2.
The adoption, by an overwhelming majority of nations of the Convention
of the UN Conference on the Law of the Seas has established a new international
order for the oceans. This extends the economic jurisdiction of coastal
states to an area ranging form 200 to 350 miles from the coastline.
According to this regime, nearly 2.02 million square kilometers of area,
or nearly two-third of the land mass has come under India's national
jurisdiction. In this area, the exclusive right to utilise living and
non-living resources vests with the nation. Besides, India has been
recognised as "Pioneer Investor" in an area of upto 50000 square kilometers
in the deep seas for the recovery and processing of polymetallic nodules.
3.
For ages, the sea has enabled our people to sail to near and distant
lands and has been a source of livelihood to large number of people.
Even now Indian public and private enterprises do use ocean resources.
the country is producing significant quantities of fish and hydrocarbons
form the sea and much scientific work has been done in collecting basic
knowledge and information about the sea and the seabed and in surveying,
charting and exploiting it. Progress has also been made in construction
and development of offshore structures.
4.
The vastness, complexity and uncertainty of the ocean environment call
for a coordinated, centralised and highly sophisticated development
response. This should be based on adequate knowledge of marine space
(sea-bed, water and air columns included) as a fundamental prerequisite
to the control, management and utilisation of the rich and varied natural
resources available in the sea. In addition to basic knowledge to determine
the potentialities inherent in the Indian sea-space we have to develop
appropriate technologies to harness these resources. A supporting infrastructure
has to be built. Effective systems of management and control of the
entire set up are also necessary.
5.
We need to map living resources, prepare an inventory of commercially
exploitable fauna and to map and assess the availability of minerals
from the deep sea. The supporting infrastructure and incentives required
are research vessesl of different types, manpower, well-laid out programmes
of resource exploitation, advanced technology and everything necessary
to promote the growth of ocean technology. In the management sector,
the high seas and the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) upto 320 kilometers
have to be looked into for the exploitation of the wealth occurring
therein.
6.
The main thrust should be on the optimal utilisation of living resources
like fish and sea weeds, exploitation of non-living resources such as
hydrocarbons and heavy placer deposits, harnessing of renewable resources
of ocean energy from waves, temperature differences in the water column,
tidal heights, salinity gradients and the collection and processing
of polymetallic nodules from the deep sea.
7.
Marine development is linked with scientific and technological achievements
in other areas. Hence, while we develop basic marine science and technology,
i.e. technology for marine environment, our technological advances have
to be geared to the utilisation and preservation of the marine environment.
The extension of national frontiers by an area of 2 million square kilometers
of ocean space and the consequent access to new sources of energy, minerals
and food, requires great strides in ocean engineering, specially in
tasks related to structures, materials, instrumentation, submersibles
and systems of propulsion of ships. The exploitation of natural food
resources such as fish and sea weeds, and the generation of additional
food resources by cultivation, need scientific methods of aquaculture
and mariculture. To survey and predict the ocean environment, the main
tasks necessary are sea floor mapping, charting, geodesy, ocean dynamics,
currents, waves, cyclones, marine fauna, chemistry and physics of the
oceans and seabed mineral mapping delineation and assessment. Research
in all these areas must examine the various processes and their origins
so as to have a fundamental understanding, ensuring predictive capabilities.
Marine science and technology has also to look beyond the current state-of-the-art
to achieve major technological break-throughs in the future.
8.
the deeper part of the ocean. Similarly in the deep sea, detailed survey
and sampling in the regions of EEZ and the adjacent ocean will be necessary
to locate and evaluate the rich and economically viable deposits of
polymetallic nodules, heavy metals, fossil placers and phosphorite deposits.
The gathering of data from surveys should be coordinated and a cost-effective
system of integrated surveys be established.
9.
Much more needs to be done for the development of indigenous technology
for the exploitation of fish from deeper waters. This also means setting
up of infrastructure facilities and services to operate large sized
fishing vessels.
10.
An important component of the development programme should be acquisition
of technology. To be self-reliant, such technologies would have to be
largely developed, tested and operated indigenously. Technologies relating
to instrumentation of diving systems, position fixing and position maintenance,
materials development, oceanic data collecting devices, anti-erosion
capabilities sumersibles, energy and energy-saving devices are priority
items. Several new technologies will have to be commercialised and made
cost effective.
11.
Infrastructural support forms an essential prerequisite for ocean development.
The variegated infrastructure already available in the country will
have to be appropriately augmented, and more particularly in basic supporting
facilities like safety and rescue at sea, navigational chains, communication
network development of appropriate maps and chargs etc. Infrastructural
support for providing a complete and reliable information system through
a network of data centres on marine resources, processing and marketing
systems, advanced technologies and financial assistance would also be
necessary. This requires a broadening and strengthening of available
infrastructural facilities. Provision of adequate ports and harbours,
ship-building and ship-repair facilities will be needed in addition
to adequate ports and harbours, ship-building and ship-repair facilities
will be needed in addition to adequate skilled manpower in various sectors
of development.
12.
Surveillance and conservation of the marine environment and its resources
call for an integrated legal framework and its concomitant enforcement.
Several laws have already been formulated regarding the maritime zone,
fisheries etc. The Coast Guard Organisation looks after the enforcement
aspects of several of these legislative measures. The coordinating mechanisms
of the overall structure of legislation will have to be suitably strengthened
under the aegis of the Department of Ocean development.
13.
In the light of this, we must have a database to coordinate efforts
made by different agencies. This is all the more necessary because of
the rapid growth of information in ocean science and technology. A centralised
data system will be set up by the Department of Ocean Development with
a proper mechanism for collection collation and dissemination of information
acquired both indigenously and from foreign sources.
14.
The creation of a self-reliant technological base puts a heavy demand
on fully trained personnel. The training of skilled manpower is to be
adequately planned. Young scientists, technologists and engineers will
be encouraged to participate in the programme of ocean development and
steps will be taken to induce Indian scientists from within the country
and abroad to participate in it.
15.
Existing
agencies will have to be appropriately strengthened to meet the demands
of this growing challenge. The Department of Ocean Development will
function in conjuction with other concerned agencies as a focal point
to promote institutional capability in areas where significant work
is lacking. The complex programme that ocean development entails will
require well designed management and institutional extension of the
Department of Ocean Development with sufficient powers vis-a-vis other
agencies to help proper and speedy ocean development, which enables
India to be in the forefront of the International effort. This would
also mean close cooperation with both developing and developed countries
in a spirit of understanding of the concept that the oceans are a common
heritage of humankind.