Aquatic Pollution and Coastal Management

Unit 11 : Monitoring and control of pollution

11.3.2.Maharashtra Coast
The Konkan coast is mainly rocky and broken by small creeks and fringed with islands. Mentionable small rivers are Ulha, Pathalaganga, Vogeswara, Amba, Kundalika, Savithri and Vasista. Major industrial locations are Mumbai, Thane complex and Rathnagiri. Out of the total 167 industries, major types of industries like chemicals, petrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, textiles, engineering and metallurgy are located in these regions. Besides industrial activities, the port related operations at Mumbai and transport of crude oil also contributes to the total contaminant load in the coastal waters.
The activities of the above industries were responsible for gradual depletion to total absence of 50% of biota up to 30 m depth contour. One standing crop decreased from 21.6gm/m² to 0.2 gm/m², dissolved oxygen level from 4.73 to 0.76 ml/l, organic carbon in the sediment increased from 1.27 to 2.77%.