08 Sep 2022 Vizhinjam Port Project
News: Fishermen under the archdiocese are protesting against the Adani Ports and SEZ Pvt Ltd for Vizhingam Port Project.
GS Paper 3: Conservation, Environmental Pollution and Degradation, Environmental Impact Assessment.
Importance of Vizhinjam project lies in the maritime development of the country and Kerala
- As Vizhinjam project is located just 10 nautical miles from the major international sea route and east-west shipping axis, on the southern tip of the Indian Peninsula.
- It is having natural water depth of more than 20 m within a nautical mile from the coast.
- Vizhinjam port will led to the growth of 17 minor ports in the State with creation of number of employment opportunities.
Stance of Vizhinjam International Seaport Ltd (VISL) and the Kerala Government on Vizhinjam project
- Official version says that due to construction of Vizhinjam seaport inside a natural sediment cell interruptions to the movement of sand along the coast do not affect the adjacent coastline.
- Nearby the port, there are rocky headlands and pocket beaches where sediment transport due to longshore drift is relatively low compared to other parts.
- Kerala Government refused to concede the demand for stopping the port construction since various agencies reported that the coastal erosion is due to climate change .
- But, Government will address issues rehabilitation and livelihood concerns raised by the fisherfolk.
- Kerala Government constituted an expert committee to study the impact of the port work.
- High Court refused to halt the work on the seaport project .
Issues associated with Vizhinjam Project:
- High-intensity erosion of the coastline of Thiruvananthapuram damaging houses and livelihood means of fisher folk.
- Heavy financial cost to Kerala Government: As, Kerala is bearing 67% of the financing and the Concessionaire (extended to a generous 40 years) 33%, at low internal rate of return. In case of Adani Vizhinjam Port Pvt. Ltd., also deal became attractive after the inclusion of large real estate components in prime port property.
- Heavy human toll for revenue generation: Due to unabated coastal erosion and extreme cyclones around 350 families have lost homes and are living in makeshift schools and camps.
- Deadlier natural hazards will trigger irreversible destruction of delicate ecology due to inadequate safeguards. Example: Deepening of harbour channels at Visakhapatnam and Chennai ports exacerbated siltation, coastal erosion and accretion.
- Lack of funds for maintenance dredging within operational expenses despite the chances of fallout for the shoreline and marine ecosystem from construction of breakwater and dredging.
- Neglect of precious marine ecosystem and biodiversity of Kerala by project documents of port..
- Factual errors in the vital shoreline assessment in the Environmental Impact Assessment( EIA),2013: EIA skips the mentioning of the ecological consequences of the dismantling of two hills in the Western Ghats & destruction of few promontories at the project site.
- Blaming every things to climate change creating possibility of aggravating the risk: Analysis by National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) attributes the erosion and accretion to climate change more than port activity , but extreme stress north of the port cannot be explained by global warming.
- Reclamation, dredging and construction of breakwaters leading to further complication: Shoreline witnessed drastic changes in and around its proximity due to breakwaters.
Way forward:
- Continuous monitoring of the port activity and its impact on the coast.
- Fisher-folk community must be represented in any expert study to unearth the impact of the port work on the shoreline.
- Constitution of expert committee to study the impact of the port work.
- Proper allocation of project funds in recognition of people’s centuries’ old right to the sea and its resources. Example: In port projects in China, Kenya, and Vietnam resettlement and livelihood outlays given by the project owners.
- Economic growth and socio-economic sustainability should run in tandem through proper safeguards.
- Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) should seriously discuss protection of flora, fauna, and nearby lakes as Vizhinjam-Poovar stretch has been identified as a biodiversity hotspot and there is recommendation to recognise the region as marine protected area.
- High pollution penalties that should be borne by the creators of damages.
- Financier and the borrower of large-scale infrastructure projects, must implement sufficient safeguards to avoid marine pollution and destruction.
- Usage of hard-engineering solutions for corrective action such as seawalls and soft responses that will put vegetation is in order.
- Environmental Impact Assessment(EIA) must include inputs from experts in biology, ecology, and oceanography to addresses the gross neglect of the damage to invaluable marine biodiversity .
- Port authorities must put in place independent assessment of safeguards as a precondition for any further construction.
Sources:-The Hindu; Indian Express
Source Links:–
- The Hindu:-https://bit.ly/3Bqonjq ; https://bit.ly/3xaz479
- Indian Express:-https://bit.ly/3RN5gFB
Yojna IAS Daily current affairs eng med 8th Sep
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