Tuesday, Apr 15, 2003
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Karnataka
By M. Raghuram
The only difference this time being that such requests have become more frequent and vociferous, with socio-political segments in the coastal areas supporting them. With changing circumstances, the day might not be far when the Government gives in.
Voices of dissent
The only voices of dissent are coming from experts from universities situated in the coastal areas, professional bodies like the National Institute of Oceanography, Goa, and environmental lobbies, which are barricading such a move. In a paper titled "Coastal zone management with special reference to Karnataka," the environmentalist, K.S. Jayappa, said that integrated coastal zone management involved prevention of marine pollution from all sources, protection from erosion, resources sharing, and maintaining the quality of marine resources to meet the needs of people. Dr. Jayappa said that the problems associated with the management of coastal zones in Karnataka were erosion due to human activities and its prevention, silt accumulation in navigable estuaries, fishing activities, flooding of low-lying areas, pollution, and recreation potential of coastal areas and its effect. Of these, erosion and its prevention were the most important ones.
`Sand deficit'
Quoting another study by Emery and Neev conducted on the coasts of Israel, the report said that sand was mined in Israel at the rate of 10 to 20 times greater than the natural replenishment, and this mining had caused sand deficit along many beaches, resulting in accelerated erosion of the coasts. In different beaches of India, sand was mined to aid construction and to extract minerals and silica. Illegal sand mining was being carried out in various places in Dakshina Kannada, which was affecting the beaches. Another researcher on the CRZ, Ranjan Rao Yerdoor, from Nagarika Seva Trust of Guruvainakere, said there were highly developed urban areas in the CRZ I and CRZ II such as Mumbai. The city was expanding towards the sea (500 meters from the high tide level) and the Government could not allow it to happen. Mr. Rao said one of the most eco-sensitive areas of Thana, Creek, was in the CRZ I category, and the Maharashtra Government had guarded the place against further development despite a hue and cry raised by all quarters for more space. Likewise, there were places in the coastal districts in Karnataka, which had been placed under the CRZ categories. It was the duty of the Government to allow it to continue that way, Mr. Rao said. Dr. Jayappa said that sediment accumulation in estuaries and mangroves had steadily increased due to natural and human activities. Continuous industrial and urban activities had reduced the buffer zone between land and sea. This had increased pollution, flooding in the low-lying areas, and had reduced the spawning ground for marine organisms. It had also led to ecological imbalance and a decline in the biodiversity.
Population
Various studies had pointed out that human habitation in coastal zones would increase in the next two to three decades. With this, the pressure on coastal areas would increase in the coming days, Dr. Jayappa said. The experts feared that if the Government gave in to pressure and relaxed the CRZ norms, what little was left of the coastal areas would be destroyed soon.
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