634
Western Ghats) and Arabian Sea. It stretches
about 720 km from the River Tapi in the north up
to the River Terekhol in the south and encompasses six districts, namely, Thane, Greater
Mumbai, Mumbai, Raigad (former Kolaba),
Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg (previously under
Ratnagiri). The coastline is indented by numerous river mouths, creeks, small bays, headlands,
sandy and rocky beaches, cliffs, etc. The total
area of all the coastal districts is c 30,645.5 km
2
comprising built-up land (1.58 %), agricultural
(44.14 %), forests (19.48 %), wastelands
(28.72 %), water bodies (4.13 %) and land under
grasslands, mining areas and saltpans (1.95 %).
Some of the main problems are:
(i) Water pollution : Pollution of the brackish
water is serious along the coastal belt of
Maharashtra.
(ii) Conversion of mangrove swamps : Mangrove
swamps are often transformed for various
purposes like aquaculture, agriculture and
extension of residential, industrial, etc.,
campuses.
(iii) Conversion into aquaculture plots :
Worldwide, the conversion of mangrove
land into aquaculture appears to be a serious threat. Along the Maharashtra coast,
most mangrove swamps are converted for
mariculture in Raigad District. The prawn
species is cultivated on an area ranging
from 2 to 25 ha. But these areas are now not
in a position to sustain their production
over time due to increasing acid sulphates
or viral diseases, etc. Most of these privately owned plots along the Ratnagiri and
Sindhudurg coasts are now abandoned
because of commercial failure.
The Soonabai Pirojsha Godrej Foundation
( Mangrove Project ): Initiative by the Corporate
Sector
This is a novel approach by the corporate sector to protect the mangroves. Soonabai Pirojsha
Godrej Marine Ecology Centre (SPGMEC), as
part of a public charitable Trust – Soonabai
Pirojsha Godrej Foundation (SPGF), Mumbai,
is partly funded by a multiproduct Indian corporate M/s. Godrej & Boyce Manufacturing
Company Limited. SPGMEC was formally
inaugurated in 1985 basically to protect the
1,750 acres of mangrove forest in the company
premises.
(d) Challenges in Preserving Wetlands in Navi
Mumbai
(i) Climate change and sea level rise :
LECZ (low-elevation coastal zone) are
regions which fall under 10 m of coastal
elevation. Approximately 81,000 sq. km
of land in India falls under LECZ, housing a population of over 60 million.
Fifty percent of this population reside
in urban regions comprising approx. 31
million people.
Navi Mumbai falls under the category of
LECZ and is highly vulnerable to the impact of
climate change. It is developed in a low-lying
area through reclamation at a height of 2.2 m
which is just equal to the mean sea level. The
average high tide level of Navi Mumbai is 3.5 m
as compared to that of 5 m of Mumbai, thus making the region vulnerable to sea level rise and
consequent inundation.
29.2.5.13 In Tamil Nadu (TN)
TN has a rich resource of wetlands.
Potentials
1. As with other wetlands, in TN also, the wetlands, besides providing with fi shes for nutrition, habitat for biota, source of drinking
water, etc., also provide livelihood support to
many people. They also help in navigation and
fl ood management.
2. The wetlands also mitigate the effects of
cyclones and tidal waves in TN.
Problems
(a) As with other wetlands, siltation, pollution,
eutrophication, encroachment, etc., are some
of the general problems of the wetlands in
TN.
(b) Further, in TN, the loss of wetlands is increasing at an alarming rate. Hence, an integrated
management action plan is required to conserve wetlands and wetland biodiversity.
Lack of a comprehensive wetland policy,
vis-a-vis each department having its own
29 Potentials and Problems of Wetlands
Western Ghats) and Arabian Sea. It stretches
about 720 km from the River Tapi in the north up
to the River Terekhol in the south and encompasses six districts, namely, Thane, Greater
Mumbai, Mumbai, Raigad (former Kolaba),
Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg (previously under
Ratnagiri). The coastline is indented by numerous river mouths, creeks, small bays, headlands,
sandy and rocky beaches, cliffs, etc. The total
area of all the coastal districts is c 30,645.5 km
2
comprising built-up land (1.58 %), agricultural
(44.14 %), forests (19.48 %), wastelands
(28.72 %), water bodies (4.13 %) and land under
grasslands, mining areas and saltpans (1.95 %).
Some of the main problems are:
(i) Water pollution : Pollution of the brackish
water is serious along the coastal belt of
Maharashtra.
(ii) Conversion of mangrove swamps : Mangrove
swamps are often transformed for various
purposes like aquaculture, agriculture and
extension of residential, industrial, etc.,
campuses.
(iii) Conversion into aquaculture plots :
Worldwide, the conversion of mangrove
land into aquaculture appears to be a serious threat. Along the Maharashtra coast,
most mangrove swamps are converted for
mariculture in Raigad District. The prawn
species is cultivated on an area ranging
from 2 to 25 ha. But these areas are now not
in a position to sustain their production
over time due to increasing acid sulphates
or viral diseases, etc. Most of these privately owned plots along the Ratnagiri and
Sindhudurg coasts are now abandoned
because of commercial failure.
The Soonabai Pirojsha Godrej Foundation
( Mangrove Project ): Initiative by the Corporate
Sector
This is a novel approach by the corporate sector to protect the mangroves. Soonabai Pirojsha
Godrej Marine Ecology Centre (SPGMEC), as
part of a public charitable Trust – Soonabai
Pirojsha Godrej Foundation (SPGF), Mumbai,
is partly funded by a multiproduct Indian corporate M/s. Godrej & Boyce Manufacturing
Company Limited. SPGMEC was formally
inaugurated in 1985 basically to protect the
1,750 acres of mangrove forest in the company
premises.
(d) Challenges in Preserving Wetlands in Navi
Mumbai
(i) Climate change and sea level rise :
LECZ (low-elevation coastal zone) are
regions which fall under 10 m of coastal
elevation. Approximately 81,000 sq. km
of land in India falls under LECZ, housing a population of over 60 million.
Fifty percent of this population reside
in urban regions comprising approx. 31
million people.
Navi Mumbai falls under the category of
LECZ and is highly vulnerable to the impact of
climate change. It is developed in a low-lying
area through reclamation at a height of 2.2 m
which is just equal to the mean sea level. The
average high tide level of Navi Mumbai is 3.5 m
as compared to that of 5 m of Mumbai, thus making the region vulnerable to sea level rise and
consequent inundation.
29.2.5.13 In Tamil Nadu (TN)
TN has a rich resource of wetlands.
Potentials
1. As with other wetlands, in TN also, the wetlands, besides providing with fi shes for nutrition, habitat for biota, source of drinking
water, etc., also provide livelihood support to
many people. They also help in navigation and
fl ood management.
2. The wetlands also mitigate the effects of
cyclones and tidal waves in TN.
Problems
(a) As with other wetlands, siltation, pollution,
eutrophication, encroachment, etc., are some
of the general problems of the wetlands in
TN.
(b) Further, in TN, the loss of wetlands is increasing at an alarming rate. Hence, an integrated
management action plan is required to conserve wetlands and wetland biodiversity.
Lack of a comprehensive wetland policy,
vis-a-vis each department having its own
29 Potentials and Problems of Wetlands