Report on Development of Coastal Areas Affected by Salinity (NATIONAL COMMITTEE ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF BACKWARD AREAS) November, 1981 Planning Commission Government of India New Delhi Report on Development of Coastal Areas Affected Areas CONTENTS S.No. pages Summary of Conclusions and Recommendations iii to xiii 1 Introduction 1 to 22 2 Strategy of Development 23 to 26 3 Brackish Water Fish Culture 27 to 58 4 Marine Fisheries 59 to 66 5 Crop Planning & Allied Programmes 67 to 76 6 Irrigation, Drainage and Salinity Control 77 to 86 7 Development of Saurashtra and Kutch Areas of Gujarat 87 to 100 8 Development of Sunderban area in West Bengal 101 to 283 Annexures Chapter 1 Annexure 1.1 State-wise position of Coastal areas effected by salinity 3 to 8 Annexure 1.2 Demographic situation in saline areas of Orissa 9 to 10 Annexure 1.3 Density of population in saline and non-saline rural areas of 11.12 saline affected districts of Orissa (based on 1977 census data) Annexure 1.4 Comparative percentage distribution of inhabited villages in 13-14 saline and non-saline areas of salinity affected districts of Orissa (based on 1977) Census data) Annexure 1.5 Percentage share of Villages by various population size 15.16 classification in saline areas to total areas of salinity affected districts and whole of Rural Orissa (Based on 1977 Census data) Annexure 1.6 Percentage of population living in Villages in different 17-18 ranges to total rural population Annexure 1.7 Percentage of distribution of workers in certain selected 19-20 Industrial pursuits in Rural Orissa. Annexure 1.8 Check list for discussion on problems of coastal areas 21-22 affected by salinity Chapter 3 Annexure 3.1 Statewise existing and potential areas of brackish water 33-34 and inshore areas available for mariculture Annexure 3.2 A project Profile for Brackish water Agriculture in West 35 to Bengal 46 Annexure 3.3 Henry's Island Project on Brackish Water, Prawn & Fish 47 to Farming 50 Annexure 3.3 Brackish water prawn and fish seed Collection, Peak 51-52 period of seed availability and period suitable for training Annexure 3.5 Duration of training needs on the various aspects of 53-54 brackish water fish and prawn farming Annexure 3.6 Estimates for the construction of tanks and sluices for 55-56 Mahisani Island Annexure 3.7 Estimates for the construction of tanks and sluices for 57-58 Herobhanga-Jharkhali Island Chapter 4 Annexure 4.1 Census on Marine Fisherman Population, Crafts, Gears, 65-66 etc. in India (1973—77) Chapter 5 Annexure 5.1 Economics of selected rabi Crop 73-74 Annexure 5.2 Relative Tolerance of Crops to Salt 75-76 Chapter 7 Annexure 7.1 Details of damages of irrigated area due to salinity 95-96 Annexure 7.2 Detailed financial break-up for 1 hectare farming 97.98 Annexure 7.3 Detailed financial break-up for 10 hectare farming 99-100 Chapter 8 Annexure 8.1 Sunderban development Project (with IFAD 111 to 113 assistance) Project Organization SUMMARY OF CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 1 INTRODUCTION 1. The National Committee on the Development of Backward Areas has identified different types of fundamental backwardnesses and is seeking remedies for rectifying the same. The coastal areas; affected by salinity constitute one such category. (para 1.1) 2. The problem of salinity in coastal areas is a national problem and requires detailed studies in all the coastal slates. The development of such areas- requires special attention because they have remained neglected since long and the deve- lopmental efforts of the post-independence plan era have also not generally reached there for want of proper strategy, infrastructure and impediments due to backwardness. (Para 1.6) II STRATEGY OF DEVELOPMENT 3. The Committee is of the view that for special treatment as saline areas, coastal saline areas need to be identified as: (a) Soil salinity areas where the top soil is saline; (b) Water salinity areas where either the water strata for great depths is saline, or even if top 30 ft. has fresh water where fresh water is entirely by rainfall alone. (Para 2.2) 4. With a view to providing the right type of development technology suiting of different conditions such areas may then be classified into : — - (a) Saline soils; (b) Saline alkali soils; (c) non-saline alkali soils; and (d) degraded saline alkali soils. (para 2.5) 5. The entire area of Sundarban faces the problem of salinity, water logging and drainage. In the absence of upland water supply the area is exposed to tidal action making the water highly brackish. For the development of the Sunderban an integrated programme simultaneously covering crop production, fisheries, animal husbandry and forestry and providing for improvement in infrastructural facilities including communication and supply of potable water will be necessary. For the protection and development of land and for increasing availability of fresh water for agricultural and drinking purposes, engineering and other measures as envisaged both in the Interim plan of development of the Sundarban and in the Sundarban Delta Project should be undertaken. Industrial development should be restricted to such agro-based industries as do not aggravate the problem of fresh water in view of its limited availability. As an integral part of the overall development of the region, river road and rail transport facilities should be considerably improved. Electrification should be extended to the area to support development. (Para 2.8) 6. On the east coast the principle of developing existing skill will lead to the obvious strategy of developing fisheries. The next important part of the economy will be agriculture in which some beginning of development can already be seen in these areas wherever fresh water is available. Development of village industries and tertiary sector growth will have to follow the primary growth in both fisheries and agriculture. (Para 2.9) 7. In the West coast the entire economy will be based on fisheries except where agriculture be developed on the lines of Kuttanand. It will be found that such development on the West coast today would be a high cost development and may not give a competitive agricultural economy to the population. (para 2.9) 8. The Committee has generally been informed that there is no arrangement for any systematic soil surveys in most States particularly in the coastal areas. The Committee would urge that if a solution is to be found for the problem of the coastal areas affected by salinity, these areas can only be identified on the basis of a systematic soil survey. It is only then that it would be possible for the State Governments to identify areas of high, medium and low saline conditions and seek remedial measures. (Para 2.10) 9. It is important to undertake evaluation of the various measures taken by the State Governments to reduce the problem of salinity and how far these have been successful. (Para 2.10) 10. The fishermen class in the coastal saline areas subsist mainly on marine fisheries. Optimal utilisation of the potential needs to be aimed at. (Para 2.11) 11. The current controversy on the serious competition between traditional boats and mechanised boats needs to be resolved. Demarcation can be based on cost- benefit analysis and suitable rehabilitation of the displaced fishermen, if any, should be done. Possibilities of processing and marketing including export of frozen fish has to be worked out rationally and optimally. (Para2.11) 12. Brackish water fishery provides a sizeable potential for development. On account of large areas of brackish water, the reservation of the pursuits for the smaller people would help improve substantially the economics of these persons. Individual farms of smaller size are desirable but these need to be supported through areas development approach and also through the provision of appropriate supporting services including technical consultancy services. (Para 2.12) 13. The transfer of technical knowledge to the fishermen is very vital and this responsibility should be shouldered by the State Governments by providing the technical consultancy free of charge. The systematic development of the fishermen class should be the focus of attention and would have to be intensified. (Para 2.12) 14. Hectare for hectare brackish water fisheries which can develop prawns in addition to brackish water fish, give much greater income than the composite fish culture followed in inland fresh water fisheries. Fresh water being the most difficult ingredient in the coastal saline areas, its utilisation for culture fisheries whilst a more remunerative technology in brackish water is available, will not be warranted. The Committee, therefore, recommends that culture fisheries in the coastal saline areas should invariably be brackish water fisheries. (para 2.13) 15. With the higher rainfall on the east coast it should be possible to bring drainage waters from the land mass through controlled channels to leach the top soil in the saline areas and also impregnate the sub-soil with fresh water pushing down the saline accuifer. Proper fresh water use is, therefore, the main strategy for agriculture in these areas. Further, as fresh water will be scarce inspite of these attempts, the cropping system that will be developed has to be based on suitable cash crops whose water requirements will be low. (Para 2.14) 16. Very little work has so far been done on finding suitable horticulture cultivators of various fruit trees suited to the area. The Agricultural Universities will have to rapidly survey available information about suitability of fruit trees for their coastal saline areas and in due course undertake development of the necessary cultivers for better production.