NEW DELHI--The crystal blue waters turn into an ashen white for miles across the horizon. Mahatama Gandhi would have shed a few tears if he were to have seen a soda ash factory on the coast of his beloved Porbundar in Gujarat, whose shores he had once walked with wife Kasturba, pump millions of litres of untreated waste directly into the sea.
Meanwhile in Mithapur, in the still of the night, another giant factory pumps residue and waste water--20 million litres per day, into the nearest outlet--the ocean. In industrial Kanpur, alone, over three million tons of sewage is pumped into the holy river, Ganges. It contains a toxic cocktail of cadmium, nickel, mercury, fertilizers and nitrates.
The only evidence of these dastardly acts are hundreds of dead, floating fish. Can it be just coincidence that women divers in Pirotun islands in Jamnagar in the state of Gujarat, have lost their livelihood as oysters have disappeared? Or that the changing cycle and breeding pattern of fish have reduced in such radical numbers that fishermen need to go 10 kilometers into the sea against the previous half kilometre? And the shallow waters, once with light and oxygen, where fish propagated in thousands, have turned into boiling potholes of stale, chemical acidic concoctions?
Horror stories abound on India's coastal zone management, rather lack of it. Little wonder that according to a UNEP study, of 23 megacities which will have more than 10 million residents by 2000, 18 including Calcutta and Mumbai are in the coastal zone. The ecological impact of this urban conglomeration is already making our oceans pay a heavy price as most industries around the coast do not have waste water facilities.
Mike Pandey, an environmentalist and film-maker,presently producing a film on India's oceans, minces no words. "India is one big toilet," referring to the major source of ocean pollution in India, millions of gallons of sewage that causes ecological damage and poses significant health risks.The micro- organisms in the sewage endanger beachgoers and seafood eaters with diseases such as hepatitis, gastroentritis and conjunctivitus.
Adds Pandey: "By pouring our sewage into the ocean, we are losing an important resource. Million of rupees of nutrients are lost each year to our rivers. They belong where instinct and common sense both tell us that they should be on farmers fields, enriching their soil."
Eduardo Falerio, vice chairman of the Independent World Commission on the Oceans, a body promoted by UNESCO, to develop world consciousness on the management of ocean space, is candid enough to note that India's problems are not going to disappear overnight.
He explains, "The lack of coordination amongst the multiple authorities working at cross purposes with each other, creates problems for implementation of ocean management. So how can things get moving?" He is presently recommending a coordinating authority for ocean management to be chaired by the prime minister at the helm.
Dr. V. S. C.Rao, director, department of oceanography agrees. He explains due to a lack of clear demarkation of authority, implementation of laws is bound to face logistic administrative uncertainties. Five ministries and 13 departments are involved with coastal and marine management ranging from environment, agriculture, external affairs, surface transport to defense.
Adds D.r Rao: "We require fast moving boats to monitor discharge by ships into the sea an trace it on satellite. We suffer from financial restraints, well-trained manpower and insufficient infrastructure."
Falerio is clear about the matter. "The management of living marine resources is extremely complex and involves many biological, economic, social, and political factors. The unfortunate reality is that we are not in a position to exercise the high standard of pollution controls. Nor can we afford to shut down polluting industries like chemicals and fertilizers as these would need high investments. Poverty in India, is therefore the biggest polluter."
A once revitalizing and refreshing experience has become health threatening. The E coli bug, for instance, refuses to disappear from the news. A scientist from the Central Institute of Fisheries Technology, Veraval in Gujarat, said: "E coli is a bacterial species found in faeces. It remains embedded in the muscle tissue of the fish. It gets destroyed while cooking. However, if the fish is left semi-cooked, it can cause a public epidemic. E coli is also passed through lack of personal hygiene of fish handlers. "
Symptoms of E coli may appear within hours or several days. They range from dehydration, damaged blood vessels to hemorrhaging. The condition is particularly dangerous to small children. In severe cases, it has been known to cause kidney damage.
Dr. Y. S. Yadav, deputy commissioner, fisheries explains that there have been no officially reported cases of E coli. He does add that the charter of the ministry of environment and forests has included technology for handling fish in the Ganga Action Plan. Over 43 lethal bacteria have been recorded in the Ganges, a situation that intensifies during Kumbh mela (fair) when thousands congregate at the river banks. It is estimated that 160 lakh kgs of sewage is pumped into the river through the 10-day fair.
The earth's marine environment is a powerful resource. 85 per cent of the world's population lives along its coastal areas. Yet, we continue to poison our oceans. Studies show the growth rate of ocean pollution will be ten times more by the year 2000.
Unfortunately, debates over oceanic pollution are controlled by politicians, lobbyists and industry. The solution lies with the scientific documentation. Our only tools for making sound decisions lie in experience, education and awareness.
The very fact that we exist can be linked to the ocean. Unless industry leaders take broad steps to control waste disposal and confront the difficult issues and practices which have resulted in overutilization and resource depletion, the danger will be very real.