COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT

COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT

There is not enough water in the whole of earth’s oceans to swallow all the pollutants generated by us human beings. -Anonymous

21 STATE OF THE ENVIRONMENT REPORT - 2003

COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT

Current Status Problems Causes

Trends and Projections Hotspots Impacts

Action Plan

22 COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT

CURRENT STATUS Coastal Zone Management Authority

Karnataka’s coastline extends over a length of 320 The Karnataka Coastal Zone Management Authority kilometers. It is one of the most indented shoreline with constituted in the year 2000 by the Government of is numerous river mouths, lagoons, bays, creeks, promontories, responsible for monitoring and implementing Coastal Regulation Zone Rules, bench marking of high tide line/low cliffs, spits, sand dunes and long beaches. Unlike the east tide line, preparation of local level Coastal Regulation Zone coast of India the coastal stretch of Karnataka has no major maps, identification of ecologically fragile zones and delta formations. The shelf off Karnataka has an average preparation of area specific coastal zone management plans. width of 80 kilometers and the depth of shelf break is Karnataka Coastal Zone Management Authority functions in liaison with the National Coastal Zone Management between 90 and 120 meters. There are a few islands off Authority in the Ministry of Environment and Forests, the coast, the major group being St. Mary’s Island, 4 Government of India. The State authority has specific powers kilometers off the coast near . for protecting and improving the quality of coastal environment and preventing, abating and controlling environmental pollution in the coastal areas. The authority Fourteen rivers drain their waters into the shore waters of is also to ensure compliance of all specific conditions laid Karnataka. The important estuaries include the Netravati- down in the approved coastal zone management plans. Gurpur, , Hangarkatta, Sharavthi, Aganashini, Gangavali and Kalinadi. Sand bars have developed in most The Department of Ecology and Environment functions as the secretariat of the Karnataka Coastal Zone Management of the estuaries. There are a number of barrier spits at Authority. In accordance with the provisions of the Coastal Tannirbavi, Sasithitlu, , Hoode, Hangarkatta and Regulation Zone notification, 1991, the department has Kirimanjeswara formed due to migration of coastal rivers. prepared the Coastal Zone Management Plan for Karnataka There are also 90 beaches with varying aesthetic potential. which was approved by the Ministry of Environment and Forests in 1996. This was prepared based on remote Among these, the beaches at Someshwar-, Malpe, St. sensing data, wherein the landward stretches of seas, Mary’s Island, and are excellent with a potential estuaries and rivers, which are influenced by tidal action, for international tourism. Twenty-two beaches are classified as are classified into three categories Coastal Regulation Zone- unfit for use due to coastal erosion, human settlements and I, Coastal Regulation Zone-II and Coastal Regulation Zone- III for regulating developmental activities. In order to activities linked to ports/harbors, industries and fisheries. implement the provisions laid down in the Coastal Regulation Zone notifications, the department has established three PROBLEMS regional offices of the Deputy Conservator of Forest (Coastal Regulation Zone) in 2002 for the coastal districts. District Coastal Zone Management Committees have also been The coastal zone of Karnataka is one of the better- established in each of the coastal districts under the developed geographical areas of the State with high chairmanship of Deputy Commissioner to examine the cases degree of economic development and density of of violations of the provisions of the Coastal Regulation Zone population. notification and take appropriate measures to protect the coastal environment. However, in the absence of detailed Coastal Regulation Zone maps, large number of Coastal Occupational pressures Regulation Zone violations is reported from most part of the coast and the enforcement officials are handicapped for The settlements in the coastal region consist of 22 urban ensuring compliance. The Department of Ecology and Environment, in 2002, has initiated preparation of detailed agglomerations and 1044 villages. The occupational CRZ maps by demarcating high tide line/low tide line and pressures of the region can be attributed to agricultural different categories of Coastal Regulation Zone in cadastral activities, aquaculture, fish landing and processing, port scale to overcome certain practical difficulties at the local maintenance, mining for lime shell, bauxite and silica sand level and for transparent implementation of the regulation. In fact, Karnataka is the first state in the country, which has and coir retting. The coastline is dotted with one major initiated the preparation of the maps in cadastral scale for port at , nine minor ports at Karwar, Belikund, the entire coastal stretch. The preparations of these maps Tadri, Honavar, , , Hangarkatta, Malpe is in the final stage. and Old Mangalore. Besides, there are 110 fish landing

23 STATE OF THE ENVIRONMENT REPORT - 2003

General geomorphological map of coastal Karnataka

24 COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT centres and 150 fishing villages. A single major intervention in the coastal zone is the project Sea Bird, where an area of around 32 square kilometers is being converted into an area with several structures.

Many coastal depressions in the vicinity of habitats are filled up with mud scooped from lagoons to cultivate plantations. The coir retting carried out mainly in mangrove cleared areas, is a microbial process and causes pollution of water, air and soil, which in turn, affects the marine Coastal erosion in Dakshina district resources, quality of estuarine banks and nearby beaches. The Coastal Regulation Zone Notification Coastal erosion Government of India issued the coastal zone regulation on 19 February 1991 under Section 3(1) and Section 3(2)(v) of The coastal zone is relatively poor with respect to mineral the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. wealth. The organized mining activity is limited to bauxite, Coastal zone includes the coastal stretches of seas, bays, lime shell and silica sand. The fresh deposits of lime shell estuaries, creeks, rivers and backwaters which are influenced in the estuaries and backwaters of Kali, Gangavali, by tidal action (in the landward side) up to 500 meters from the High Tide Line and the land between the low tide line and (Tadri), Sharavathi, Gurpur, Pavenje and the High Tide Line. Mulki are declining as 90 percent of the clams are High Tide Line is the line on the land up to which the highest harvested every year. About 50 percent of the area under water line reaches during the spring tide and low tide line is coastal zone (4,90,000 hectares) is subjected to moderate the line on the land up to which the lowest water line reaches soil erosion and 6 percent of the area (56,000 hectares) during the neap tide. to severe soil erosion. The annual rates of soil erosion Activities prohibited within the Coastal Regulation Zone, vary from 5-15 tons/hectare to 15-40 tons/hectare in include setting of industries, storage or disposal of hazardous substances, setting up of units dealing with fish processing moderate to severe soil erosion areas. and waste disposal, construction activity, discharge of untreated wastes and effluents from industries and cities, The Karnataka coast is subjected to three types of erosion; mining of sands, rocks except those rare minerals not available outside the Coastal Regulation Zone areas and facilities occurring along the open beaches, mouths of rivers/ designed to carry treated effluents and waste water discharges estuaries and the tidal reaches of rivers causing into the sea. considerable loss of land, vegetation and revenue. However, government of India may permit storage of petroleum products, modernization of existing fish processing About 60 kilometers of beach (19 percent of the total length units and drawal of ground water in certain places. of shoreline) is confronted with appreciable or severe All other activities are fully regulated either by the State erosion. The problem is relatively more severe in Dakshina Government or by the Government of India. Kannada and coasts, where about 28 percent of Coastal Regulation Zone I : This category includes ecologically the total stretch is critical. In region, only sensitive and important areas like national parks/marine parks, about 8 percent of the coast is subjected to severe erosion. sanctuaries, reserve forests, wildlife habitats, , corals/coral reefs. It also includes the area between low tide In many river mouths, the sand pit erodes causing shift in line and the high tide line. river course or inlet migration. Coastal Regulation Zone-II: This includes areas that have already been developed up to or close to the shoreline. The erosion becomes severe due to the synchronisation of high flood in the river with strong wave activity during Coastal Regulation Zone III: Includes areas that are relatively undisturbed and those which do not belong to either Category- southwest . The most affected locations are I or II and coastal zone in the rural areas (developed and Gangavali river mouth and areas near , , undeveloped).

25 STATE OF THE ENVIRONMENT REPORT - 2003

Kundapur kodi, Hangarkatta and Groundwater resource potential of coastal zone and level of . Erosion/bank collapse exploitation in 1997 in the tidal reaches of rivers is Gross annual Net annual Level of Net draft Category of Taluk GW recharge GW recharge exploitation also severe and extends at least (MCM) areas to about 12 kilometers. This has (MCM) (MCM) (%) been noticed in Manjuguni and Karwar 113 96 16 16 White Karikodi villages, 65 55 30 54 White Honnawar 81 69 31 45 White Pavinakureva and Bhatkal 34 29 15 52 White Mavinakurve islands, Bhatkal 74 63 10 16 White port area, Kollur and Haladi Coondapur 252 215 71 33 White Rivers, Seethanadi near Udupi 243 207 94 45 White Mangalore 123 104 47 45 White Mabukal and Ullal side of Dept. of Mines and Geology, 1998 Netravathi river bank.

Water pollution extends up to 5 kilometers and rarely up to 10 kilometers from the shore. The nutrient content and the coliform counts The littering at beaches is very high and there is no are relatively high in estuarine waters. Bioaccumulation of mechanism for garbage clearance and disposal. The solid pollutants in aquatic organisms, such as Mytilus edulis, waste dumping yard of Mangalore city has an area of 28.32 Villorita cyprinoids etc are noticed. There is increased organic hectares which is poorly managed. It is estimated that load in wet lands near aquaculture farms. The groundwater, about 250 tons per day of solid waste is generated in the in general, is affected by microbial pollution in Dakshina Mangalore city of which 200 tons per day is collected and Kannada, Udupi and Karwar districts. disposed into landfill. The solid waste generated at Karwar town is of the order of 18 tons per day of which 12 tons Salinity per day is disposed into unsecured landfill. At Udupi, the solid waste generation is of the order of 6 tons per day of The intrusion of saline water in wells up to a distance of 1 which 5 tons per day is disposed as unsecured landfill kilometer from coastline in sandy areas and up to 500 with an area of six acres. The location of the site at the meters from the tidal tract of estuaries in alluvial areas windward side here is highly adverse from the hygienic during summer also poses problems for drinking water point of view. The unscientific disposal of the solid waste availability. The coastal alluvial aquifers are highly is the case with all the other towns as well. Poor sanitary permeable and are in hydraulic continuity with sea/ conditions have been observed in all the fish landing estuarine water. Therefore, indiscriminate pumping from centres and fishing villages. wells here leads to salinity intrusion. The high level of groundwater exploitation and pumping in the coastal zone, The near shore and estuarine waters are subjected to accentuates the problem pollution due to various reasons such as inadequate sanitation measures in adjacent areas, port activities, The intrusion of saline water into groundwater aquifers effluent discharge from industries, dumping of fish wastes, and the ingression of seawater to the rivers/estuaries are etc. The pollution monitoring of near shore waters off the adversely affecting the availability of potable water, coast of Mangalore, Honavar and Karwar indicates that especially during dry season. the highest total coliforms and faecal coliforms during May. The lead concentration, here, ranged from 21.20 to 31.50 Estuaries are predominant in the Karnataka coast, largest milligram/gram, the cadmium concentration from 0.31 to being the Kundapur estuary and the next being Netravathi 0.46 milligram/gram and the mercury concentration from 0.08 estuary covering an area of 2550 hectares and 1920 hectares to 0.15 milligram/gram. The marine pollution here generally respectively.

26 COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT

Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife (Protection Act) 1972 and The siltation is severe in all the ports, especially at the their fishery is not permitted. , which requires heavy annual maintenance by dredging. The siltation in Karwar port is CAUSES relatively low. Unplanned development in urban areas and industrial locations leads to undesirable landuse practices. The removal Unsustainable fishing practices of clay from riverbanks and alluvial plains to the tune of 30 lakh tons/year and laterite and hard rocks to the tune of 22 The commercially important fishes in the sea around lakh tons/year adversely affect the carrying capacity of land. Karnataka are oil sardine, mackerel, cat fishes, penaeid Similarly silica sand mining to the tune of l lakh tons/annum prawns, sharks, seer fishes, anchovies and other and beach and river sand mining also contribute to the clupeoids, squill and squids. Karnataka has a shelf area problem. Expanding infrastructure facilities lead to conversion of 25000 square kilometers of which 7000 square of large tract of agricultural land to built-up areas. These are kilometers with water depth upto 50 m are extensively more pronounced in areas adjacent to industrial centres, exploited for marine fisheries. The state contributes about fish landing centres and Seabird project. Conversion and 10 percent of the total marine fish landing in the country. reclamation of wetlands is causing estuarine biodiversity loss. There has been substantial increase in the use of trawlers in recent years. In the year 2001-02, altogether about 5500 The concentration of industries and the direct or indirect trawl nets and 425 purse-seine nets have been used. On disposal of industrial effluents and municipal drains to an average, about 82 percent of the total catch is harvested estuaries, rivers or nearshore waters cause water pollution. using purse-seine ( 27 percent) and trawl nets (55 percent). The purse seine net method targets an identified shoal The haphazard dumping of fish wastes near fish landing and the trawling activity leads to scooping of the sea centres, processing of fish catch and the large number of bottom. ice factories (about 200) also cause water pollution. About 39 percent of the total fish catch is subjected to curing, According to studies conducted by Muthiah et al.(2000), caning and 16 percent used for fish meal, manure and oil the peak catch over the last 20 years from the State was extraction. Improper solid waste disposal and in 2,22,779 tons in the year 1996-97 as against an estimated adequate treatment of sewage contribute to the water maximum sustainable yield of 1,52,000 tons. The catch pollution in urban areas. The Netravathi and Gurpur per unit effort and the return on investment are declining in estuarine rivers are considerably affected by the marine fishery sector. discharge of sewage from Mangalore city. The waste generated by the aquaculture farms increases the organic Selective scooping by trawl nets has exerted tremendous load in estuarine waters. pressure on benthic organisms and their survival as these are thrown over board and are discarded dead. The all Though rainfall in the coastal zone is heavy, about 88 percent weather and over night fishing off Mangalore has of it is received during four months leading to disproportionate accelerated the decline in catfish, endemic to the south run off. This, in turn, reduces the flow in rivers during non- west coast of India. In the seas around India, 22 catalogued rainy periods, and hinders proper flushing. Excessive siltation, species of marine mammals occur. They visit the coastal consequently raises the riverbed. The reduced flow enhances waters for feeding or breeding. There are also reports of the saline water intrusion to far upstream. Increased salinity marine turtle nesting in Devagad Guda islands off Karwar. in the river stretches affects wells in the vicinity and alluvial Turtles and dolphins get entangled in fishing nets such as tracts. Increased pumping in coastal sandy areas lead to gill nets, trawl nets and purse seines occasionally off landward movement of saline water-freshwater interface and Karnataka coast. These are included and protected under up coning of saline water in dug wells.

27 STATE OF THE ENVIRONMENT REPORT - 2003

While extracting groundwater, specified spacing between wells is not maintained and no consideration given to sustainable yield causing over exploitation, natural interference of wells, deterioration of quality in sandy and alluvial tracts and lowering of water table in laterite aquifers. The problem is compounded by drawl of water in large quantities by major industrial establishments and about 10,000 small-scale industries including about 200 ice factories.

The excessive siltation is mainly due to poor catchment conservation and increased sediment discharge of the respective rivers and improper flushing. The sediment discharge in rivers is accentuated due to the moderate to Sand mining in coast severe soil erosion of the order of 5-40 tons/hectare/year in respective catchment areas. The heavy siltation in new juveniles and sub adults of desirable fishes and other benthic Mangalore Port is mainly due to deposition of seabed organism. Most of the by catches are of low economic value, materials brought into suspension by monsoon waves. but are vital for the food web consisting of marine shellfishes and finfishes. By catches are thrown overboard. The Coastal erosion is caused due to both natural processes discarded bycatch include low valued ground fishes, and anthropogenic interventions. The unceasing act of crustaceans, anemones, sponges, echinoderms, jelly fishes, wind, waves, tides and currents leads to shore movement etc. besides the unmarketable juveniles of fish and shell or littoral drift along certain coastal stretches. The fish. imbalance created or the lack of littoral material supply thus makes the land lose by erosion, which, at places will TRENDS AND PROJECTIONS be permanent. The concentration of wave energy due to wave refraction further accelerates erosion. Anthropogenic The pollution level in inland surface water increases during interventions such as coastal protection structures, post monsoon and pre monsoon periods. The marine breakwaters, dredging in harbors, silt traps/dams in pollution is not a serious problem at present except for a upstream portions of rivers, removal of sand from the few occasional reports of fish kill near Karwar and algal beaches etc., often hinder the natural process beyond blooms off Mangalore. The generation of waste in all the resilience limit and aggravate the problem of erosion. The urban centres is expected to increase appreciably. In short period waves (storm waves) rip open the beaches, Mangalore, 19 percent increase in solid waste generation taking the material away into deep water, while long period is expected over the next five years. In general, the water waves (swells) push this material back on the beaches. quality variation is cyclic. Increased stock density in Permanent erosion takes place when the swell is unable aquaculture ponds beyond its carrying capacity leads to to push the material back on to the shore. The flood flow reduced fish survival and system collapse. The excessive in rivers flowing parallel to the coast makes the adjacent input of nutrients is leading to eutrophication in certain beaches more vulnerable to erosion. arms of the estuaries. The stress on marine fisheries is mainly due to the confinement of fishing activity to the nearshore zone up to a The annual rate of increase in groundwater exploitation is water depth of 50 meters. The increased use of trawl nets about 2 percent in Dakshina Kannada and 1.4 percent in further accentuates degradation of fishery. Trawling results Uttara Kannada. Considering this and the population growth, in disproportionate destruction of nontarget groups along with all Taluks except Karwar and Ankola need immediate

28 COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT

Projected level of groundwater exploitation organisms, including commercially important fish like the catfish. Level of exploitation (%) Area Taluk 1998 2002 2007 2012 category Karwar 16 22.6 37 52 White Kumta54607590Dark HOTSPOTS Honnawar 45 51 66 81 Grey Bhatkal 52 58 73 89 Dark The inventory and evaluation of the status Ankola 16 22 37 52 White of resources and environmental quality Coondapur 33 41 60 79 Grey Udupi 45 53 72 90 Dark based on secondary data enabled the Mangalore 45 53 66 80 Grey identification of different hotspots with respect to major environmental issues of the attention. There is also the possibility of increased pumping ecozone. of groundwater from laterite, sandy and alluvial aquifers. IMPACTS The siltation is increasing in most of the river mouths/ estuaries. However no quantitative estimate is available. Destruction of the mud flats/tidal flats, mining of sand near The siltation is also high at New Mangalore Port Trust estuaries and removal of topsoil has caused imbalances where the annual maintenance dredging varied from 1.67 in the natural environment. The removal of clay from the million cubic meters to 4.28 million cubic meters during riverbanks and alluvial plains has accelerated the topsoil the last ten years. removal and this, in turn has resulted in increase of water logged areas. Though there is prolific growth of clams, Intensive coastal erosion takes place from May end to middle deposition of shells is negligible as almost 90 percent of all of August, which is not continuous. There is a period of available clams are harvested annually. deposition in between and the net effect is erosion. The average recession of the beach during the two year period (1998-2000) in the southern part of the coast is 6.44 meters and Hotspots the progradation in the northern Environmental issues Hotspots part is 4.91 meters. Someswar, Mulur, Tekkatte, Uliargoli, Kapu, and Occupational pressure , Pavenje (Mulki), Aghanashini (Tadri) and Kali (Karwar) estuaries and urban areas of Mangalore, Udupi and Karwar, The marine fish production progressively increased up to Baikampadi industrial estate, Panambur, urban centres of 1996-97 (2,22,779 tons) and Water pollution Mangalore, Udupi, Karwar etc. and Binga (Karwar), Kumta thereafter, showed a declining (Aghanashini), Honavar (Sharavathi), Heregutti (Ankola) Nethravathi, Pavanje and Kali rivers and near-shore aquifers in trend (1,28,405 tons in 2001-02) Saline intrusion over the last five years the total Udupi. Estuarine zones of Nethravathi, Gurpur and Kali rivers; cash return however, remained Siltation Honavar, Kundapur and Mulki and ports of New Mangalore and almost the same. The trend Karwar indicates that the annual catch Ullal, Tannirbavi, Bengre, Sasihitlu, Udyavara, Hoode, Coastal erosion Kundapur kodi, Hangarkatta, Kirimanjeswara, Honavar, Shirali, is getting stabilized around the Manjuguni, Karikodi etc. estimated maximum Unsustainable marine Off Dakshina Kannada coast sustainable yield. There is fishery Talapady, Ullal, Mangalore-Panambur, Bengre, Someswar, reduction in the population of Non compliance of the Kapu-Malpe, Kundapur-Gangoli, Marvanthe, Baindur-Shirali, provisions of Coastal several estuarine and marine Bhatkal-Murdeswar, Honavar-Dhareswar, Kumta, Gokarna, Regulation Zone Ankola and Karwar.

29 STATE OF THE ENVIRONMENT REPORT - 2003 Coastal Regulation Zone Map

30 COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT

Local level Coastal Regulation Zone maps

An area upto 500 mtrs from the High Tide Line towards the land is declared as Coastal Regulation Zone as per the Coastal Regulation Zone notification. However, it is restricted to 150 to 100 meters on either side of the rivers, creeks and backwaters depending on the width. In case of rivers, creeks and backwaters the Coastal Regulation Zone extend on either side upto a point till the tidal influence is felt and based on the salinity of five parts per thousand (ppt) in the river water during the driest period of the year.

Karnataka State Coastal Zone Management Plan was prepared in the year 1996 in accordance with the Coastal Regulation Zone Notification of Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India. The plan was supported by satellite-based maps in the scale of 1:25,000. Owing to the scale the maps were not user-friendly. As a result enforcement of the provisions of Coastal Regulation Zone Notifications was difficult. Locating a particular site in the map was not possible due to lack of survey number details in the maps. To overcome this the State Government has entrusted the work of delineation of High Tide Line, Low Tide Line and other regulatory lines both on the ground and on the locally used cadastral maps to the National Hydrographic Office, Dehradun.

The map given covers a part of the area of Sasihitlu, Pavanje and Padu Panambur villages of Mangalore Taluk, Dakshina Kannada district along a stretch of around 3.5 kilometers. This map clearly indicates the regulation zone for both the coastal and riverine areas. Village boundary and individual survey numbers can be clearly seen. High Tide Line is marked with a thick red colour line with the letters High Tide Line and the Coastal Regulation Zone boundary is shown in red line with letters 500 meters. Within the Coastal Regulation Zone, the area hatched with red dots indicates Coastal Regulation Zone I, the area with green horizontal line is Coastal Regulation Zone II and the area with blue vertical lines is Coastal Regulation Zone III. Area in continu- ous blue indicates the river course and the sea. Authorised structures such as churches, temples, roads etc., which existed prior to the inception of Coastal Regulation Zone Notification (1991) wherever available, are also indicated. The reference pillars are also plotted in the map. These maps are prepared after digitizing the cadastral maps that are in the scale varying from 1:7920 to 1:3960.

On the ground, the reference pillars have been established all along the coast and on either sides of the rivers, creeks and backwaters at a distance of every 250 meters. Each of these pillars is of 1.5 meters height above the ground level and painted in yellow. These pillars are numbered and inscribed with the details pertaining to the shortest distance to the High Tide Line and direction of the pillar from the High Tide Line.

These local level Coastal Regulation Zone maps will be an effective tool for the general public and local authorities who have the responsibility of enforcing the provisions of Coastal Regulation Zone Notification. These maps, based on the survey numbers provide the distance of a particular site from the High Tide Line and the category of Coastal Regulation Zone to which the survey number belongs. This would indicate the nature of activities that are permissible and prohibited.

The increased nutrient input has led to high incidence of which in turn accentuates the concentration of pollutants in algal bloom off Dakshina Kannada coast. The marine wet lands. As a result, estuaries will be subjected to pollution, though low at present, may lead to eutrophication. bioaccumulation of toxic chemicals in the long run. The matrix transfer of heavy metal toxicity through consumption Increased pumping beyond the sustainable yield of dug of sea food is a possibility. The dredging leads to habitat wells in laterite terrain will lead to lowering of water table disruption due to removal of bottom sediments and/or and in sandy and alluvial terrain to declining hydraulic accumulation of sediments. The water quality change head. In the long run these will lead to drying of wells in consequently leads to habitat inhibitions. As a result of laterite terrain and saline water intrusion in sandy and dredging, re-suspension of bottom sediments, alluvial terrain. Expansion of prawn farming destroyed accumulation/dispersion of toxic substances, oxygen considerable area under mangrove, not withstanding the depletion, reduced primary production, temperature marginal efforts for mangrove regeneration in the wetlands alteration, increased nutrient level and bed load movement near Kundapur. The waste generated by the aquaculture take place. This will alter the benthic community system. farms increases the organic load in the tidal canals and High stock density leads to increased pathogenicity and near-shore waters. Increased stock density in ponds beyond outbreak of fish diseases in aquaculture farms. Excessive the carrying capacity of tidal water body can result in system siltation in estuaries has resulted in improper drainage, collapse and resultant reduced growth and survival of cultured

31 STATE OF THE ENVIRONMENT REPORT - 2003

Department of Ports and Inland Waterways

The major programmes of the department include construction of minor ports, landing and berthing facilities, breakwaters etc., dredging of ports, modernization of navigational aids and facilities, implementation of inland water transport system and construction of seawall structures. The anti sea erosion works are in progress since 1979 In the 10th plan anti erosion work of about 7km stretch is envisaged. The coastal erosion problem is neither uniform nor induced by the same processes at different locations, giving rise to different erosion scenarios requiring different solutions. But only one type of intervention, construction of sea walls, is made at present to combat beach erosion. The scheme lacks proper planning based on scientific studies and site-specific evaluation. Regular beach profiling to understand the beach dynamics and plan protection requirements are scanty. The breakwater structures constructed were not subjected to impact assessment and no environmental management plans are in place to mitigate the adverse impacts due to the structure. The department is poor in monitoring the environmental and ecological aspects while carrying out maintenance dredging. The water quality gets adversely affected due to accumulation of toxic substances as a result of re-suspension of sediments during dredging. In a dredging site, the ecosystem response will be in the form of habitat disruption, habitat inhibition or stimulation due to water quality changes etc affecting phytoplankton, benthic community and movement of larvae and juvenile form of marine life. The required set up for monitoring re-suspension of sediments, accumulation/dispersion of toxic substances, oxygen depletion, reduction in primary production, temperature alteration, change in nutrient level, benthic community alteration and bed load movement is absent in the department. However, no port has a well documented on-site and off-site emergency preparedness plan and regular review of emergency preparedness. fish, increased pathogenicity due to water and soil pollution coastal regulation zone regulations and its administrative etc. procedures is leading to considerable delay in implementing development programmes. The non-acceptability and non-compliance of the coastal regulation zone rules and lack of integrated coastal zone ACTION PLAN management causes significant environmental degradation. The varied forms of violation ranging from industrial and y The ongoing practice of seawall construction is leading residential structures, aquaculture units, bio-mining and to end erosion. Construction of seawalls and plantations subjects the coastal zone to several biotic and breakwaters should be restricted to areas where it is abiotic factors. The lack of awareness on the provisions of

Prioritisation matrix

Socio-Economic/Ecological Impacts Impact on Environmental Impact on Impact on Critical Loss of Productivity Irreversibility / Problems Public Vulnerable Eco- Urgency Total Biodiversity loss Reversibility health Groups systems

Occupational 535353327 pressure Water pollution 5 3 3 3 3 3 5 25 Salinity intrusion 3 1 3 1 1 5 3 17 Siltation 1 3 3 3 5 3 3 21 Coastal erosion 1 3 5 3 5 3 5 25 Unsustainable 355533529 marine fishery

Non compliance of the provisions 355553531 of Coastal Regulation Zone 21 23 29 23 27 23 29 175 Scale 1=low, 3=medium, 5=high

32 COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT

extremely necessary for protecting vital installations. estuarine areas as well. Since a beach is the best protection for the coast, y There should be limited use of low lying fields for paddy technological interventions like appropriately cultivation and aquaculture since they may cause saline designed artificial reefs, submerged breakwaters, water intrusion in groundwater aquifers. beach nourishment, strand vegetation etc, which can y A study should be executed by the Department of regenerate the beach should be preferred over Fisheries in collaboration with Fisheries Survey of India construction of sea walls. and Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute to y Though all the major industries are separately develop database covering fishery and non-fishery monitoring their emission load, effluent quality and factors to evaluate and monitor the biodiversity stock wastewater discharge quantity, a composite picture of positions, fluctuations etc in the near and offshore the pollution load of major industrial belts and the waters. surrounding areas are not known. The outflow from y The present practice for solid waste management in sewage treatment facilities of the local bodies and the various local bodies are mostly using landfill method, aquaculture farms to the nearby estuaries has high which may not be viable in the long run due to limited organic pollution potential and is not monitored land resources. Therefore, alternate technology, which regularly. has recovery component and makes use of limited land y Construction of breakwater/seawalls should be area and quick disposal methods should be adopted. subjected to comprehensive environment impact y Existing catchment area conservation measures for assessment. west flowing rivers are not adequate. Extraction of water y All beaches should be declared as zero waste areas from these rivers is on the rise and the silt load is also and plans should be initiated for achieving this within increasing. Consequently, there is a reduction in the next two years. flushing in these rivers leading to increase in the y In the first phase, ecologically sensitive beaches like pollution load. Therefore, watershed management Malpe beach, St Mary’s, island, Marvante , Ulal, programmes in these river basins should be Gokarna, Karwar need to be declared as zero waste implemented on priority. Similarly the number of dams beaches. that these river systems can sustain can be studied y It is necessary to conduct a detailed environmental and optimized. appraisal and holistic environmental overview of the y Environmental clearance to projects in the coastal zone fragile coastal zone of Karnataka. may be given only after considering the project based y Carrying capacity study of the region should be environment impact assessment findings in the conducted so as to determine the supportive capacity background of carrying capacity of the region or based of the resources and assimilative capacity of the on strategic environmental assessment. environment, based on which optimum resource y Aquaculture Authority and Karnataka State Pollution allocation can be made and long term sustainable Control Board should carry out monitoring of industrial development plan can be evolved. areas on a cluster basis especially in the dry season. y The degradation of coastal sand dunes has already y In order to ensure sustainable development of the spoiled the turtle nesting grounds towards Karwar coastal zone, it is necessary to evolve an Integrated region. Coastal Zone Management Plans within the ambit of y A study along the entire coastal belt to estimate the carrying capacity of the region. ecologically sensitive areas should be done with specific y Campaigns to generate awareness among the local reference to turtle nesting sites. communities together with training to local level officials y The mangrove afforestation as done in Kundapur and should necessarily be initiated and continued. other regions should be extended to other potential

33 STATE OF THE ENVIRONMENT REPORT - 2003

Columnar joints in Basalt rock,St. Mary’s island, .

Coastal Macrofauna

34