Vizhinjam Port Project

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:

  1. The Hindu:-https://bit.ly/3Bqonjq ; https://bit.ly/3xaz479
  2. Indian Express:-https://bit.ly/3RN5gFB

Yojna IAS Daily current affairs eng med 8th Sep

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