilitating Bodies for Mangroves of Narara Bet, Vadinar are detailed under coral management plan.

Mangrove Afforestation: Mangrove management plan is already under implementation through Marine National Park Authority. The Management Action Plans need a boost to arrest further degradation of mangrove and to assist their growth. IOCL should therefore formulate and implement a scheme for Mangrove transplantation/restoration in consultation with Marine National Park Authority.

In order to regain its density, Gujarat Forest Department has undertaken afforestation of the mangroves in Kachchh and Jamnagar Districts (earlier) from 1983. Seed sowing and plantation of polypot seedling mostly for Avicennia sp. were done for propagation in Cher forest and in other muddy and marshy areas. Conservation effort along with plantation resulted in consistent recovery of tidal forest cover from 397 km2 in 1991 to 419 km2 in 1993, 689 km2 in 1995 and 991

Wildlife Mitigation Plan for the Project Replacement of Offshore Pipelines from Narara Bet to SPMs and Section 5 Interconnecting Loop Line Between SPMs, Replacing and Relocating Pipeline End Manifold and Installation of SPM Buoy Page 5.3 at Gulf of Kachchh, Vadinar Coast, Gujarat INDOMER km2 in 1997 and 1999 45 km2 so on. The plantation areas in the Marine National Park of Jamnagar and Kachchh Districts are 24.03 and 1.5 km2, respectively. However, some of the attempts to afforest certain elevated mudflats in the Jamnagar area have failed due to increased soil salinity. Success of plantation before 1991-92 was very low, but success rate improved during the last six years due to improvements in regeneration techniques. Even not a number of inter-tidal mudflats provide a great opportunity for regenerating mangroves. The previous experience of restoration of the tidal forest has already laid a strong foundation and has developed the confidence of the organization for implementing mangrove restoration for further increase of mangrove cover in the potential areas and it has been projected that mangrove cover may further increase to one and half time of the present cover in the state during the next decade.

Site selection for Mangrove plantation in Narara bet: The management plan proposes to establish community-based mangrove regeneration and management models at a few locations in the Narara Bet, Vadinar. The coastal stretches of the 10 km IOCL LFP radius includes Vadinar, Singach, Jhakhar and Bharana villages. Much of the coast of the Vadinar, Singach, Jhakhar and Bharana villages forms as part of Marine National Park and Sanctuary, meant to protect the mangroves in the region. The population, in these villages are less dense, survives mainly on rain- fed agriculture. Canal waters through minor irrigation schemes and underground water sources provide irrigation water to a small fraction of the available cultivable area. Literacy levels are low and fishing, livestock tending, and agriculture are the main occupations of the coastal populace. Mangroves of this area, which constitute major chunk of the mangrove wealth of the state, are composed mostly of a single species of Avicennia marina rendering it more prone to destruction and degradation. The hinterland vegetation is mostly scrubby and degraded, inadequate to meet the fodder and fuel requirements of the livestock and human population. Hence a proper site must be selected for mangrove plantation in the Land Fall Point.

The criteria for the selection of the site should be considered based on the objectives of the management plan.

 Technically feasible in terms of mangrove regeneration  Land availability for the implementation of project  Approach from the concerned village  Community dependency over the coastal natural resources  Community- willingness to be associated with the project  No legal issues are pending with the land  Vulnerability or prone cyclone area  The area is a Revenue land (Un-surveyed)  The tidal current in the area shall be 2 to 2.5 m and gets inundated up to a distance of 200 m from low tide level regularly.  The area is under scrubby Avicennia marina  The Intertidal mudflats having plain terrain with gentle slope.  The salinity level of the area shall be between 35 to 40 ppt.

Justification for mangrove plantation in Vadinar and the support of State policy for notified for mangrove areas: The State government has also notified large areas of mudflats as forests for mangrove management and increased regulation of anthropogenic activities in the mangrove areas. Thus, in all about 1, 32, 440 ha (66,593 ha in Jamnagar, 7,770 ha in Rajkot and 58,180 ha in Kachchh districts) of coastal mudflats in the State have been notified as reserved forests. GEER Foundation has estimated that in November 1998 the total mangrove cover (both dense and sparse) in these areas was only 19,210 ha (14,150 ha Jamnagar, 560 ha in Rajkot and 4,500 ha in Mundra and Abadasa-Lakhpat areas of Kachchh). This indicates that large areas of notified

Industries sustained mangrove plantations in Narara Bet, Vadinar: Recently mangrove plantation activities have also been undertaken by upcoming/existing industries, but the efforts need scaling up through implementation of local community-based conservation initiatives.

Local people's involvement in mangrove conservation: Mangrove afforestation programmes of the forest department, and also that of some of the industries suffer from a serious lacuna of completely ignoring the involvement of local village communities. Traditionally, the local people, especially fishermen and pastoral communities have been directly dependent on mangroves for their livelihood, fodder and fuel. Mangroves also provide protection to the agricultural fields in the coastal areas by preventing soil erosion and salinity ingress. They have therefore, a very important stake in the regeneration of mangroves which in future implemented by IOCL.

Livestock rearing communities (Maldharis) have a very important stake in the conservation and regeneration of mangroves and can be persuaded to participate in developing systems for regeneration and sustainable use of mangroves. To recognize this participatory management, it is important that local community-based institutes and organizations are involved in the regeneration and management of mangrove areas. Only such decentralized institutions can develop different systems for the preservation, regeneration and sustainable use of mangroves that are well suited to the local conditions.

Prospective for mangrove management: Even though most of the mangroves in Narara Bet, Vadinar are severely degraded, the project site still has large areas all along the coast which have a potential for mangrove regeneration and management in collaboration with Gujarat Forest Department. In fact, GEER Foundation has estimated about 63,720 ha spread across 10 Districts all along the coast which has a potential for mangrove regeneration. All these areas, along with the adjoining areas with existing mangrove can be regenerated as well as restocked and developed as community forests. There is thus an urgent need to initiate project on regeneration and management of mangroves with active involvement of Community Based Organization.

The IOCL mangrove regeneration and management beneficiaries will include a wide range, from the local communities of the villages around Narara Bet, Vadinar, the administrative units who are directly and indirectly dependent on mangroves and its resources and the Gujarat State in general which will benefit in terms of enhanced capacities in decentralized mangrove management, sustainable coastal resource management and better integration of environmental concerns in developmental planning for the coastal zone. The major beneficiaries will be the marginal and agricultural labourers, the livestock owners and the fishermen communities of Vadinar, Singach, Jhakhar and Bharana villages. Marginal and agricultural labourers, especially womenfolk, will be benefited directly by increased employment generation through plantation and regeneration activities. Increase in mangrove areas will also help the fishing communities by way of enhanced fishery resources in the near-shore waters. The IOCL mangrove management programme will also open new avenues of livelihood in the long run that would strive to integrate various farm-based activities such as apiculture and non-intensive aquaculture. Increase in mangrove cover through IOCL mangrove management programme and species diversity will bring about other associated benefits on a wider scale in the 10 km radius of Narara Bet Vadinar LFP, such as increased fishery and other faunal resources, control of soil erosion and salinity intrusion, development of a natural barrier against storms, cyclones, tsunami etc.

 Nursery raised saplings by CBO/ SHG or potted seedlings by CBO/ SHG – This model is adopted due to its capacity to give better survival rate. Nursery beds will be prepared in the inter-tidal belts of the selected areas.

 Earthen mound Technique (raised bed plantation) – This model is adopted and preferred due to its cost effectiveness. It is also easy to implement where large areas are to be brought under mangrove cover. The model has proved to be effective in terms of survival rate in adverse ecological conditions in Narara Bet. This may be executed through by CBO/ SHG.

 Direct dibbling (seed sowing) – This method can be employed at the places where tidal current is low.

 Canal plantation – This model can be adopted at the places where the water inundation takes place once in 10 days as well as in hyper saline area.

Gujarat Forest Department has developed three models of mangrove plantations, of which suitable methods shall be adopted for afforestation measures for the present program.

Direct seed sowing: Direct seed sowing technique is used at the sheltered intertidal areas. This is because the strong tidal currents may wash off the seeds. The matured seeds and propagules are planted in such areas. Before plantations, the land is cleared from algal deposition and other unwanted materials. Subsequently, seeds and propagules are sown. The plantation is not irrigated as they receive tidal inundations through creeks. However, regular weeding should be conducted to remove algal deposition.

Nursery development: A nursery of Avicennia marina and other potential species need to be developed in large scale preferably in suitable area and maintained for the continuous supply of seedlings for afforestation. Tidal inundation must be available for nursery. Continuous monitoring, gap filling, and health of seedlings need to be monitored.

Mangrove reforestation in Gujarat: Direct Nursery development seed sowing (Source: ISME)

Raised bed plantations: This model is unique and is used only in Gujarat due to high tidal amplitude of 2-10 meters with an average of 4-6 meters. As this plant location also comes under this tidal area, this method can be comfortably used for afforestation. This technique is used in the non-sheltered intertidal areas. Under this model, soil mounds of about one meter diameter

Raised bed plantations

Raised bed method is a good practice, however not preferred since during receding tide saplings gets uprooted leading to poor growth rate. This method can be attempted at locations where density of mangroves is sufficient to slow down receding tides. Direct seed sowing and nursery plantation can be attempted at Vadinar.

It is recommended that mangrove plantation shall be done at appropriate location / season, identified by State Forest and Environment Department /Gujarat Ecology Commission as carried out by proponent earlier. Area of plantation shall also be chosen as per suggestion of forest department. Such a mangrove ecosystem protected/developed will improve aesthetics of captive jetty and acts as creek bank and cyclone impact controller.

Narara bet mangrove management – implementation flow diagram

Sites for mangrove management/regeneration with (CBOs) or (SHG): Selection of mangrove management site will be carried out for assessing the current status of the site in terms of ecological and environmental condition. GEC/Forest dept. may appoint expert team based on expert advice. The expert team will survey the area and prioritize the sites based on the observations made during the visit. Apart from the technical aspects, the survey would also yield the socio-economic status of the villages. This would include results of GIS based maps (Mangrove), Rapid Rural Appraisal (RRA), Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) exercises. Alternatively, Forest Department, Jamnagar may select the suitable site for mangrove plantation activities as they are better suited to make the decisions.

Mangrove Plantation: Based on the recommendations of the forest department/expert of domain, the potential locations on each of the selected management sites can be decided. The exact area for the restoration, plantation and / or conservation will be demarcated through expert advice. The nursery and plantation of mangrove species can be carried out based on the status of existing growth in the Narara Bet. In case of restoration, the main activities would involve desilting of the existing canals or the feeder canals. This can be supplemented by digging of rib canals or new canals. If there is need for mangrove plantation, the main activities would be collection or procurement of seeds, developing the nursery and plantation of seedlings. Nurseries at the local level would be developed subject to availability of seeds. If enough seeds are not available at the site, then seeds or seedlings will be procured from other sites. In case of conservation, the main activity would be developing norms for better management of the existing mangroves. All the above activities will be carried out by the members of community

As per norms IOCL shall pay compensatory afforestation and Net Present Value to forest department for raising the mangrove forest as clearance conditions issued during forest clearance. Forest department will have the responsibility of developing mangrove forest on behalf of IOCL.

Monitoring program: Regular monitoring of health, density of mangroves by Environment Management Cell, Annual report shall be prepared. Mapping of initial extent of mangroves and changes over an interval of every year using GIS.

Comparison of baseline data with yearly monitoring details will help the management to understand the areas of concern. Reduction of 20% mangrove extent shall be treated as signs of degradation. Accordingly, proper mitigation measures shall be adopted.

5.2. Environmental Management Plan - Operational phase

The environment management plan is required for mitigating the impacts on environment due to operation of the project. No additional risks are involved during the operational phase compared to the existing scenario. Hence, strengthening of existing plans and compliance conditions shall be followed. Potential impacts and its management plan are detailed below.

5.2.1. Corrosion Management Plan

IOCL has defined procedures in Pipeline Integrity Management System for monitoring and mitigating internal as well as external corrosion of its pipelines. Details of general corrosion management procedure used are given below.

a) Monitoring and mitigation of external corrosion in pipelines

i) Cathodic Protection: The objective of cathodic protection is to make all exposed external surfaces of IOCL pipeline a cathode with respect to the basic corrosion cell. Pipelines are cathodically protected in order to prevent corrosion by maintaining Pipe to Soil Potential (PSP) voltage between -0.85 V to -1.2 V. Transformer Rectifier Units (TRU) along with anode beds is installed at regular intervals for maintaining the above PSP protection level.

ii) PSP survey: PSP survey is carried out on 5-yearly basis for assessment of the protection level of the underground pipeline. Pipeline locations with history of abnormal PSP values are assessed for external corrosion growth.

iii) Intelligent Pigging- Health of pipeline is being monitored through intelligent pigging which gives data of all the anomalies including internal and external corrosion and any metal loss because of this.

b) Monitoring and mitigation of internal corrosion in pipelines

Pigging and line scraping: The objective of pigging / line scraping is to clean these deposits from the inside of the pipe in order to restore the original line capacity, and to retard corrosion by reducing the amount of corrosive material inside the pipe.

i) Chemical analysis of pipeline debris received after pipeline cleaning. ii) Microbial analysis of pipeline debris. iii) Residual analysis of water associated with tanks in crude oil. iv) Monitoring of fluid parameters such as H2S.

Depending upon the outcome of the chemical analysis and review, pigging frequency is reviewed. b) Corrosion coupons or Probes: Corrosion coupons are pieces of metal of predetermined shape, size and surface area bearing similar chemical composition to the mainline pipe and have a uniform reproducible surface finish. They are inserted in pipeline and exposed to the line pipe product for a fixed period of time. They give visual indication of the type of corrosion and the rate of corrosion. Basic principle of monitoring by Electrical corrosion probes are dividing the pipeline into small segments and on-line monitoring of the resistance of each segment based on calculations from the changes in depth of localized corrosion of the probes.

C) Intelligent pigging survey (IPS): IPS by MFL (Magnetic Flux Leakage) and UT (Ultrasonic) technologies are being adopted for assessing corrosion (metal loss – eternal or internal), cracks, dents, wrinkles, buckles and gouges in line pipe wall. For newly commissioned lines, base line survey through intelligent pigging survey (IPS) is carried out within 2 years of commissioning. Frequency of inline inspection (or IPS) is 5 years.

Details of mitigation measures for internal corrosion is given below.

a) Selection of higher thickness (24 mm) of pipe with Nace (sour) grade to handle different types of crude oil.

b) Injection of Corrosion Inhibitor: Continuous corrosion inhibitor (CI) injection is practiced in all product, crude (onshore and offshore). Based on the CI manufacturer's recommendation, dosing rates of CI are maintained which are reviewed in combination with observations made during monitoring by corrosion coupons or corrosion probe. All pumping stations have facility of CI dosing which enables re-dosing of CI at intermediate stations in long distance pipelines.

c) Pipeline replacement: Significant stretches of pipeline having high density of internal or external corrosion are opted for replacement. The stretches of span to be replaced are evaluated based on results of IPS and further analysis of corrosion growth rates. Environmentally sensitive stretches, strategic importance (refinery feeding or import unloading port), rapid urbanization, failure prone (history), pigging constrictions (deep dents/buckles/wrinkles) and capacity augmentation are some of the criteria which are considered while reviewing IPS reports to opt segment replacement of pipeline.

5.2.2. Leak and accidental spill management

To ensure safety in petroleum installations and pipelines, continuous efforts are required for carrying out various periodical inspection and maintenance.

To assess stability of pipeline alignment and any threat to its safety from external sources, following three type of surveys are conducted offshore pipelines.

Oil spill management

 Detailed oil spill contingency plan existing with IOCL shall be implemented incase of accidental oil spill.

 Half yearly monitoring of water quality, seabed sediments and biological sample should be carried out as per post project monitoring plan during operation phase to identify adverse environmental changes. Report shall be submitted to Regional Office MoEFCC, Bhopal, Chief Conservator of Forest, Jamnagar and Chief Wildlife Warden, Jamnagar.

 The discharge of oil waste into the sea during unloading operations should be eliminated.  The discharge of solid waste and sewage from ships should be controlled. Ship visiting the SPM shall have Ballast Water Management Certificate.

 Inspection of marine facilities - inspection of SPM and pipeline should be prepared as per the internationally accepted practices. The records of all inspections including the deficiencies identified and corrective action taken should be maintained.

 Avoid operation during rough sea conditions.

 Regular site inspection to monitor minor leakages.

5.2.3. Mangrove and Coral Management Plan

After carrying out the trenching and piling activities, plantation of mixed mangrove species in and around Narara with the consultation of the MNP, Jamnagar will be carried out. This would help in

All the corals falling along the proposed pipeline route shall be translocated before commencement of construction activities so as to ensure no corals get damaged during the construction activities.

Further, after completion of project, new coral bunds shall be prepared in the diverted lands to support the recovery of corals and other biodiversity. Any existing coral bunds, if gets damaged during the construction activity shall also be repaired.

5.3. Institutional arrangement

Institutional arrangements for management of the environment fall under the broad categories of (a) petroleum spill control and combating, (b) monitoring of the marine environment and (c) periodic inspection of the oil terminal sub-systems.

For this purpose, Deputy General Manager (DGM) of IOCL Vadinar should be made responsible for the environmental management. The DGM should have a group of personnel well-trained in combating of oil spills up to 100 t. Since the response to a spill should be immediate, the DGM should initiate quick action in case of accidental spills.

Likewise, detailed inspection of the SPMs, pipelines, hoses, couplings, valves etc. should also be carried out by IOCL regularly.

Apart from combating of oil spill, the DGM should be made responsible for arranging, coordinating and overseeing marine environmental monitoring, periodic inspections, training programmes, refresher courses, mock rehearsals etc. The records of all these activities should be maintained as a part of the overall record system. Following shall be ensured by Environment Management Cell working under Deputy General Manager.

 Ensure effective communication and explanation of the content and requirements of the EMP to contractors and subcontractors.

 Provide appropriate and adequate resources allocated for the effective implementation and maintenance of the EMP.

 Review of EMP performance and implementation of corrective actions, or stop work procedures, in the event of breaches of EMP conditions, that may lead to serious impacts on local communities, or affect the reputation of the project.

 Report any major environmental incidents that may have a significant impact on the surrounding environment.

 Preparation and implementation of Environmental Supervision Plan during construction.

 Ensuring adequate training and education to all staff involved in environmental supervision.

 Evaluating the efficacy of the EIA, mitigation measures as stipulated in the EMP.

 Coordination with MoEF&CC and other central/state pollution control boards for prevention and control of environmental pollution.

 Carryout half yearly monitoring program and preparation of compliance report.

 To implement Environmental Clearance condition stipulated by MOEFCC.

 Maintain environment monitoring records.

5.4. Implementation of EMP

Overall implementation of EMP will be the responsibility of EMC. Various implementation items, description and appropriate time to implement EMP are listed below.

Implementation item Description When to implement Formation of an An Environmental Management Cell shall be Two months before Environment formed to implement the proposed EMP. preparation of Management Cell (EMC) construction site for the main work. Continuous throughout the operation phase Contractor The Construction Contractor should ensure Before commencing that the intent of EMP is spread among construction work. construction workers. Make sure that all environmental safeguards and precautions are in place. Ensure that all equipment used is properly serviced and all precautions are in place to prevent the likelihood of an environmental impact. The contractor shall be responsible for construction and worker management plan and safety of workers. Workers Should be aware of the contents of EMP, and Construction and the reason for implementing its elements. operational period Report all environmental incidents to the contractor /manager as soon as practicable, but within 24 hours of them occurring.

Recommended EMP Implementation flow diagram

6. POST PROJECT MONITORING

The primary objective of post project monitoring program is to develop site specific monitoring program for environmental parameters likely to be affected by proposed project activity. Post project monitoring will be undertaken to determine the environmental effects of operational activities and secondarily to increase understanding of cause-effect relationships between activity and environmental change.

In order to verify the efficacy of the implemented mitigation measures and there on to modify them if necessary, the post project monitoring becomes inevitable. The post project monitoring program is an equally important aspect in Environmental Management Plan. A continuous review of post project monitoring program shall be conducted by the Environment Management Cell (EMP) to identify the effectiveness of mitigation measures suggested.

6.1. Environmental impact matrix

Identification of post project monitoring locations, frequency and parameters to be analysed is done based on the anticipated impacts on the environment during operation phase of the project. Environmental management matrix used to identify frequency, location and parameters is given below:

Environmental Impact Matrix – operation phase

Proposed mitigation Activity Anticipated impact Monitoring Program measures Ship Degradation of seawater and Monitoring of seawater and Discharges seabed sediment quality. Operation of ships having seabed close to SPM. Ballast Water Impact to plankton, benthos Management Certificate Monitoring biomass and and other marine community species diversity of plankton, benthos and other marine community Frequency of Monitoring: Half yearly monitoring program on marine environment is suggested for ship discharges. Accident Degradation of seawater and Emergency oil spill Monitoring of seawater and Oil spill/ seabed sediment quality contingency plan seabed quality areas close to Spill during SPM & pipeline corridor. handling Impact to plankton, benthos Development of reporting operations and other marine community and alerting mechanisms Monitoring biomass and species diversity of plankton, Specialized oil spill benthos and other marine response equipment community Frequency of Monitoring: in case of oil spill immediate attending of spill must be taken up as per existing oil spill plan. Continuous monitoring of Oil, PHC content in seawater shall be analysed till complete recovery of spilled oil. Oil content in the seawater shall also be analysed during half yearly monitoring of marine environment.

Also, looking into the impact and suggested mitigation measures during construction phase, post project monitoring shall also include monitoring of Narara bet especially proposed pipeline corridor and adopted area for mangrove plantation and coral translocation. Yearly monitoring of health status, survival rate, coral count etc. shall be undertaken.

Wildlife Mitigation Plan for the Project Replacement of Offshore Pipelines from Narara Bet to SPMs and Section 6 Interconnecting Loop Line Between SPMs, Replacing and Relocating Pipeline End Manifold and Installation of SPM Buoy Page 6.1 at Gulf of Kachchh, Vadinar Coast, Gujarat INDOMER Since, proposed project will be replacement of existing pipelines at identified locations, the same existing risk will be applicable to this project as well. Hence, current monitoring program carried out by IOCL can be continued. Also, compliance conditions in case of forest clearance and wildlife clearances shall also be complied. This will include time to time monitoring of mangrove area and MNP area.

6.2. Post project monitoring program

Monitoring program is suggested to identify the variation in the environment due to operation of SPMs. Monitoring program shall be done during the operational phase of the project and it should be repeated at periodic intervals (half yearly) after the commencement of operation. The monitoring must be organized with qualified and experienced environmental team. Standard procedure shall be followed for sample collection and analysis. Half yearly monitoring of seawater quality, seabed sediment and marine ecology is recommended along pipeline corridor and SPM location.

Post project monitoring program has been planned based on the prediction of impacts and mitigation measures suggested. Summary matrix of environmental monitoring covering locations of monitoring stations, frequency of sampling, standard methods for sampling & analysis etc. are presented below.

6 monthly compliance report as per the MoEF conditions shall be submitted along with all the monitored data.

Also, post-activities third party monitoring may be carried out to monitor the impacts of the projects on ecology and biodiversity in marine environment. This allows the validation of monitoring data and increase the quality of the report

6.3. Review and reporting

The results of monitoring shall be reported to the statutory authorities GPCB, Chief conservator of forest and Regional Office of MoEF&CC, Bhopal. Monitoring report should include condition of environmental clearance, wildlife clearance, forest clearance and status of compliance. It shall also cover different statutory returns/ compliance reports to be submitted such as:

 Submission of half yearly compliance report in respect of the stipulated prior environmental clearance terms and conditions in soft copy to GPCB and Regional Office of MoEF&CC, Bhopal on 1st June and 1st December of each calendar year.

 Submission of environmental statement for the financial year ending 31st March to the GPCB on or before 30th September every year.

 Yearly submission of compliance condition given in the wildlife and forest clearance to Chief conservator of forest.

6.4. Onsite mock drill

Onsite mock drills shall be encouraged by the proponent to make aware of the existing disaster management plan and how to respond to emergency cases such as oil spill, natural calamities etc. Conducting mock drills will enhance the preparedness and practicality of designed responses.

7. CONCLUSION AND ACTIVITIES RECOMMENDED FOR MITIGATION

The proposed pipeline replacement project is of utmost importance as per the finding of the pipeline health monitoring reports. The project is crucial to meet the energy needs of the country and timely replacement of pipelines will also ensure that there are no accidental leaks in the pipeline due to aging and corrosion.

The project proponent has carried out a detailed impact assessment and based on inputs from various statutory authorities a robust mitigation plan has been framed in order to execute the project in a safe and environmentally sound manner.

The Project is predominantly taking place in the marine side and the predominant impacts are anticipated to be occurring only in the identified corridors where the pipelines will be laid on the seabed.

The use of skilled manpower, modern construction methods and approved marine vessels in these activities will ensure that the work is implemented in a safe and environment friendly manner.

It can be observed that only mangroves and corals are going to be directly expected to have some impacts at the time of construction period. Even in this the areas of impact have been identified prior to construction and have been demarked in such a manner that the impact and damages can be reduced to the minimum possible levels.

IOCL has already committed to expending the below mentioned amount for conservation activities:

Sl. No. Description Cost (₹. in crores) 1. Coral translocation 5.50 2. Comepsatory afforestation of demanded land 0.47 3. NPV of demanded land 0.35 4. NPV of protected ara in MNP and MS 13 Annual payment to Forest Department for oil spill monitoring 5. 0.20 (annual) unit as per previous conditions 6. Conservation Plan for biological entity in wildlife area 0.27 (Proposed)

Apart from the above in order to further strengthen the biodiversity of the area, IOCL is proposing one time allocation of funds for taking up the below mentioned mitigation activities in the project location to be implemented in 2 – 3 years.

Cost S. No. Conservation activities (₹ in lakhs) After completion of project, plantation of mixed mangrove species in and around Narara area with the consultation of the MNP, 1 10 Jamnagar. This would help in preservation of the habitat diversity and enhance the ecosystem functional of the mangrove ecosystem. Organizing awareness program on importance on conservation of mangroves and other marine biodiversity, sea turtles and marine 2 3 mammal conservation, impacts of destructive fishing practices, ghost nets, etc. among the dependent population and local public. 3 Construction of ‘coral bunds’ to support the recovery of corals and 15

Wildlife Mitigation Plan for the Project Replacement of Offshore Pipelines from Narara Bet to SPMs and Section 7 Interconnecting Loop Line Between SPMs, Replacing and Relocating Pipeline End Manifold and Installation of SPM Buoy Page 7.1 at Gulf of Kachchh, Vadinar Coast, Gujarat INDOMER Cost S. No. Conservation activities (₹ in lakhs) other biodiversity in the diverted lands for the project activities. Repairing of the existing coral bunds (if get damaged due to the project activities) in the proposed pipeline sites Post-activities third party monitoring of the fauna and flora, ecological changes in the project sites and adjacent areas also to be 4 carried out, at least for two years. Necessary conservation 2 interventions also to be carried out if any hindrance in the recovery of the ecosystem. Total 30