Can the Green Monster Slow Down Growth for India?

No I have not switched to children’s fairy tales I am talking about the same Greenpeace I read the term ‘Green Monster’ and that seemed more appropriate. Not a usually aggressive person but somehow get very irked by hypocrites. I have been reading how the Green Monster has troubled others and used their name to discredit legitimate organizations. Seriously they seem to do little practical work and their strategy revolves around black-mailing and threatening to get their way. Why else would they walk away from peaceful negotiations and pull a stunt like the advertisement in the British Press or the videos in You Tube, I mean how what you expect a respectable organization like the TATA to react to such aggression they like to deal with things straight across the table these tactics are beyond them. Perhaps this is the reason Green Monster decided on an indirect attack as they could not bully their will head-on.

My affinity to the Dhamra Project

I think by now a lot of readers may be aware that I am a keen supporter of the Dhamra project. There are a few reasons for this firstly having spent a good portion of my early working life in Orrisa I have a natural loyalty to the state. The other is that we live in a complicated world and one full of disparities. The struggle for an underprivileged man to get ahead in this race is compounded with the gap between him and us.

Ours is a unique country with each state or region having a different climate, vegetation and methods of livelihood. The problems of each state and its people vary in nature. It is a proven fact that the better cities or towns are the ones with the better crops or industry. Rapid development in a state like Orrisa cannot occur without the partnership of Government and industry. I am not sure if you and I without proper knowledge of the facts can really put a spanner in their plans. There is enough evidence to prove that the port development authorities are taking enough measures for the long term protection of the Olive Ridley Turtles. So I appeal to all of you to please support-dhamra port and the people of Orrisa.

Support Dhamra Port

I have been actively posting blogs on support-dhamra port and I would like all of you to read and help this cause. Well the blog should have read that Support – People of Orrisa as they are going to be the main winners as a result of the development. There have been many a discussion about the Olive Ridley Turtle, who I think with the spectacular nesting this year, yes around 1.7lac turtles came to nest seem to be safe. There has been little mention of the people of Orrisa what certain people fail to understand that the GDP growth is not just a number it is the impact of livelihood created or improved for lacs of people. There is little contribution by Orrisa as a state and we hope that the initative by the government will help boost this contribution for that would mean that many more people that have a roof over their head and food to eat. So please join me in the support-dhamra port and spread the word.

DPCL’s Commitment to Social Accountability Systems

The Port authority has commits itself to SA 8000, Social Accountability Systems. The port which is situated at a very safe distance from the nesting site have taken into account various measures to ensure the safety of this nesting which takes place for two months in a year. Their objectives are to stimulate infrastructure growth of the State, especially developing the area into an economically bustling zone. To develop the port with finest residential, water & power supply facilities to enrich people’s life in the area.

They are truly committed to the cause of the environment and have a sound Environment Management Plan (EMP). They are ensuring the best practices for Dredging and turtle safety during the implementation phase also great care is being taken with respect to lighting for the partially blind new born turtles.
Maintenance Dredging would be undertaken only in the non – nesting season of the Olive Ridley. In addition, reclamation dredging would be done only in the offshore areas away from the Dhamra river mouth.

Role of IUCN at Dhamra Port

DPCL (Dhamra Port Company Ltd) has an agreement with the world’s most reputed international body the - IUCN. The IUCN, the International Union for Conservation of Nature, founded in 1948, helps find pragmatic solutions to the most pressing environment and development challenges. A core principal of IUCN is working in tandem with the industry to guide them in developing a ‘Sustainable Environmental Plan’.
Both DPCL and IUCN along with working on issues like nesting, dredging and the impact of lighting on the turtles, will also promote improvement in the project’s performance in other aspects of environmental management, such as terrestrial habitats affected by access roads, railway lines and other secondary developments, and contribute to raising national and global standards for environmentally responsible development of mega projects, obviously with a special reference to those proposed for the Orissa coastline.
The Dhamra port has the complete support of Larsen & Tubro, TATA and the IUCN, so all, doubts should be put aside, and be rest assured that the port, Olive Ridley Turtle and the future of Orissa is in safe and capable hands!!!!

The Safety of Humans and Turtles

The big question today is if a balance be found between environment and development? And can the development of the Dhamra port can go ahead without harming the Olive Ridley turtle population.
“Orissa is a poor state, but rich in natural resources,” said Upendra Nath Behera, Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Forest & Environment Department, Government of Orissa. “The port and other projects are required for its economic development. We also have rich biodiversity in Orissa, such as Olive Ridley turtles, mangroves, and other flora and fauna. We need issues and suggestions thrown up to find a delicate balance between the environment and development.”
The Dhamra Port Company with help in the form of an agreement with IUCN are being implemented including use of turtle protective deflectors on dredgers and lighting techniques to reduce sky glow, which can confuse newborn turtles as they make their way from the beach to the sea.The most serious threat to turtle populations was identified as trawler fishing which often inadvertently traps and kills turtles in nets. This can be dramatically reduced by use of Turtle Excluder Devices on nets, but much more work is needed to introduce the practice in the area.

Safe Dredging = Successful Nesting

In the development of any port or drilling for oil dredging is an essential component. Dredging can be of two types one being large scale ‘construction dredging’ for creation of new projects or deepening water-ways or the other is periodic ‘maintenance dredging’ that serves to maintain existing facilities and sustain existing hydrologic features. Dredging and marine life safety is a concern area, and the Port of Brisbane has pioneered in this respect. Guidelines for safe dredging of international standards are being complied with during the implementation phase.
Maintenance Dredging would be undertaken only in the non – nesting season of the Olive Ridley. In addition, reclamation dredging would be done only in the offshore areas away from the Dhamra river mouth. This has already proved to be a successful strategy as even though dredging work is in progress this year has been a spectacular nesting for the Olive Ridley turtle with over 1.7lac turtles having arrived on its shores.