Dirt under the sea

A team of experts from National Institute of Oceanography, Goa, and Maharashtra Pollution Control Board have embarked on a pioneering mission that will throw light on the pollution levels and the state of aquatic life across the 720-km coastal belt of Maharashtra. 

The year-long expedition, which commenced in February this year, has completed its first phase of pre-monsoon survey and is all set to begin with post-monsoon phase from September last week.

The historic joint exercise aims to collect samples and analyse the nature of pollution in the sea across the coastal stretch between Mumbai and Ratnagiri.

The mission will thus be able to monitor and take stock of marine life inside the Arabic Ocean. The team will also hire experts in underwater videography to shoot a film on aquatic life.

A highly placed official of the MPCB outlined the need for having a proper database on the extent of pollution damaging Maharashtra’s coastal life.

“It is an effort to have an exhaustive and comprehensive record of marine pollution and and ascertain its causes — whether industrial or domestic. This will help us formulate a strategy to save the ocean from further degeneration,” he said.

The project is said to be the brainchild of former Member Secretary of MPCB Dr DB Boralkar who has been recently shunted to Delhi.

According to sources, of the ten-member team, five are experts from MPCB who will assist NIO’s team of five experts. They say that the exercise could throw up an in-depth data that might interest even the nature-based television channels. The MPCB is spending Rs82 lakh on the expedition.

“NIO is the nodal agency appointed by us to lead the mission. NIO and MPCB scientists are collecting samples of coastal water at every 50 km distance.

It will be a two-phase mission — pre-monsoon and post- monsoon sampling,” an official revealed on the condition of anonymity. The team is being accompanied by deep-water divers for sample collection. Indian Navy has provided a highly sophisticated boat for the expedition.

The official said after the pre-monsoon session, the team had camped at Murud-Janjira and Ratnagiri for collecting pre-monsoon samples. “After spending two months on analysing pre-monsoon samples, experts will embark upon the post-monsoon phase,” he added.

The scientists will follow a sampling method by which they will take three sea water samples at every 50 km distance on the coast: first two from Mumbai, third from Thane, Alibaug, Mahad, Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg and so on.

Each sample will be a mixture of three samples to be collected at three different locations at that point. The first sample will be taken at 0 km distance from the coast, the second from 1 km inside the sea and the third from 2 km distance from the coast.

“The samples will be taken at prescribed depths depending upon the total depth of the sea. We will take samples only up to 2 km distance from the coast as pollution level gradually falls down after 2 km inside the sea,” explained environment experts with the MPCB.

The team will analyse the samples on mobile laboratories and the units set up at every 50 km along the coast. The analysis and findings will be being made immediately after the collection for an expeditious final report.

According to one source, “This is for the first time that any expedition is coming out with sample results so fast, and those would be registered every fortnight.”

According to experts, the sampling will take a maximum of four to five months before and after monsoon and the remaining period of seven months would be spent on preparing reports.

Recommendations to check coastal pollution will follow. 104 samples would be collected during the project and will be analysed for physical, chemical and biological components. The report will help MPCB in finding exact reasons behind the fish-kill that happens along the coast.

The MPCB has its regular sampling units like the one at Ghadi River near Kopar in Panvel. “Often, the water from nullah, contaminated either with domestic waste or toxic chemicals from industrial areas, creates deadly pollution levels in the sea. We will be able to check this effectively once the mission is through,” he added.