1. The oceans are known to be our last frontiers.
Our long coast and the sense of adventure of our ancients fostered a
great maritime tradition. The Indian Ocean which washes our shores
provides opportunities which need to be utilised. For success in
ocean development, the entire nation should be permeated by the
spirit of enterprise and the desire to explore the frontiers of
knowledge. Our experience in other fields of scientific endeavour
will help our efforts in ocean development. What is necessary is a
policy and structure to facilitate adynamic thrust keeping in view
developments in other parts of the world.
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, 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 ocean environment call for a
coordinated, centralised and highly be sophisticated development
response. This should 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 the sea 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 vessels of manpower, well-laid out programmes of resource
different types, 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 Hence, technological achievements in other
areas. 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 seafloor 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. Besides research and development in basic sciences, we should
survey 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 charges 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 conjunction 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.
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