Coastal and Sea Water Pollution

The Government hasnot received any representation for prevention of pollution of coastal and sea water. However, the Integrated Coastal Marine Area Management centre of Earth System Science Organisation (ESSO-ICMAM) has been measuring parameters such as dissolved oxygen (DO), nutrients, pH, Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD), plankton, benthos and pathogenic bacteria, etc., covering different seasons at 20 coastal locations, viz., Vadinar, Veraval, Hazira, Thane (Mumbai), Worli, Ratnagiri, Malvan, Mandovi, Mangalore, Kochi, Kavaratti, Sandheads, Hooghly, Paradip, Visakhapatnam, Kakinada Ennore (Chennai), Pondicherry, Tuticorin, Port Blair. Seawater quality data collected over period has indicated areas of low, moderate and intense pollution. The data further indicates that the concentration of the nutrients and population of pathogenic bacteria are confined to 0 – 1 km at these locations except in Mumbai. These details of the findings are being provided to the State Pollution Control Boards, who make use of the information to take remedial measures, if any. Besides, the data are also hosted on the website of ESSO-Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS), Hyderabad for wider utility. Climate Modeling Government has launched the National Monsoon Mission to set up a state-of-the-art climate model for a) improved prediction of monsoon rainfall on extended range to seasonal time scale (16 days to one season) and b) improved prediction of temperature, rainfall and extreme weather events on short to medium range time scale (up to 15 days). At present operational extended range to seasonal forecasts are prepared using statistical methods which have constraints and limitations. Experimental forecasts from the research version of the climate model are generated and its performance is regularly evaluated with that of the existing models since 2011 apart from building focused R & D efforts to improve the model. Centre for Climate Change Research (CCCR) of the Earth System Science Organization-Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (ESSO-IITM), Pune successfully incorporated Ocean Biochemistry and Ecosystem modules into the climate model, resulted in the manifestation of the first prototype of the ESSO-IITM Earth System Model. Currently test runs to evaluate the prediction of past climate in hindcast mode are being carried out. Dust/Hailstorm An appropriate system of 24X7 severe weather monitoring and very short time forecasting (3-6 hours lead time) is put in place by the Earth System Science Organization- India Meteorological Department (ESSO-IMD) for predicting the life cycle of Hailstorms & Dust storms. Severe weather advisoriess were issued by the ESSO-IMD in case of the recent Hailstorms in Maharashtra, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh. Based on scientific assessment of the need, further augmentation of observing system network expansion has always been formulated from time to time. The upgradation of the observing system, high performance computing, communication, forecast/warning systems, product dissemination systems, etc. are part of a continuous process by which state-of-the-art science and technology tools can be made accessible to the scientists engaged in weather research and forecasting towards enhancing the service quality. Continuous efforts are made by the ESSO-IMD to optimize the level of efficiency of the forecasting systems.