CONSTRUCTION OF COAST GUARD JETTY AT VADINAR INTRODUCTION 1.1 Indian Coast Guard (ICG) is the nodal agency for Coastal Security, Marine Pollution Control, Search and Rescue at Sea of the country. The charter of duties of the organisation is as follows:- (a) Safety and Protection of Artificial Islands and Offshore Terminals (b) Protection of Fishermen (c) Assistance to Fishermen in Distress at Sea (d) Preservation and Protection of Marine Environment (e) Prevention and Control of Marine Pollution (f) Assisting the Customs and other authorities in anti-smuggling operations (g) Enforcement of Maritime Laws in Force (h) Safety of Life and Property at Sea (i) Collection of Scientific Data 1.2 Marine Environment protection/ Pollution control efforts by ICG. India has been endowed with a vast marine ecosystem and bio-diversity, which sustains a large number of species and the coastal populace is dependent on the resources from this marine eco-system. The need for protection of this eco-system has been acknowledged worldwide and UNCLOS 1982 prescribes the responsibility on the Coastal States in preserving and protecting the marine environment and associated resources. The Maritime Zones of India Act 1976, enables the Government to take measures for protection of the marine environment. The Coast Guard Act 1978 states that the preservation and protection of marine environment and control of marine pollution is the function of the Indian Coast Guard. The ICG has been accordingly nominated in 1986 as the Central Coordinating Authority for oil-spill response in the Maritime Zones of India and Coast Guard officers have been empowered under the Merchant Shipping Act 1958, for taking necessary actions against polluters. 1.3 Any oil-spill response requires inter-agency coordination. Necessary preparedness measures need to be addressed collectively, and towards that effort, a national level contingency plan, that provides all the necessary details and functional responsibilities of various agencies, has been prepared. The Government of India approved the National Oil-spill Disaster Contingency Plan (NOSDCP) in 1993, and allocated functional responsibilities to various ministries and departments for oil-spill response in the Maritime Zones of India. The ports are responsible for oil-spill clean-up within port limits, and oil-handling agencies are responsible for oil-spill clean-up upto 500 meters around the oil-handling installations. The Coastal States and Union Territories are responsible for shoreline clean-up, whenever the oil-spill reaches the shore, and threatens the shoreline. 1.4 Coast Guard Station Vadinar. ICG is having one of its operational station and Marine Pollution Cell of Gujarat Region at Vadinar in mouth of Gulf of Kutchh. Indian Coast Guard Station Vadinar is an operational station located in the mouth of Gulf of Kutch, responsible for the security of coast of GoK and all SPMs in the area. The Station Commissioned on 25 Mar 83 by Smt Sharda Mukherjee, the then Governor of Gujarat. Gulf of Kutchh area is vulnerable to Coastal Security threats as well as for marine oil pollution/ oil spillage due to presence of 11 SPMs of various Public and private Oil Handling agencies in the region which is handling about 70% of crude oil of nation. Further, the area is sensitive to marine pollution due to proximity of Narara Marine National Park. ICG has presently based small patrolling Vessels in Vadinar for patrolling of coastal area. These Vessels having lesser draught are berthed inner side of Kandla Port Trust Jetty. ICG is planning to base bigger Patrol Vessels and Pollution Control Vessel (PCV) for enhancing Coastal Security and quick response to Marine Oil pollution and such disasters. Hence for berthing of these Ships, appropriate Jetty/ Infrastructure is considered as essential. Accordingly an appropriate location has been found between Essar Jetty and KPT Jetty and feasibility study has been conducted by ICG through IIT, Chennai. 1.5 During monsoon every year cyclones are common in this part of the country. Even if one of VLCCs/ULCCs runs aground, there will be a massive disaster on Land. The spillage of enormous quantity of oil in the Gulf due to hostilities, collision, grounding, sabotage or pipe burst will doubtlessly have a grave impact on Saurashtra in particular and the nation in general. As the Gulf is land locked on three sides, with the strong tidal stream, large tidal range, strong winds and close vicinity of ships and SBMs to the coast, the spill is bound to reach ashore within hours. At present, the nearest pollution response ship is based at Porbandar. Coast Guard reaction time thus, is not less than 04 hours. 1.6 Presently the ships based in station are berthed alongside / inner side of KPT jetty which is having limited berthing facilities for smaller ships/ boats having draught lesser than 1.5 Mtr. Hence Indian Coast Guard felt that the need for construction of Coast Guard jetty is essential sothat Pollution control Vessel (PCV)/Off Shore Patrol Vessels can be based at Vadinar to reduce the response time for combating terror strikes to vital installations in the area through sea, effective boarding and rummaging operations using bigger CG ships as well as controlling oil/ Marine pollution control. 2 PROJECT INFORMATION 2.1 Site location and port limit. The location of proposed jetty is within the port limit of Kandla Port Trust Off Shore Oil Terminal. The offshore oil terminal of the Kandla Port Trust (K. P. T.) is located in Vadinar and contributes in a large way to the total earnings of this major port. Vadinar is now notable due to the presence of two refineries which are close by - one promoted by Reliance Industries and the other by Essar Oil Ltd. A salt production unit is located in Vadinar. The famous Narara Island, which is part of Marine National Park, is situated 7 kilometers away from town. Two single-buoy moorings (SBM) of the Kandla Port Trust offshore oil terminal of the Indian Oil Corporation are located at this port along with a similar buoy of the Essar refinery. (Refer fig below) 2.2 The proposed Coast Guard Jetty is subjected to the Kandla Port Trust conservancy. The Jetty is located at pathfinder inlet creek, lies between the two islands, Kalubhar Tapu and Narara Bet. The port limit on the land side lies 2 km from Nichoni creek, situated 3 km towards south from the proposed Coast Guard Jetty. The port limit on the sea side lies at the 30 m contour, situated 5.9 km towards north from the proposed Coast Guard Jetty. The port limit exist from 22°29'11"N - 69°39'7"E , 22°29'14"N - 69°41'9"E in the sea side and 22°25'25"N- 69°39'33"E , 22°25'25"N - 69°41'11"E at the land side . 2.3. Connectivity. The proposed Coast Guard Jetty is subjected to the Kandla Port Trust conservancy, which has an existing offshore oil terminal is well connected to the state highway. The existing approach road to the proposed site is adjacent to the four- lane state highway (SH-6).The nearest rail connectivity to the proposed Coast Guard Jetty is Modpur/ Khambaliya Railway Station, which is situated 32 kms from proposed site. Jamnagar a major commercial junction is 47 km for the proposed Coast guard Jetty.The airport is situated near Jamnagar and 39 kms away from the proposed coast guard jetty. Jamnagar has a aerial connectivity from Mumbai and Delhi 2.4. Water and Electricity Supply. The proposed coast guard jetty is situated under the Kandla Port Trust conservancy which has an existing offshore oil terminal and is well equipped with proper Electrical power backups. Hence requirements of Electric/ Power supply shall be provided by KPT for the proposed jetty on rental basis. 2.5. The water supply to KPT,Vadinar is tapped from Sasoi Dam which is situated 43 km from the site. This water supply is not available during summer seasons and during the years of draght/ nil rain fall in the area. The ICG Intercepter boats berthed in KPT Jetty are presently supplied potable water through water bowsers by own arrangement of ICG. Hence K.P.T shall provide the water supply for the proposed jetty on a rental basis depending on its administrative policies or ICG may hire potable water under the delegated power of station commander as suitable. However a pumping station shall be provided for to the transfer Raw & Portable water in the jetty. 2.6 Project feasibility Study and DPR. As per IIT feasibility study report the proposed jetty will have 175 Mtr lengths and 13 Mtr width. 14 Mtr depth alongside CG Jetty is suitable for berthing of oil Pollution Control Vessels and AOPVs of Indian coast guard ships. Accordigly, IIT Report recommended for construction of ‘L’ shape CG Jetty with 175 X 13 Meter landing Jetty and 190X9 Meter approach Jetty. The approximate cost of job considered to be Rs 60.61 crores. 2.7 Details of Ships planned for berthing at proposed Jetty: Displacement Length Width in Draught in Types Of Ship in Tons Mtr Mtr Mtr Pollution Control Vessels 3300 94 15.5 4.5 (PCVs) Advanced Off shore 2230 105 12.9 3.6 patrol Vessels (AOPVs) Fast Patrol Vessels 306 48.1 7.5 2.0 (FPVs) Inshore Patrol Vessels 200 44 7.4 2.3 (IPVs) The B Berth 2.8 Site plan of Proposed Jetty.