Pollution-hit coastal hot-spots spotted

Normally 50 km of sea coast will be monitored once in a year for pollution detection. But under the COMP, the hot spots will be monitored at least three or four times a year with the help of research vessels Sagar Poorvi and Sagar Paschimi. The scientists will test the sea water for 23 parameters including salinity, pesticides, basic nutrients like phosphate,nitrates and nitrate ammonia. Tests will also be conducted for the presence of heavy metals like cadmium, zinc and petroleum residues.

The studies so far have revealed that the Indian coastal waters are free of pollution compared to other parts of the world. Even though no serious pollution has been reported in Kochi, the presence of a large number of industrial units, increased harbour activities including shipping and dredging and the presence of a number of fish processing plants have made Kochi a vulnerable area, sources in the Ocean Development Department said.

The chance of pollutants getting absorbed in the backwaters of Kochi may be the reason behind the low rate of pollution in the coastal waters of Kochi in spite of the increased industrial and harbour activities centered here, scientists point out. Only a study into the pollution of the backwaters can point out the real picture, they say.

The area off Thiruvananthapuram was included in the hot spot list following the detection of pollutioncaused by effluents from the Titanium dioxide factory at Veli. The presence of chemicals like titanium, acids and ferrous sulphates was detected in the studies conducted on effluents from this factory.

Even though these chemicals did not pose any serious threat to public health, steps have been initiated to recover acid from the effluents as a preventive step, sources said.

Central agencies namely the Central Salt and Marine Chemical Research Institute, Bhavnagar, National Institute of Oceanography Centres at Mumbai, Goa, Waltaire and Kochi, Center for Earth Studies, Thiruvananthapuram, Central Electro Chemical Research Institute centres at Tuticorin and Chennai, Regional Research Laboratory, Bhavnagar and the Central Pollution Control Board zonal lab in Calcutta are involved in the programme to keep the country’s coastal waters clean.