Presentation on the coastal devastation created by ports in India with the specific case study of Pondicherry coast.

1. Impacts of Ports & Harbours
on Coastlines and Beaches
- The Pondicherry Case Study -

2. NATIONAL OVERVIEW
Till date 199 notified ports:
- 12 Major
-187 Minor Intermediate
(currently around 70 are
operational).
Port Development - 11th
five year plan of Govt. of
India:
Has identified 331 ports
for development on the
mainland (roughly one
port every 20kms).
Pondy Citizens’ Action Network – July 2009

3. ENVIRONMENTAL FRAMEWORKS FOR PORTS
• Minor Ports were exempted under the Environment Impact
Assessment Notification (EIA notification of 1994-Aug 2006), but
require environment clearance under the Coastal Regulation Zone
(CRZ) Notification (1991)
• No public hearing was needed
• 1997 Amendment in CRZ - Ministry of Environment & Forest
transferred clearances for expansion and modernisation of ports to
Ministry of Surface Transport and Shipping.
• The Wildlife Protection Society of India, challenged this 1997
amendment in the Delhi High Court vide petition CWP 4198/97.
(Status pending)
• 2000 Amendment in CRZ - transferred back to Ministry of
Environment Forest. Dhamra Port was cleared during this time
(1998). Many other ports were cleared during this time.
MORE A CLEARANCE REQUIREMENT THAN A REAL APPRAISAL
Pondy Citizens’ Action Network – July 2009

4. ENVIRONMENTAL FRAMEWORKS FOR PORTS
Category A Category B
Central Clearance State Clearance
(B1 , B2)
Ports, Harbours ≥ 5 million TPA of < 5 million TPA of cargo
cargo handling handling capacity and/
capacity (excluding or
fishing harbours) ports/ harbours ≥10,000
TPA of fish handling
capacity
Ports/ harbours <10,000
TPA of fish handling
capacity - NO EIA!??
WEAK SCIENCE AND POLICY
Pondy Citizens’ Action Network – July 2009

5. ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING CONCERNS
• Poor science & Planning in EIAs, Coastal Management,
Development and Environmental Planning
• Its not about a single project and its impact, but cumulative impacts
of ancillary development as well as impacts of other projects and
coastal development.
• Environmental deregulation of coastal management and EIA laws-
e.g. CMZ , EIA , CRZ
• Judicial remedies are difficult and problematic to pursue due to
delays and backlog.
• Most often strong environmental and legal grounds against
projects are ignored as the case becomes fait accompli.
• Poor planning and implementation of mitigating measures for
environmental impacts.
Pondy Citizens’ Action Network – July 2009

6. CONSEQUENCES OF POOR PLANNING OF PORTS
NIO Study: 25% Of India’s Coastline is eroding!
• Majority of Ports and
harbours are causing large
scale Coastal Erosion. Erosion Hot Spots
• Loss of coastal habitats.
• Loss of freshwater and food
resources.
• Increased Vulnerability.
• Coastal communities
affected.
• Socio-economic loss.
• Unsustainable development.
Pondy Citizens’ Action Network – July 2009

7. - The Pondicherry Case Study -
Pondy Citizens’ Action Network – July 2009

8. MEMORIES OF THE PONDICHERRY-TAMIL NADU BEACHES
Pondy Citizens’ Action Network – July 2009
1950’s 1980’s

9. PRESENT SITUATION
Since the construction of the harbour in1989: - 8 kms of coastline got destroyed.
- 30 km of beaches affected.
The coast prone to Loss of homes Agricultural land Loss of space for
cyclones and tsunamis and livelihoods turned to wasteland recreation, tourism
& coastal processes
Salt water intrusion has turned the ground water saline
Pondy Citizens’ Action Network – July 2009

10. S AND MOVEMENT ALONG COAS TLINE
During NE Net Littoral
monsoon
=
Drift
Direction
of sand
movement
Net Littoral Drift Equation :
During SW Monsoon: 600,000 Cum.
(9 months)
Minus:
During NE Monsoon : 100,000 Cum.
(9 months)
= Net displacement : 500,000 Cum. 500,000
Cu.m
per
year!
Swell
orientation
Beaches are like rivers of sand.
During SW This natural sand movement is a significant natural process
monsoon and a factor which plays a major role along our coast..
Pondy Citizens’ Action Network – August 2009 Image: source Google Earth

11. LIKE A DAM THE HARBOUR BLOCKS THE SAND MOVEMENT
Beach erosion
e
h orelin
Orig inal s
ri ft
Litt oral d Breakwaters
Sand accumulation
This triggers accretion of sand in the south of the harbor and erosion in the north.
Pondy Citizens’ Action Network – July 2009

12. A SAND BY-PASS SYSTEM WAS PART OF THE HARBOUR DESIGN
Sand
nourishment
Submarine
tunnel
Dredger
nal
Origi ne
eli
shor
UNFORTUNATELY IT WAS RARELY USED!
Proposed by: Central Water & Power Reasearch Station (CWPRS), Pune, 1978.
Designed by: Consulting Engineering Services (CES), New Delhi, 1981.
Pondy Citizens’ Action Network – July 2009

13. IMPACTS OF EROSION
BEFORE (1980s) AFTER (2000+)
150 m wide Beach Beach fully Eroded
Pondy Citizens’ Action Network – July 2009

14. WIDESPREAD DESTRUCTION IN PONDICHERRY AND TAMIL NADU
Pondy Citizens’ Action Network – July 2009

15. INSTEAD OF SAND BY-PASSING THE GOVT DUMPED ROCKS
100 m
Pondy Citizens’ Action Network – July 2009

16. DUMPING ROCKS IS NOT A SOLUTION
• Increases erosion
• Transfers problem down the coast
• Has to continue forever as rocks keep sinking
• Requires huge sums of public money
• Does not protect us from big waves
• Mountains have to be destroyed
This is NOT sustainable!
Pondy Citizens’ Action Network – July 2009

17. LOSS OF LIVELIHOOD OF TRADITIONAL FISHING COMMUNITIES
Space for parking boats No access to sea
Coastal erosion is advancing @ 350 m / year (1m per day)
Affected Fishing Villages Seawall
Thandirayan
Nadu
Kuppam Kuruchi Vembakira
Kuppam Soudani Solai Vaithi Kuppam palayam
Kuppam Nagar Kuppam Pondy Blocked
Tamil Nadu Pondicherry Harbour sand
Pondy Citizens’ Action Network – July 2009

18. EROSION CAUSED BY GROYNES BUILT IN T.N.
120 m
Erosion
April ’07
9th May ’07
18th July ‘07 28th June ‘07 6th June ‘07 Erosion in 12 weeks
Pondy Citizens’ Action Network – July 2009

19. THE BEACH IS A PART OF OUR NATURAL AND CULTURAL HERITAGE
It protects us from cyclones and tsunamis
Sustains homes and livelihood of fishermen Prevents ground water from becoming saline
natural space for recreation, tourism festivals …
Pondy Citizens’ Action Network – July 2009

20. CONSULTATION MEET – AUROVILLE, 3rd Nov’07
“Protection and Restoration of Pondicherry-TN coastline”
Experts on Coastal Management Govt officials from Pondichery and TN
It was unanimously agreed that the harbour was the cause of erosion and
soft options should be adopted:
- Activate the sand by-pass system.
- Capital dredging to make up for the backlog of 20 years
- The harbor to be redesigned to minimize dredging costs
- The Governments of Pondicherry and TN will jointly work for a solution.
Pondy Citizens’ Action Network – July 2009

21. CONSULTATION MEET – PONDICHERRY, 4th May ’09
“Government Policies on Ports & Harbours and its Impacts on Coastal
Ecology, Livelihood Resources and Fishing Coomunities”
Experts on Coastal Management Fishing Community Representatives, NGOs
Resolution: Not to allow the proposed unplanned, indiscriminate and
unjustified construction of coastal structures along our coastline until
and unless: :
- Damaged coastal areas are studied, restored and monitored.
- Affected coastal communities are consulted and rehabilitated.
- Fishing and coastal community land rights must be recognized
Pondy Citizens’ Action Network – July 2009

22. IN 2003 SAND NOURISHMENT HAD SHOWN POSITIVE RESULTS
Before Nourishment After Nourishment
Unfortunately it was abandoned soon after.
Pondy Citizens’ Action Network – July 2009

23. AN IMPENDING DANGER -THE PROPOSED DEEP WATER PORT
A small harbor caused such massive destruction, imagine the impact of a major port.
Existing Harbour Proposed Port
Existing harbour Proposed Deep Water Port.
• Land area: 150 acres. • Land area: 400 acres (min.)
• Cargo handling: 0.05 MTA. (average) • Cargo handling capacity: 20 MTA.
• Breakwaters: 250 m long. • Breakwaters: 750 m long.
• Depth: Max. 4 m. • Depth: Max. 14 m.
Pondy Citizens’ Action Network – July 2009

24. LEARNING FROM PAST EXPERIENCE
Chennai Port is in the north of the city. Port Proposed in Pondy is in the south.
Marina beach formed in the south The town is potentially under the risk
but the north side got severely eroded. of getting inundated
Situation in Potential situation
Chennai: in Pondy:
Existing Original
erosion shoreline Potential
erosion
Original
shoreline
Proposed
Pondy
Chennai Harbour
Harbour
Pondy Citizens’ Action Network – July 2009

25. DOES PONDICHERRY NEED A PORT?
Ennore Port
Chennai Port
Cheyur Port
Pondicherry ? Erosion, Pollution and Congestion?
Cuddalore Port
Karaikal Port
Nagapattinam
Port
Or Beach, Fresh air and Peace?
This project will be an environmental, social and economic disaster.
The port area could become a Marina cum Park for Pondicherry’s citizens and visitors.
Pondy Citizens’ Action Network – July 2009

26. THE LARGER QUESTIONS
- What is the Carrying Capacity of the coastal environment of India?
How many ports, harbours, power plants? Industries can the coastal
environment support?
- In the absence of scientific data, shouldn’t the Precautionary Principle be
adopted?
- How do we go about restoring and ameliorating the coastal environment
that has been damaged by human activities?
- How do we address Inter-State coastal environment issues?
- Social aspects and impacts of livelihoods of traditional fishing
communities eg. Posco, Gangavaram, Mundra, Positra.
- What is the role and strategy of communities, scientists, NGOs and civil
society in the backdrop and trend of this type development of ports?
- What are the solutions, alternatives or responses?
Pondy Citizens’ Action Network – July 2009

27. Thank you
No 34, Rue Francois Martin, Pondicherry- 605001
Ph: 91-413-4210032
E-Mail: info@pondycan.org
Website : www.pondycan.org