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Dhamra Port - Of the many
threats to the Olive Ridley Turtle and the unique marine ecosystems off
the Orissa coast, the decision of corporate giant TATA to build a port
at Dhamra, is the most serious and latest. The intended purpose of the
new port will be as an export point for TATA products such as steel
from the Orissa hinterland but the economic benefits are highly
questionable, not least because the port of Paradip itself is expanding
and is currently under-utilized. The proposed port is located just
north of the boundary of the Bhitarkanika National Park and about 10
kms away from the Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary.
Studies and research have determined the presence of congregations of nesting turtles in the waters off the port site. This is really a fraction of the turtle population, which is at risk. The construction and dredging work that a project of this scale involves will cause severe disturbance to the coastal ecosystem, particularly the benthic flora and fauna so crucial to the food web of the turtles. Further, once operational, shipping traffic, oil spills, chemical leaks and illumination and pollution from townships and other habitation would wreak havoc on the turtles and marine ecosystem.
Additionally, this area has a dense cover of mangrove forests. Post the Super Cyclone and Tsunami the role our Mangrove Systems and coastal ecology play in acting as buffers and protecting coastal communities has been amply highlighted. It has been estimated that more than 2,500 hectares of mangrove forests, primarily in the Paradip-Dhamra belt were destroyed in the 1960s when the Paradip port was constructed. This area has since emerged as the most cyclone prone zone. These concerns have also been largely neglected in the present project and it is most likely that the port at Dhamra will only aggravate this problem.
Incidental Catch / Fishing Related Mortality - The commercial fishing season coincides with the breeding season. This combined with an increasing number of mechanized fishing vessels in the 1980's spelt out death for thousands of turtles that were and are still killed every year as incidental catches. There are hundreds of trawlers, gill-netters and other mechanized boats operating in the coastal waters off the rookery areas. When these vessels speed through compact masses of turtles (female and male), they create a scattering effect with shock waves among the egg carrying females and mating pairs. This totally disrupts the congregation and mating of turtles and leads to breeding failure. This apart, turtles are hurt and killed by the slashing of propellers of mechanized boats. Many turtles including mating pairs get entangled in trawl and gill nets and die of asphyxiation.
If this isn't enough, a large number of unauthorized vessels from West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh and countries like Burma, Thailand intrude into these waters to fish due to the lack of adequate law enforcing mechanisms.
Though the use of Turtle Excluder Devices (TED) for trawlers is mandatory since 1997, this has not been enforced. The State Government and the Forest and Fisheries Department in particular are responsible for the protection of these turtles. Ironically, the department has not procured a sea-worthy vessel for patrolling the coast during the turtle season and chooses to patrol from the land. This inspite of being provided a grant of Rs. 10 million each for this very purpose 5 years ago. Little wonder then that patrolling has remained ineffective and inadequate. Moreover, despite a clear direction to post 10-armed policemen from the Orissa State Armed Police (OSAP), there is no permanent deployment of police at the three patrolling stations at Gahirmata, mouth of the rivers Devi and Rushikulya. Further, the Forest Department has no night patrolling capacity, and much illegal fishing takes place after dark. These restrictions are flagrantly violated, causing mortalities.
Lights & Industrial Effluents - Artificial lights from anchoring vessels, ports, harbours, fishing jetties and other coastal development activities impact the breeding and nesting of the Olive Ridleys. Turtle hatchlings are extremely sensitive to artificial lighting. Even the faintest light is enough to disorient them enough to prevent them entering the sea once they hatch. Adults also rely on light cues for directional orientation.
Stone armoring on the island also prevents turtles from nesting. Pollutants from the Oswal Fertilizer factory at Paradip and Jaycee Chemicals at Ganjam and pollution from Paradip Port and from ships coming to and from the port threaten the ecosystem. Local fishermen and NGOs believe this pollution, coupled with the destruction of mangroves and reclamation /degradation of coastal areas by prawn farms, ports, municipalities and industries is directly responsible for the falling fish catch in and around the three mass nesting sites.
Climate Change Impacts - The climate is tropical and characterized by 3 distinct seasons - summer (March to June), winter (November to February) and Monsoons (July to October). Rising sea levels and changing temperatures will affect the fragile ecosystem in the area, and thereby the turtles, which throng the sanctuary in thousands between October and April every year. The Inter-Governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) predicts global warming will wrap most of Orissa in a cycle of floods and drought. The urgency to get a thorough understanding of the threats posed by climate change is further heightened, as the most important weather phenomenon here is the prevalence of tropical cyclones.
Studies and research have determined the presence of congregations of nesting turtles in the waters off the port site. This is really a fraction of the turtle population, which is at risk. The construction and dredging work that a project of this scale involves will cause severe disturbance to the coastal ecosystem, particularly the benthic flora and fauna so crucial to the food web of the turtles. Further, once operational, shipping traffic, oil spills, chemical leaks and illumination and pollution from townships and other habitation would wreak havoc on the turtles and marine ecosystem.
Additionally, this area has a dense cover of mangrove forests. Post the Super Cyclone and Tsunami the role our Mangrove Systems and coastal ecology play in acting as buffers and protecting coastal communities has been amply highlighted. It has been estimated that more than 2,500 hectares of mangrove forests, primarily in the Paradip-Dhamra belt were destroyed in the 1960s when the Paradip port was constructed. This area has since emerged as the most cyclone prone zone. These concerns have also been largely neglected in the present project and it is most likely that the port at Dhamra will only aggravate this problem.
Incidental Catch / Fishing Related Mortality - The commercial fishing season coincides with the breeding season. This combined with an increasing number of mechanized fishing vessels in the 1980's spelt out death for thousands of turtles that were and are still killed every year as incidental catches. There are hundreds of trawlers, gill-netters and other mechanized boats operating in the coastal waters off the rookery areas. When these vessels speed through compact masses of turtles (female and male), they create a scattering effect with shock waves among the egg carrying females and mating pairs. This totally disrupts the congregation and mating of turtles and leads to breeding failure. This apart, turtles are hurt and killed by the slashing of propellers of mechanized boats. Many turtles including mating pairs get entangled in trawl and gill nets and die of asphyxiation.
If this isn't enough, a large number of unauthorized vessels from West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh and countries like Burma, Thailand intrude into these waters to fish due to the lack of adequate law enforcing mechanisms.
Though the use of Turtle Excluder Devices (TED) for trawlers is mandatory since 1997, this has not been enforced. The State Government and the Forest and Fisheries Department in particular are responsible for the protection of these turtles. Ironically, the department has not procured a sea-worthy vessel for patrolling the coast during the turtle season and chooses to patrol from the land. This inspite of being provided a grant of Rs. 10 million each for this very purpose 5 years ago. Little wonder then that patrolling has remained ineffective and inadequate. Moreover, despite a clear direction to post 10-armed policemen from the Orissa State Armed Police (OSAP), there is no permanent deployment of police at the three patrolling stations at Gahirmata, mouth of the rivers Devi and Rushikulya. Further, the Forest Department has no night patrolling capacity, and much illegal fishing takes place after dark. These restrictions are flagrantly violated, causing mortalities.
Lights & Industrial Effluents - Artificial lights from anchoring vessels, ports, harbours, fishing jetties and other coastal development activities impact the breeding and nesting of the Olive Ridleys. Turtle hatchlings are extremely sensitive to artificial lighting. Even the faintest light is enough to disorient them enough to prevent them entering the sea once they hatch. Adults also rely on light cues for directional orientation.
Stone armoring on the island also prevents turtles from nesting. Pollutants from the Oswal Fertilizer factory at Paradip and Jaycee Chemicals at Ganjam and pollution from Paradip Port and from ships coming to and from the port threaten the ecosystem. Local fishermen and NGOs believe this pollution, coupled with the destruction of mangroves and reclamation /degradation of coastal areas by prawn farms, ports, municipalities and industries is directly responsible for the falling fish catch in and around the three mass nesting sites.
Climate Change Impacts - The climate is tropical and characterized by 3 distinct seasons - summer (March to June), winter (November to February) and Monsoons (July to October). Rising sea levels and changing temperatures will affect the fragile ecosystem in the area, and thereby the turtles, which throng the sanctuary in thousands between October and April every year. The Inter-Governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) predicts global warming will wrap most of Orissa in a cycle of floods and drought. The urgency to get a thorough understanding of the threats posed by climate change is further heightened, as the most important weather phenomenon here is the prevalence of tropical cyclones.
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