Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
wetland area 27,175 km
2
in the state, coastal
wetlands comprise as much as 92.3 %. These
coastal stretches are rich in biodiversity and have
the Marine National Park and four sanctuaries
located along it. Broadly, Gujarat
deep impact on the marine ecosystems through
the increase in turbidity and decrease in pro-
ductivity of the region (Fig.
8.13
).
Apart from these, other activities like collec-
tion of fuel woods from local communities,
grazing of mangroves by cattle or camels, and
collection of mangrove leaves for feeding the
cattle are some local threats on Gujarat man-
groves. Considering the ecological services
offered by mangroves, about twenty-three
industries participated in ecorestoration pro-
gramme [for example the restoration site at
Kantiyajal has the tallest and most mature trees
of all the project sites (Fig.
8.14
)] through pub-
lic
'
s coast has
been divided into
ve major regions that include
the Gulf of Kachchh, the Gulf of Khambat, the
Saurashtra Coast, the South Gujarat Coast and
the Rann of Kachchh.
The coastal zone of Gujarat supports man-
grove vegetation mainly distributed in 14 dis-
tricts (Table
8.2
).
During the handling of the wide variety of dry
and liquid cargo at the ports, various pollutants in
low dosage get released in the surrounding
marine ecosystems. These pollutants have a
chronic impact in differing degrees at the differ-
ent marine locations. They affect the biotic and
abiotic components, changing water quality and
the physico-chemical attributes of the speci
private partnership model (PPP) due to which
about 4,675 ha of land has been taken up for
mangrove plantation. The area covered by dif-
ferent industries is highlighted in Table
8.3
.
-
c
sites. The impact of pollution on the physical and
biological functions and water quality are closely
interlinked and influence each other. Dredging
and the alteration of physical processes around
the ports have been major factors that have had a
8.3.2 Case Study of Indian
Sundarbans
The process of ecorestoration or plantation stands
on the foundation of ecological condition and
Table 8.2
District-wise mangrove cover (area in km
2
)
District
Very dense
mangrove
Moderately dense
mangrove
Open
mangrove
Total
Change w.r.t. 2009
assessment
Ahmedabad
0
1
29
30
3
Aimreli
0
0
1
1
1
Anand
0
0
0
0
3
−
Bharuch
0
21
22
43
1
Bhavnagar
0
6
13
19
6
Jamnagar
0
28
131
159
2
Junagadh
0
0
1
1
1
Kachchh
0
118
660
778
3
Navsari
0
0
1
1
0
Porbandar
0
0
0
0
0
Rajkot
0
1
1
2
0
Surat
0
7
13
20
3
Vadodara
0
0
2
2
−
2
Valsad
0
0
2
2
3
−
Source
FSI (
2011
)
