Greenpeace India activists dressed up as turtles, confronted TATAs at Bombay House, Mumbai, demanding that they abandon their plans of setting up a port at Dhamra, Orissa.
The proposed port is to be located close to the Bhitarkanika
National Park, a major nesting ground for the endangered Olive
Ridleys (1). In recent years, as many as 250,000 turtles have been
known to nest at the Gahirmatha beach in one season, making it the
world's largest rookery. Turtles tagged with satellite
transmitters have been plotted in the waters off the port site.
Prior to nesting, turtles congregate in the offshore coastal waters
to mate. Scientists point out that this is probably just a fraction
of the total population and there will be other aggregations, both
south and north of Gahirmatha. These congregation patches move from
one area to another and can comprise of thousands of
individuals.
"The huge and prolonged construction activity that a port of
this size will require will severely disturb the ecosystem. Once
the port is functional, the increased volumes of shipping traffic
will wreak havoc in the offshore turtle congregation zones.
Moreover, the resulting pollution from oil spills and chemical
leaks will pollute the waters and eventually drive off the Ridleys"
said Sanjiv Gopal, Oceans Campaigner, Greenpeace India. "Turtle
hatchlings are also 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" he further added.
The intended purpose of the new port will be as an import point
for coal and an export point for TATA products such as steel. At
present, the Indian corporate bodies involved in the port project
at Dhamra are believed to include ICICI Bank, construction major
Larsen & Toubro (L&T) and TATA Steel. In October 2004, TATA
Steel and L&T were reported to have signed a deal for the
construction of the port valued in excess of Rs. 1,500 crores. TATA
Steel has also announced plans to set up a six million tonne
integrated steel plant at Duburi in the neighboring Jajpur
district.
Aside from the physical destruction involved by the setting up
of the port infrastructure, the periodic dredging to maintain the
required depth will also ensure that the seabed becomes sterile and
unable to support any benthic life. The nearby Paradip port,
currently in expansion mode, is operating below optimum level;
hence it makes no sense to waste money on setting up yet another
port. In 2004, a three-member Central Empowered Committee of the
Supreme Court, headed by ex-Union government secretary PV
Jayakrishnan, visited the state and recommended that the project
location should be shifted, for it will adversely affect the area's
ecology.
"The existence of many species, habitats and the entire
ecosystem of Bhitarkanika is under threat. The creation of natural
parks should not be used to buy good conscience in order to give
way for unlimited pollution and unsustainable development in the
vicinity. A more integrated approach is needed in which economic
development should be placed within the environmental and social
context" said Mr. Shailendra Yashwant, Campaigns Director,
Greenpeace India. "The Precautionary Principle (2) needs to be
adhered to in letter and spirit. It is not too late yet, as the
danger can be averted" he further added.
For further information:
Sanjiv Gopal, Oceans Campaigner, Greenpeace India, 
,
+91-98455 35416.
Biswajit Mohanty, Secretary, Wildlife Protection Society of
India, +91-94370 24265.
Pankaj Sheksaria, 
.
Notes to Editor
(1) The Olive Ridley is protected in India under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 and is protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Flora and Fauna (CITES).
(2) The precautionary principle, now universally adopted at global, regional and national level, consists of 3 key elements - An approach based on preventive action; taking preventive action before waiting for conclusive scientific proof regarding cause and effect, at which time it is too late and reversal of the burden of proof on to the proponent to demonstrate that it is unlikely to cause harm, before they may proceed.