A mining project located near India’s first marine sanctuary and an adjacent national marine park has received regulatory clearance following an environment impact assessment (EIA). The clearance included a requirement that the project proponent implement appropriate interventions to minimise stress on wild animals and to avoid man-animal conflict, according to the minutes of the meeting.

Located in the inter-tidal zone along the Jamnagar coasts and islands, the marine sanctuary and the marine park were described in the EIA report as comprising a complex ecological system comparable to a large corporation, marked by interdependent relationships between various life forms. The assessment characterised the area as ecologically sensitive and noted that hydrological and nutrient regimes support diverse habitats.

The state forest and environment department said the marine park hosts more than 49 species of hard corals, 23 species of soft corals, 70 species of sponges and 421 species of fish. It also recorded 27 species of prawns, 30 species of crabs, 172 species of birds, six species of mangroves and three species of sea turtle among other fauna and flora.

The EIA highlighted that the marine park is strategically located along major bird migration routes and benefits from a wide tidal range and nutrient-rich waters. During winter the assessment noted that flocks of waders such as flamingos, sandpipers and plovers frequent the park, contributing to its significance as a stopover and feeding ground.

The report observed that the mining lease area lies one point six kilometres from the marine sanctuary and about six kilometres from the marine park, and that this distance itself acts as a natural physical barrier that reduces direct impacts on the ecosystems. It added that any impacts on key habitat elements would be localised and would not be critical at a regional scale for the life cycle needs of observed or expected species, while reiterating that mitigation and monitoring measures must be enforced by the project proponent.