Coast Council Odisha and EIA Response and Resource Centre, New Delhi, jointly organised a training programme on ‘Coastal Environment and Green laws’ here recently.
The meeting was attended by 70 participants from eight coastal districts. There was discussion on environmental and forest clearance mechanism and scope of National Green Tribunal (NGT) in addressing emerging environmental issues in coastal areas.
The participants raised serious concern about the proposed 15 ports planned along the 482 km coast line. The participants from Paradip, Dhamra, Gopalpur and Astarang said that the existing pollution by the ports and dredging activities are threatening marine flora and fauna and in particular, the Olive Ridley turtles.
People from Baleswar district and Rushikulya River mouth expressed their anguish over the mushrooming of aqua culture firms along the coastline violating the Costal Regulation Zone notification (CRZ) and discharging the untreated waste water directly to the sea. In recent past, the coast has witnessed serious oil spillages in Paradip and Gopalpur area threatening the delicate marine faunas. There has been sharp decline in Ilishi (Hilsa) fish in the coast line, shared by the traditional fishermen from Paradip coast.
While discussing about the implementation of CRZ in Odisha, Jagannath Bastia of Beach Protection Committee, Puri, described it as a sham. He demanded that each hotel industry must be asked to set up its own sewerage treatment plant (STP). He also questioned the seriousness of Sate Coastal Zone Management Committee which does not take cognizance of CRZ violations.