We are taking elaborate environment protection measures

We are at least 15 km north from both the nesting beach and the marine sanctuary meant for turtles. Our channel is further north and ship movement will be nowhere near where turtles congregate for nesting.

S. K. MOHAPATRA, CEO, DHAMRA PORT COMPANY

Dhamra port, being developed in Orissa by a joint venture company, The Dhamra Port Company Ltd, floated by Tata Steel and Larsen & Toubro, has been the centre of controversy, with environmentalists expressing concern over the probable harm that would be caused by the construction of the port including dredging to the endangered Olive Ridley sea turtles inhabiting in the area. In an interview to Business Line at Dhamra recently, Mr S. K. Mohapatra, CEO of DPCL, spoke on this and various other issues facing the port.

Excerpts from the interview:

Environmentalists are up in arms against Dhamra port, aren’t they?

Some of them are, yes. In fact, they have made an issue out of a non-issue. The entire Orissa coast, or most part of it, is visited by turtles for nesting. In fact, ours is the only sector, i.e., the portion of the coast north of river Dhamra, which is not visited by turtles for nesting because it is muddy and silty and, therefore, not suitable for nesting.

Being a joint venture of two of the country’s most responsible corporate houses, namely Tata Steel and L&T, we are taking such elaborate environment protection measures as no state with coastal development programme has ever taken. And yet, we are being targeted as anti-environment.

Aren’t you close to Gahirmatha?

Turtles nest all along the Orissa coast; south of the river Dhamra, sporadically and in three places in large number in what is called “mass nesting” or “arribada”. Gahirmatha, located south of river Dhamra, is the northern most mass nesting beach. Turtles come from the south. Therefore, the coast north of Gahirmatha should be the safest.

We are at least 15 km north from both the nesting beach and the marine sanctuary meant for turtles. Our channel is further north and ship movement will be nowhere near where turtles congregate for nesting or mating.

Will the construction of the port or dredging of the channel create a disturbance to the beach profile or the island where turtles nest?

The port and the channel have been designed in most environment friendly way. It suits us to take advantage of the natural conditions but to build the structure or dredge the channel in such a manner as would disturb the geomorphology will not be good for a port.

That is why Dhamra port will have no breakwater, with the jetty standing on piles. The channel, after a four-season study, has been aligned along an existing stream through which the northern part of the river flushes itself into the sea. In other words, we are deepening an existing water course inside the sea, causing least disturbance to the geomorphology.

It is often alleged that no proper study has been conducted?

The clearances have been obtained after a detailed Environment Impact Assessment, supported by additional reports and documents including the Wildlife Institute’s study which divides the Orissa coast into eight sectors, of which the only sector in which turtles do not nest is the one where we are building the port.

But the EIA is not the only study that goes into the planning and designing of a port. The bathymetry, the sea currents, etc., have been studied in detail by internationally reputed organizations before the designing of the port and the channel.

Besides, reputed institutions like the Regional Research Laboratory, and National Institute of Oceanography, Goa, examined the impact of dredging on marine productivity and beach profile.

We have also signed an agreement with International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) to regularly work for us and advise as to how to mitigate any possible effect on environment or turtles.

They are advising us on various aspects like dredging, lighting and engaging with local communities and fishermen in creating awareness about turtles.

We are open to funding and facilitating any further study that the environmentalists want to conduct. But every time there is a discussion on the subject, they have found one reason or other to withdraw from it. There is nothing more we can do about it.

We hear that Olive Ridley sea turtles have stopped coming to Gahirmatha marine sanctuary for nesting and breeding.

It is not true. Recently, more than 1.5 lakh turtles nested in Gahirmatha. Last year they did not. There is nothing unusual about it. The records of past 18 years or so will show that the turtles do not visit every nesting beach every year.

They did not mass-nest at Gahirmatha at least six times in past 18 years, that is, they skipped, on an average, once in three years which had nothing to do with the port.

We started construction in 2006-07. If we take the last three years, they nested in Gahirmatha in 2006-07, but did not at Rushikulya, another nesting place on the Orissa coast. In 2007-08, they nested at Rushikulya but did not at Gahirmatha. And in 2008-09, they nested both at Gahirmatha and Rushikulya, and that too in impressive numbers of 1.5 lakh in each place.

Recently, Greenpeace has come out with an advertisement in an international newspaper connecting the launching of Nano with conservation of Olive Ridley turtles. What is your opinion on that?

The advertisement is in bad taste in as much as it contains incorrect information. It says there has been no nesting after the dredging and construction have started.

In fact, we have a very normal nesting this year after dredging has started.

Such advertisements in international newspapers must be very expensive. Why can’t they spend the money for conservation of the species or for conducting further study if they are keen about it?

Some people are obviously interested more in the campaign itself than in what the campaign stands for.

Environment apart, how ideal is the location of Dhamra for constructing a port?

Dhamra is ideally suited for a big port.In fact it is the only suitable location for a deep port in the east coast north of Paradip. Historically also, it has always been a port. The Imperial Gazette of 1828 referred to Dhamra as one of the most ancient ports of India.

Also known as Kanika Port, Dhamra was a prosperous oceanic trading centre in the medieval and British period. In recent times, Indian Seaports Private Limited, a joint venture between Larsen & Toubro, SSA of the US and Precious Shipping of Thailand, had shown interest in building a full-fledged modern port at Dhamra.

However, the consortium broke down and the proposal did not make much headway. Tata Steel joined hands with L&T in 2004 for launching the port project.

What is target date of commissioning?

April 2010.

Are you hopeful of commissioning by that time?

As of now yes. But it will be wrong to presume that there are no causes for concern.

Your major concern?

Rail connectivity is to be completed, with 119 km of track length and 169 bridges, big and small, but we are hopeful we will have it in place by the time the port is ready.

What about other components of the project?

The work on the construction of the jetties, dredging, electricity and water connections all are progressing. On the whole, we are about half-way through.