Coastal Ocean Monitoring and Prediction System (COMAPS) programme is being implemented from 1991 onwards. The main objective of this COMAPS programme is to assess the health of our coastal waters on a long term basis and to facilitate the pollution control authorities to plan a strategy required for management of pollution related issues like prescription of appropriate disposal standards, as per the assimilation capacity of the receiving water bodies, water quality criteria, etc. In the light of the above, the programe was continued during 2000-01, with physical oceanographic, microbial and pesticide pollution studies along the coastal areas of our country. During 2000-01, the programme was restructured and modified, comprising the following components:

Pollution monitoring

Liaison, regulation and legislation

Consultancy services

Having identified the level of pollution in a general way in different coastal areas for the past 10 years the next level of activities identified are to:

(i) Carry out studies on spatial and temporal variation of pollutants in areas of immediate concern and selected areas of potential concern, identify source of pollutants and on this basis, suggest steps for control/abatement of pollutants;

(ii) Initiate modelling studies in one or two areas simultaneously;

(iii) Incorporate Impact Assessment Studies on Living Resources:;

(iv) Create public awareness on these issues.

An analysis and critical review of data collected under this programme so far reveals that there has been no definite variation in the level of pollutants at several locations, particularly in the areas of "no concern". There are 34 locations where a definite source of pollution is prevailing, showing "low" to "moderate" changes in the levels of pollutants. In order to rationalize the data required for pollution control purposes, monitoring programme was reoriented by reducing the locations where there has been little evidence of increase of pollutants and increase in the intensity of monitoring where the pollutant levels are constantly fluctuating. In the light of the above, under the monitoring programme, the following amendments were made:

To conduct intensive monitoring at 12 selected locations out of 82 locations once in three months.

To reduce the sampling locations from 82 to 25 in the "no concern" area, where monitoring will be done once in a year.

To carry out pollution monitoring in the remaining 45 sampling locations of "no concern" once in two years.

The need for 11 institutions to carry out both these activities has been reassessed in the light of the above changes proposed in the monitoring programme and accordingly, the following major institutions have been identified.

a) National Institute of Oceanography, Goa

b) Centre for Earth Science Studies (CESS), Trivandrum

c) Andaman & Nicobar Centre of NIOT, Port Blair

d) Annamalai University, Parangipettai

e) Regional Research Laboratory, Bhubaneswar

While CESS, Trivandrum and NIO will cover the entire West Coast as well as the Lakshadweep islands, the other 3 institutions will cover the East coast as well as Andaman & Nicobar Islands. The pesticide pollution of the entire Coast also will be studied by Annamalai University.

Under the COMAPS programme, hundreds of microbial strains (especially bacterial strains) have been isolated from samples collected all along the Indian coast but are not archived at a central location. Considering the long-term need, a facility for microbial referencing centre has been created at NIO, where all the isolated cultures could be deposited, even before their identity is confirmed. This facility will also provide room for depositing the marine viruses. This Centre will also act as a Centre for Marine Microbial Biodiversity, which will have lasting implication on preserving country's Marine Microbial Biodiversity.

The Department of Ocean Development (DOD) set up the Centre for Marine Analytical Reference & Standards (C-MARS) in RRL, Trivandrum, to provide quality assurance to the COMAPS programme. C-MARS carries out a number of activities which inter-alia include:

Laying down protocols for sampling and analysis

Inter laboratory calibration exercises for improving the quality of data generated by the COMAPS units.

Preparation of standards related to the marine environment

Research and Development of New Methods

The Expert Committee set up by DOD in 1998 had opined that the standarisation work of C-MARS is an essential component to maintain consistency of data and to arrive at valid conclusions from which corrective actions could follow. Taking into consideration the need for the unimpaired futuristic growth of the Centre and its role in inter-calibration and quality control exercise, C-MARS would be strengthened with adequate infrastructure facilities in RRL, Trivandrum.

During 2000-01, 85 locations were monitored to check the levels of pollutants. Out of this, 32 locations have been selected for intensive monitoring wherein data on 25 pollution and related parameters are being collected from 2 to 3 seasons. Eleven (11) R&D institutions participated in the programme. The details of these locations are given in the Annual Report published in the previous years.

The results obtained during the year indicate the following:

In Gujarat, the seawater, sediment and bivalve samples collected from Kandla, Vedi, Vadinar, Positra, Okha, Mithapur, Dwaraka, Porbandar, Mahuva, Piram, Alang and Aliabet indicated that the coastal waters in the region are more or less clean except at Porbandar and Alang. At Porbandar, dissolved oxygen was low as compared to the normal range (normal range is 5-6mg/l) which could be due to discharge of effluents from domestic and industrial sources. At Alang, concentration of heavy metals like Lead, Cadmium and Mercury was found to be higher in seawater and in sediments, which indicate the intense operation of the ship building activities in the region.

In Maharashtra, the coastal waters of Mumbai continue to be degraded with relatively high level of nutrients and low Dissolved Oxygen (DO) which is often undersaturated. In Mahim Bay DO level fell to zero during low tide and the levels of ammonia were abnormally high. Though the domestic waste water released in the Versova Creek is now treated, the improvement in water quality is only marginal. The inner Ulhas estuary has also deteriorated with abnormal concenbtration of DO, high levels of nutrients and chlorophyll, and very high concentration of mercury in the sediment. Mercury in sediment has been above 50 mg/g (dry wt) in the inner sections of the estuary. For atleast past 3 years though the expected baseline is 0.3 mg/g dry wt, the level of toxic metals in sediment do not reveal enhancement in other locations around Mumbai. Thane creek represents an ecologically modified environment with high chlorophyll, high biomass of Zooplankton and benthos, but relatively low species diversity.

In Goa, dissolved oxygen at the range of 7-8mg/l indicated that the surface water is very healthy. However, a reduction in the oxygen level to 2-3 mg/l at the bottom water sample during the monsoon with a recovery in the post-monsoon periods, was observed. The concentration of nutrients like nitrate and phosphate was at the normal level. The levels of heavy metals and sediments also remained at the normal range, indicating that the waters of Goa are remaining by and large unpolluted, over the years.

In Karnataka, the levels of dissolved oxygen and the changes during the monsoon period were almost similar to Goa, which recovered during the subsequent months. While the concentration of nitrate in seawater and sediments was found to be normal heavy metals, concentration of pathogenic bacteria was found to be higher at Mangalore during this year also.

In Kerala, the water quality data showed that there are no signs of degradation of water quality except at Veli (Trivandrum). In Veli, monitoring was carried out around the effluent discharge point of Travancore Titanium Plant. pH values were found to increase from the discharge point towards the northern and southern side of the coast. Similarly, the concentration of nutrients increased towards offshore compared to the discharge point. The occurrence of phytoplankton and other organisms was also noticed beyond 2 km north of the discharge point. The bacterial concentration was mostly at higher levels in the mouth of the estuaries than in the coastal waters. Among the trace metals, concentration of lead was found to be higher than cadmium and mercury, which indicate that the lead, which is mostly arising from land based sources continue to be the major contaminant along the Kerala coast. The values of lead recorded in the edible fishes, however, remained within the permissible limits.

In Lakhsadweep islands, the waters of Kadmat and Kavaratti were monitored which showed good water quality in the form of higher oxygen levels and lower bacterial contamination.

In Tamil Nadu coast, the oxygen levels remained around 5mg/l in almost all the stations. Higher values of ammonia were seen in the nearshore waters of Pulicat and Cooum river mouth. Concentration of heavy metals and sediments at all the locations along the Tamil Nadu coast was found to be at minimal levels. The concentrations of pathogenic bacteria were found to be higher at the sewage disposal points of Cooum river mouth and Adyar. The quality of water along the tourism beaches of Mahabalipuram was found to be good.

In Andhra coast, the waters of Visakhapatnam harbours indicated eutrophic conditions due to input of nutrients from the sewage canals, which drains into the harbour water. This has resulted in higher values of phytoplankton accompanied by low species diversity. The other locations along the Andhra coast were found to be free from major pollutants.

The coastal waters of Orissa remain to be clean except at the river mouths, which showed lesser values of dissolved oxygen due to oxidation of heavier organic matters carried by the river. The nearshore waters contain relatively higher bacterial pollution than the offshore.

The coastal waters of West Bengal coast also remained clean except at the mouth of river Hooghly and Malta river outfall as these regions constantly receive both industrial and municipal wastes from adjacent towns and cities. High concentration of pathogenic bacteria was noted at these locations.

In Andaman & Nicobar Islands, monitoring was carried out around Port Blair and the adjoining areas. The dissolved oxygen levels were found to be within the normal limits indicating no signs of pollution.