Protection of environment is a global issue; it is not an issue of any individual nation or continent. Irrespective of any political division, the whole world is one, interconnected by ocean. Nature does not recognize any political boundary. The wind that blows over the globe is one. Similarly, any environmental pollution anywhere is a global issue and hence, there should be concerted efforts to tackle the menace.
Ocean pollution too is a global issue. The environmental pollution can be termed as an undeclared war which directly or indirectly harms the entire living world and humanity. The environmental degradations have effect on global level, whose causes are more or less same everywhere. Industrialization, urbanization, population explosion etc pollute the world environment massively.
Now all over the world, the people realize that everybody has basic right for a healthy environment, where clean air, water and earth should be available to him. So the June 5 is observed as the World Environment Day and June 8 as the World Ocean Day to create awareness on protection of environment and ecology.
Over exploitation of natural resources and depletion of traditional raw materials are causing concerns. If the process goes unabated, it would be difficult to live. Therefore, the entire world is now striving hard for sustainable living and sustainable development.
Without protection and management of environment, the sustainable living of man cannot be possible. Peace, tranquility and progress cannot be possible without environmental safety and security. These are inseparable and indivisible.
Although geographically we consider five oceans like Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, Arctic and Antarctic, practically there is only one ocean in our planet. Over two thirds of the planet is covered in water. Practically, it will not be wrong if we say that our planet is a water planet. All the major animal groups are the members of the sea.
There are certain species like starfishes, which are not found other than the sea. Similarly, there are different kinds of oceanic species which prefer to continue their races in different types water bodies. When some prefer to live in cold water, others prefer the warm water. While some prefer the coastal areas, the others prefer open sea. Again different types of animals and plants are noticed in surface of the sea, sea bed, deep sea, shallow water and in river mouths of sea. But almost all the lives prefer sun –lit water for their existences. Practically the sun-lit areas drive the food chain of the water planet. The sea-weeds, including some floating species, are only found in coastal zones.
The jellyfishes, including baby fishes and others are always noticed in coastal zone, which are the creator of plankton. The plant animal diversities of the sea coast including the sandy shore always attract the Olive Ridley sea turtles to come to Odisha coast for laying eggs. Similarly, the tropical seas contain a wide variety of different kinds of animals and plants than colder seas. The top predators of the oceanic food chains are larger sharks and the whales. The oceanic currents are always very fast in coastal zones, which carry ample of fertilizers for planktonic plants which support the lives of measure sea creatures.
The oceans support about 14,000 varieties of fishes. The resources of ocean is so vast that it cannot be explained easily, which are yet to be fully explored. But human beings always use the ocean as bottomless dustbin. From the beginning of the civilization, the human being is using the ocean as his dumpsite. An international survey in 2014 said there are 2, 68,940 tons of plastic wastes dumped in the ocean alone.
This shows how enormous the sea pollution is. DDT, insecticides, pesticides, detergents and other chemical products also pollute the sea. Domestic wastes of urban and rural areas close to sea coast are also polluting the ocean either through rivers or directly by spoiling the water body of the ocean. Especially the industrial wastes and garbage in the form of sewage are being released in the sea and ocean.
The primary members of food chains of ocean are very much vulnerable to destruction. The population of sea birds is drastically reduced since the chemical fertilizers, insecticides and detergents are transported through sea ports. Deformed sea fish are also seen. Pesticides, herbicides and also several chemical fertilizers are used in cornfield and gardens which ultimately go to the ocean through several sources and persistently contaminate the oceanic habitats and come to the human food chain. The Minimart bay of Japan is the burning example for us. During 1950s, 400 people died by consuming contaminated food there. 3,000 people suffered brain trouble due to mercury poisoning. The ocean carries out the movement of water from one place to furthest distances. DDT has been found in the bodies of penguin in Antarctic sea and seals of Arctic region. Similarly, DDT is also detected in the blubber of whales of Greenland. The primary user phytoplanktons, when contaminated, passes on the poison to small fishes and then big fishes. Then it goes to birds and bigger mammals of ocean. The food chain of ocean works in this manner. Ultimately, it comes back to man through sea food.
The various pollutants from industries like mercury lead, liquid chemicals, cadmium fertilizer waste and radioactive waste spoil the natural quality of sea water damaging its flora and fauna. The hot water released from industries is most dangerous for tropical flora and fauna. The sudden rise of temperature of sea water cannot be borne by these sea animals and plants which spells their doom.
Every year about 4 million metric tones oil pollute the sea. When half of it comes from ships, the other comes from ports and harbors. The worst oil spill was seen in the gulf war. About 6 millon barrels of crude oil were released in to the gulf sea, which resulted in death of 30,000 birds, besides other aquatic creatures and till today the effect of such oil spill is in force.
(The writer is a former senior forest officer and an environmentalist. Tel no 9937460649)