A STUDY ON VIZHINJAM PORT - IS THE DEEP WATER SEA

PROJECT IN KERALA AN ENVIRONMENTAL AND

LIVELIHOOD THREAT?

SUBMITTED TO:
MS. SIMI JOHN

SUBMITTED BY:
SNEHA ELIZABETH VIVIAN
( REG.NO: 19UBB153)

Department of Business Administration Marian College, Kuttikkanan

Peermade-685531 Idukki
 ABSTRACT

A pilot study on particle size and geochemical distribution of major and trace elements was carried out in
harbor area surface sediments. The grain size study concluded the dominance of the sandy fraction in this
high-energy regime. Heavy metal concentrations in the area were below the threshold levels associated with
toxicological effects and at regulatory limits, confirming the lithogenic origin of the metal. The metal
enrichment observed at Kovalam, a international tourist destination, determines the anthropogenic influence.
This study reveals that to date there are no distinctive characters in either sediment or heavy metal
distribution to signify a clean coastal environment.
We examine local community mobilization and negotiations for the construction of a transhipment container
terminal in Vizhinjam village in South India. State-initiated and implemented by private capital, the project
represents a broader model of development regime characterized by accumulation by expropriation. Like
many other fishing villages in southern Kerala, Vizhinjam has an active form of civil society membership,
most of which is mediated and formed by the Latin Catholic Church. The common religious identity of these
associative forms, however, failed to generate consensus in the local community regarding the port project.
Different positions have emerged in the village due to differences in class formation and aspirations for
mobility of the population. The political atmosphere prevented the church from strongly opposing the
project for fear of being labeled "anti-national", because the port project was considered important for the
development and progress of the nation.
 INTRODUCTION

Pollution by heavy metals in natural environments has become a global problem . The concentration of heavy metals
in the aquatic environment needs considerable ecological concern due to their toxicity, non bio-degradable properties
and accumulative behaviours. Several studies on heavy metal contamination were conducted on port zones of different
parts of the world and majority of them recorded toxicity of heavy metals in and around the zone2, 3, 4, and 5. With
the rapid industrialization and economic development in coastal region, heavy metals are introduced to the estuarine
and coastal environment where metals are produced as byproducts. Since the operating activities of the port
terminals/harbours are recognized to be extremely harmful to the coastal environment an Environmental Impact
Assessment (EIA) is inevitable. As the maximum transportation of the state is through sea, it is inevitable for the state
to develop a container terminal to crater traded goods. To sustain an international seaport at Vizhinjam a serious
assessment on environmental pollution should be taken before the development of the seaports. Hence the present
study proposes to investigate the heavy metal contamination in and around the upcoming Vizhinjam port zone. The
study area extending from Adimalathura to Kovalam (6km) has earthy/rocky cliffs fronted by narrow sandy beaches
(Figure 1). The coastal stretch of Adimalathura which is at the south of the proposed port is a sandy beach whereas the
Vizhinjam to Kovalam coastal stretch possesses rocky headlands. The cenozoic sedimentary formations of Kerala
unconformably overlie the Precambrian crystalline rocks , comprising mainly of charnockite and khondalite group of
rocks and these structures have played a significant role in graben subsidence and in the formation of sedimentary
basins in the west coast.
In this article, we examine the controversies related to the development of the Vizhinjam field terminal close to
Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. The mission, formally referred to as Vizhinjam International Port, is touted as India's
first field transhipment terminal and a primary infrastructure mission in port improvement and field transportation.
The Vizhinjam mission, due to the fact its inception, has attracted good sized protest and public scrutiny, as severa
reviews have highlighted its poor results for the fragile Arabian Sea environment and the livelihoods of fishermen
withinside the area. Despite competition to the mission, each the union and kingdom authorities have began out
paintings and Adani Port and KEK (APSEZ) have received contracts in worldwide tenders. The mission become
speculated to be formally finished in December 2019, however creation is manner in the back of schedule. The
manner the Vizhinjam mission become conceived and carried out has strains of the modern-day improvement regime
wherein non-public capital performs a relevant position and the kingdom acts as a facilitator (Levien, 2012, 2013,
2015; Sampat, 2015). In this regime, big infrastructure initiatives are understood as the principle signs of improvement
and the kingdom actively invites, encourages and allows non-public capital in mission implementation and gives them
with all vital infrastructure and prison provisions. Scholars (BanerjeeGuha, 2013; Levien, 2013) have recognized the
relevant position of the kingdom in facilitating this decisive shift from superior international capitalism, “from a
section of augmented replica to a section of accumulation via way of means of expropriation” (Nielsen & Bedi, 2017,
p. 4). The kingdom authorities's position in facilitating this system via way of means of making farmland much less
worthwhile and devaluing agricultural infrastructure has been strongly criticized. In numerous episodes of “land wars”
which have sprung up throughout the country, a “new expropriation regime” is developing (Levien, 2013, p. 365)
wherein land goes “into the fingers of the company zone and actual property developers.”. (Nielsen & Bedi, 2017, p.
2). The shape of the improvement regime that resulted withinside the large displacement of humans from farms and
common property has sparked widespread protests and prolonged unrest in various parts of India.
Description of Vizhinjam by Early Travellers
The early historians and travellers has mentioned about Vizhinjam in their travelogues. Periplus Maris Erythrea (1st
century CE), a Greek traveller was the earliest to mention about Vizhinjam “as a village with natural deep sea and it is
situated in North of Kanyakumari, earlier known as Comari” (Kumar et.al 2013: 196). It was denoted as Balita, which
had a harbour facilitating maritime trade (Schoff, 1911:235; Pillai 1984:177; Kumar et.al., 2013:196).The Peutinger
Tables also mentioned about Vizhinjam being a coastal town near Comari and assumed as Blinca (Kumar 2011:43).
This clearly evidences that, Vizhinjam was a flourishing coastal town with a harbour, which conducted maritime trade
between countries since antiquity.

Proposal for Fishing Harbour

In the last century, Maharaja Sree Chithira Tirunal Balaramavarma took initiatives for the development of a port at
Vizhinjam with the supervision of Sir C.P. Ramaswami Aiyer, the then Diwan of Travancore. An amount of Rs.375
Lakhs was sanctioned for the preparation of a project for port development. But due to the consolidation of
Thiruvithamkoore-Kochin states, the above project was dropped. In 1955-57, an expert committee prepared a report
for supporting the port at Vizhinjam and after that it changed as a fishing harbour (Menon, 2003: 165; CEIA,2013).

Development in the Post- Independence Era

After about a decade of independence, the Kerala government flagged off the development of Vizhinjam, which saw
its beginning as a fishing harbour to an international port of what it is today. In 18th February 1960, The Director of
Fisheries sent a letter to Mr. C.R. Bjuke, Consulting Engineer from Sweden to prepare plans and specifications for the
construction of Vizhinjam harbour. Based on this, he prepared a plan for the construction of harbour in three stages.
His plan was approved by the Government of Kerala and issued orders accordingly. In July 19th, 1962, the works
committee meeting of the Govt. of Kerala, under the leadership of Sri. Pattom A. Thanu Pillai, Chief Minister issued
orders for the construction of the 1st stage of the fishing harbour at Vizhinjam. It was included in the third Five Year
Plan and with a total cost not exceeding Rs.122 Lakhs. Thus, the construction of the fishing harbour started during
1962. A pillar of 12 feet height with text at the bottom- “Vizhinjam Harbour Project, inaugurated by Shri S.K. Pattil,
Minister for Food and Agriculture, Government of India, on 12th September 1962” was installed in Vizhinjam on the
occasion of the foundation stone laid down for the construction works. In 28th June 1963, Sri. R. Sankar, the then
Chief Minister of Kerala, issued a revised administrative sanction for the first stage of the construction of Vizhinjam
fishing harbour with a revised plan provision of Rs. 129 Lakhs by using Tetrapods for breakwaters. For the
construction of the port, the land acquisition and rehabilitation of the local fishermen people were also needed, and a
special land acquisition officer has been appointed in 2nd June, 1971 for the above purpose. There were protests from
the local people on the acquisition of their land for the project. But the government has acquired land and rehabilitate
the displaced people with a group of staff were appointed for the land acquisition for Vizhinjam port including a
special Deputy Tahsildar in 20th October 1971 through a government order. In 20th July 1977, during the Chief
Ministership of Sri. A.K. Antony, the works of the fishing harbour project has been transferred to the Harbour
Engineering Wing of the Port Department to fasten the works with full expertise. The second and third phase has
sanctioned during 1977 and 1983. Land acquisition was problematic. Giving their land for the fishing harbour, lead to
the problem of evictees. Thus, a special order was issued in 27th September 1979 for the rehabilitation of the evictees
under urgency clause. During the second phase also, 40 Ha land were acquired and lots of fishermen were displaced
from their land. Again in 1990s, there were serious discussions on the construction of an international seaport. But the
natives and tourist lobby in Vizhinjam were apprehensive about this effort. Due to their protests, the notification for
the project was terminated (Joseph, 2019)
The fishing harbour project has been bearing a long history to reach the currently constructing International Deep-
water Multipurpose Sea Port jointly constructed by the Government of Kerala and the sole bidder of the Private
partner, Adani with PPP model. On 5th December 2015, the then Chief Minister Oommen Chandy laid the foundation
stone for the Vizhinjam International Deep-water Multi-Purpose Sea Port, with M/S Adani Ports Private Limited as
the sole concessionaire in a Public Private Partnership (PPP) Model. Being a natural port with 21m water depth, they
claimed that there will be less dredging and maintenance cost for the port. But the matter regarding the land
acquisition and displacement of inhabitants and livelihood problems erupted again (Joseph, 2019) (Figure 4). In all
development projects, the pertinent concern lies in the matter of land acquisition for the project site. Now with the
increasing population, a coastal zone like Vizhinjam has a high density of population of fishermen community. In this
context, the question of land acquisition is an adequate requirement for the construction and development of the port.
The dream project of Vizhinjam seaport requires hectares of land from the local people and this land acquisition is
leading to another relatable consequence of displacement of inhabitants from their homeland. Thus, as a mega project,
it should cater to the plights of the native people on the background of the development of port at Vizhinjam.
Development-induced displacement had a long history related to the big projects, as the same is happening in the case
of Vizhinjam.
 REVIEW OF LITERATURE

1. Vizhinjam port turning into an eco disaster.

- Steni Simon

Construction of the Vizhinjam International Deepwater Multipurpose Seaport Harbor is in full

swing. As a result, catastrophic coastal disasters are fast approaching, say researchers. Ongoing
excavation activities in the Vizhinjam region have led to environmental problems and rocky outcrops
which is the habitat of hundreds of marine creatures covered with sand and completely destroyed.
This has also led to the loss of the fishing community, especially traditional mussel collectors. The
maritime draw began in 2015 after Vizhinjam International Seaport Limited (VISL) signed a contract
with Adani Vizhinjam Port Private Limited for a project of Rs 7,525-crore. Due to the geographical
location of the land and rocks, this area is said to be a testament to the collapse of the land and this
contradicts the need for permanent excavation, making Vizhinjam an ideal port for the construction
of the harbor. However, experts studying marine ecosystems in the area point out that the
construction of the harbor not only causes permanent damage to the marine system but also affects
marine life and the health of fishermen.
Kumar Sahayaraju, a marine biologist involved in rock writing, states, “Rocky tools such as
'Kozhippara Paru', 'Madan Paru', 'Panavilakode Kallu', 'Parayan Kallu', 'Neruv Kallu', 'Kulathukal
Paru' and 'Charupara Kallu' 'it has already been destroyed as a result of extinction and more than 147
species including mussels and corals have been lost. A 2017 study by Friends of Marine Life based
in Thiruvananthapuram found that such coral reefs are also beginning to be destroyed in the seas in
the Inayam area of Kanyakumari. ”
“Climate change is often said to affect the deep ocean,” says Kumar. However, the deep diversity of
living things in the oceans is conducive to stable temperatures. Therefore, when temperatures change
as a result of climate change, the deep diversity of the oceans will no longer be able to adapt to them.
The rainy season is important for fishermen and the sea. This is also the time to breed fish. Stormy
sea currents contribute to the occurrence of ‘Karaneerilakkam’ or rising impacts on biodiversity.
However, fishermen say there is no heavy rain or Karaneerilakkam after Hurricane Ockhi. ”
 Biju Kumar, head of the Department of Water Biology and Fisheries, University of Kerala, said,
“The district had a good mussel bed before the start of excavation activities. However, after re-
digging, we noticed that most of it was covered with sand. If this continues, it will lead to the total
destruction of the mussel habitat. ”
Fishermen also accused the port project of destroying mussel habitats and livelihoods. Sam Kutty, a
member of the Fish Workers Forum, Kovalam branch, said, “Biodiversity has completely
disappeared due to the Vizhinjam tender. Habitat habitat has been destroyed and due to poor mussel
catch, mussel collectors are forced to take up other jobs for a living. If the drag continues, the marine
environment will be completely destroyed in a few years. ”
Kumar Sahayaraju, a marine biologist involved in rock writing, says that many such rocks have
already been destroyed by drought and that more than 147 species including mussels and corals have
been lost.

2. Vizhinjam port to impact fishing, damage beaches, says study

- George Joseph

A Comprehensive Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) study at the proposed Rs 5,100-crore

Vizhinjam harbor at the Thiruvananthapuram land port said there would be a permanent loss of
beaches and fishing grounds in the Mulloor area, near the site, where the port is operational.

A report by L & T-Ramboll Consulting Engineers Ltd, based in Hyderabad, stated that any ban on
fishing activities in the marine area up to 1.5 km from Nellikunnu and Mulloor shores would affect
the livelihoods of local fishers.
There has been growing concern among fishing communities in an area that fears losing their lives
as a result of the project. Live fish directly on these beaches will also not occur during the
construction of Phase I of the transshipment terminal project, according to the report.
Studies show that the increase in instability during construction will reduce the availability of fishing
resources, which could lead to a reduction in sea catch.
The report proposes the construction of a new drinking water station to promote peace throughout
the old and old fishing harbor to reduce mud.
It is expected that the new port will improve the livelihoods of fishermen as the fishing grounds will
be of benefit to the local people. The seafood park has also been proposed as part of the project.It
suggested that oyster collectors in the area should be adequately compensated as they could lose their
jobs.To improve tourism in the project area, in Phase I of the project, a port has been upgraded to
assist in the upliftment of newcomers to the country and the country. According to the study, the
tourism sector in the southern regions of Kerala will benefit from a special port.Improved tourism
infrastructure will enhance opportunities for the Thiruvananthapuram - Kochi-Tuticorin tourist
district which includes Kanyakumari as well.

3. An appraisal of pollution level in the sediments of forthcoming Vizhinjam

port zone, Southwest coast of India
- Aneesh T. D

Pollution by heavy metals in natural environments has become a global problem1. The concentration of
heavy metals in the aquatic environment needs considerable ecological concern due to their toxicity, non
biodegradable properties and accumulative behaviours. Several studies on heavy metal contamination
were conducted on port zones of different parts of the world and majority of them recorded toxicity
of heavy metals in and around the zone2, 3, 4, and 5. With the rapid industrialization and economic
development in coastal region, heavy metals are introduced to the estuarine and coastal environment
where metals are produced as by-products6. Since the operating activities of the port
terminals/harbours are recognized to be extremely harmful to the coastal environment an Environmental
Impact Assessment (EIA) is inevitable. As the maximum transportation of the state is through sea, it is
inevitable for the state to develop a container terminal to crater traded goods. To sustain an
international seaport at Vizhinjam a serious assessment on environmental pollution should be taken
before the development of the seaports. Hence the present study proposes to investigate the heavy metal
contamination in and around the upcoming Vizhinjam port zone. The study area extending from
Adimalathura to Kovalam (6km) has earthy/rocky cliffs fronted by narrow sandy beaches (Figure 1).
The coastal stretch of Adimalathura which is at the south of the proposed port is a sandy beach whereas
the Vizhinjam to Kovalam coastal stretch possesses rocky headlands. The cenozoic sedimentary
formations of Kerala unconformably overlie the Precambrian crystalline rocks7, comprising mainly of
charnockite and khondalite group of rocks and these structures have played a significant role in graben
subsidence and in the formation of sedimentary basins in the west coast8.
The occurrence of major and minor elements in the study area is mainly of detrital origin and is lower
than the world average shale values. A slight variation is noticed in Kovalam and it may due to the
anthropogenic activity which is mainly due to tourism. There is no uniqueness either in the
distribution of sediments or heavy metals which is indicative of pristine coastal environment. The
present study reveals that, as of now, the area is neither under stress nor environmentally degraded. Most
of the seaports in the world as well as in India face considerable heavy metal pollution which can
be correlated with the urbanization or industrialization in the area. This is a major environmental issue and
the remediation of this problem is often problematic due to the persistent and non biodegradable properties
of the contaminants in the environment.

4. Vizhinjam project and coastal challenges

- Staff reporter, The Hindu

The development of the Vizhinjam International Seaport is a massive undertaking that would
considerably alter the coastline of the district. And yet, the crucial issue of coastal erosion has not been
sufficiently addressed in the environmental impact assessment, according to A.J. Vijayan, an expert on
coastal issues.
Thiruvananthapuram district was more prone to erosion than other districts.
The extent of changes that human intervention could render had not been analysed and most of the erosion
and shoreline build up were not seriously discussed, Mr. Vijayan said. He added that the terms of reference
for the environmental clearance specify that the project could not be implemented in high erosion zones.
Former additional director of the department of fisheries, Sanjeev Ghosh, shared his concerns on the
implications of construction of breakwater reefs, underwater rock dredging and sand-mining.

Livelihood issues
He pointed out that the ‘Wadge Bank’, an ecological sensitive area where abundant varieties of fish breed,
was not far from the Vizhinjam coast and constant movement of ships through this pocket could severely
affect this region in the Indian Ocean.
A long-term vision as to how the livelihood of fishermen would be affected was also missing. Even slight
changes in the water quality could have a profound impact on the ecology of the region, he said.
Moreover, participants of the meeting held on Saturday at the AICUF centre near General Hospital, also
found fault with the Malayalam translation. This version included only an executive summary and so was
vastly inadequate material to go forward with a public hearing. The viability of the landlord port model was
also questioned along with the long-term financial feasibility as the State government would have to set
aside a significant chunk of the annual budget for a project that would take 30 years to complete.
One member also said it was unrealistic to place a time frame of 10 years just for construction, considering
the slow pace at which infrastructural projects, even minor road widening works, unfold in the State.

5. Adani’s Vizhinjam Seaport Is Eating Up Thiruvananthapuram's Beaches

And Fishing Villages
- K.A Shaji

The Rs 7,525-crore seaport is being built in a Public Private Partnership (PPP) between the Kerala
government and the Adani Vizhinjam Port Pvt. Ltd.
Dr K.V. Thomas, a scientist with the National Centre for Earth Science Studies, told HuffPost India that the
coastal erosion in the Vizhinjam-Shanghumukham Region will become worse in the coming years, even
posing challenges to the airport and several establishments of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in
Veli and adjacent Thumba. “Unfortunately, neither the environmental nor livelihood impacts of the project
have been assessed sufficiently or accurately. The port is irresponsibly sited in the erosion-prone coast of
Thiruvananthapuram. Studies indicate that the coastline is not braced to subsume the potential impacts from
construction and operation of the Vizhinjam port,” he said.
Even as the sea port’s financial viability remains in question, Peter warned that this is only the beginning of
the project’s impact on the environment and the livelihood of locals. “The port is coming up just 250 metres
south of the ever-busy Vizhinjam fishing harbour. Both the fishing industry and the marine biodiversity of
the region have been affected. Tourism in Kovalam and Shanghumukham beaches has already been affected.
The situation will turn murkier by the time construction of the breakwater and quay walls for the port is
completed,” he said.
He added that the construction is posing a threat to the rich marine biodiversity of the Wadge bank off the
coast of Thiruvananthapuram, which is a breeding ground for over 200 varieties of fish and is the largest
coral reef of the Indian Ocean. “It is home to more than 60 species of ornamental fish and other oceanic
animals. Commercially important fish such as squids, cuttlefish, carangids, tuna, anchovies and lobsters are
available in abundance there. Despite the bank’s status as a Marine Protected Area, the state government
decided to go ahead with the project,” he explained.
Dr Thomas said that over 50,000 fish workers are being affected by the project as it has resulted in the
destruction of breeding grounds, reduction in fish catch, loss of beaches, loss of access to fishing grounds
and increased conflict with shipping vessels.“The increased turbidity of water as a result of reclamation and
dredging has started reducing the fish catch as it destroys fish spawning and habitat site,” he said. Fish
workers say the dredging work has caused habitat loss for several aquatic organisms, especially mussels and
lobsters. According to Thiruvananthapuram-based geologist V. Nandakumar, 15 of the 33 reefs located close
to Vizhinjam have been utterly destroyed, and 17 of them heavily damaged as a result of sand deposition
from dredging.
“If the coastal erosion continues unabated, the sea will reach the airport and Adani can integrate both the
seaport and airport here, perhaps the first time in the world,” Richens Morais, a fisherman in Vizhinjam, said
sardonically.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The nearshore surface samples were collected from 3 transects T1 (Adimalathura), T2 (Mullur) and T3
(Kovalam) at a depth of 3m, 5m, 10m, 15m and 20m (Figure 1). A total of 14 surficial sediment samples
were collected using van Veen grab and were subjected to pre-treatment. Textural studies on the sediments
were performed for sand, silt and clay distributions9 . Organic carbon (OC) was determined by wet
oxidation method10 . Analysis of major and trace elements was done using XRF facility which consists of a
Bruker Model S4 Pioneer sequential wave length dispersive X-ray fluorescence and sample preparation
units. Major and trace metal contamination and its relation with organic carbon in the samples were studied
using contamination factor (CF)11, Pollution load index (PLI) 12 and Geoaccumulation index (Igeo) 13 .

Fig. 1—Study Area: Vizhinjam Port zone.

 RESULTS

The sand, silt and clay proportions are given in table 1 and majority of the sediments exhibit sandy nature.
Percentage of sand ranges from 99.3% to 99.7% at Adimalathura, 89.9% to 99.6% at Mullur and 97.4% to
99.5% at Kovalam respectively. Mean values indicated a predominant distribution of fine to very fine sand
in the area. Sediments are moderately well sorted to very well sorted and are symmetrical to coarse skewed.
Percentage of organic carbon varies from 0.10 to 0.82% (Table 2) and the low value signifies the
predominance of sand. Low organic carbon content in the study area can be attributed to the coarse nature of
the sediments and high tidal and wave activity. Natural concentrations of major and trace elements are
strongly influenced by the nature of the inorganic matter that results from physical and chemical weathering.
The concentrations and the averages of all the measured metals in the Vizhinjam nearshore surface
sediments are depicted in table 2. Percentage of Na content at Adimalathura, Mullur and Kovalam varies
from 1.10 to 1.39%, while the concentration of K is of 0.02 to 0.59% indicating detrital origin. Sodium and
potassium mainly comes into sediments as a weathering product of minerals like feldspars, feldspathoids,
amphiboles and pyroxenes from the source rock. Maximum concentrations of Ca and Mg are observed at
Adimalathura and Mullur which is due to the leaching of dead shelled organisms. Fe in the study area can be
attributed to detrital mineral composition in particular to heavy minerals. The distribution of Fe and Ti
shows maximum percentage at Kovalam where heavy mineral assemblages dominate. Heavy minerals are
highly enriched in the beach sand along the west coast of India. From Adimalathura to Kovalam the average
concentration of Si is 38.72% and it can be attributed to the higher sand content in the study area. The
phosphorus content in the study area also reflects the supply of detrital minerals and the biogenic materials
found in the form of shell fragments.

Table 1 — Percentage of sand, silt and clay of nearshore sediments of Vizhinjam Port area

Locations Sand % Silt % Clay % Sediment type

T1 (3m) 99.63 0.69 0.02 Sand

T1 (5m) 99.30 0.97 0.05 Sand

T1 (10m) 99.40 1.24 0.75 Sand

T1 (15m) 99.73 0.83 0.07 Sand

T2 (3m) 99.33 1.18 0.03 Sand

T2 (5m) 99.67 0.88 0.02 Sand

T2 (10m) 89.99 8.62 1.39 silty Sand

T2 (15m) 90.92 7.69 1.39 silty Sand

T2 (20m) 97.43 1.92 0.65 Sand

T3 (3m) 98.72 1.34 0.04 Sand

T3 (5m) 99.51 1.06 0.13 Sand

T3 (10m) 97.99 1.34 0.67 Sand

T3 (15m) 98.11 0.95 0.94 Sand

T3 (20m) 99.32 0.45 0.24 Sand

 Table 2 — Concentration of C-org and major elements (%) in the nearshore sediments of Vizhinjam Port area

Locations C-org Na K Ca Mg Fe Mn Ti Si Al P

T1 (3m) 0.67 1.23 0.75 3.67 0.14 0.99 0.03 0.39 38.22 3.69 0.03

T1 (5m) 0.78 1.33 0.84 3.89 0.24 1.07 0.04 0.29 37.59 3.75 0.03

T1 (10m) 0.65 1.10 0.82 3.57 0.16 1.06 0.05 0.92 37.32 4.14 0.03

T1 (15m) 0.63 1.13 0.52 0.69 0.12 0.65 0.04 0.15 42.80 2.83 0.02

T2 (3m) 0.82 1.15 0.73 3.43 0.03 1.16 0.01 0.94 38.06 3.61 0.03

T2 (5m) 0.76 1.24 0.77 3.03 0.09 1.04 0.04 0.52 38.82 3.56 0.03

T2 (10m) 0.10 1.39 1.09 3.23 0.46 1.76 0.07 0.86 36.41 4.69 0.04

T2 (15m) 0.15 1.31 0.92 3.02 0.41 1.93 0.07 1.09 35.97 4.75 0.05

T2 (20m) 0.53 1.16 0.71 1.80 0.21 1.12 0.05 0.55 39.95 3.54 0.03

T3 (3m) 0.30 1.19 0.61 2.69 0.07 0.73 0.02 0.65 39.42 3.42 0.03

T3 (5m) 0.44 1.13 0.53 1.53 0.08 1.15 0.03 1.29 39.54 3.88 0.03

T3 (10m) 0.17 1.19 0.72 2.99 0.33 2.62 0.02 2.45 35.06 4.39 0.07

T3 (15m) 0.14 1.17 0.61 0.09 0.08 1.17 0.06 1.66 40.70 3.87 0.02

T3 (20m) 0.62 1.10 0.52 0.33 0.11 0.90 0.06 0.69 42.26 3.28 0.02

The maximum concentration of Cu is observed at Adimalathura where intense fishing activities are
going on. Boating activities in particular, paint chips or flakes resulting from the annual cleaning or scraping
of automobiles may increase the concentration of Cu in sediments. Even though the values of Ni are of low
concentration in the present study, they show a maximum range in Kovalam suggesting the anthropogenic
contribution due to tourism. The concentration of Cu and Ni does not show much variation in the study area
designating the source of these metals either from detrital minerals or fishing activities. Lower
concentrations of Pb and Zn in the study area reflect the source as detrital mineral composition, vehicle
emissions and antifouling paints. Zr is a strong transition metal and is observed at Kovalam due to the
presence of heavies. The presence of Cr in the study area is from the dyes, tanning agents, anticorrosive
agents, welding fumes, lubricating oils and greases etc. Rare earth elements like La, Nb, Sm and Ce are of
very negligible concentration and as of now it is not at all alarming.
Most of the trace metals analysed show positive correlation with mud than organic carbon which indicates
that finer particles are the main carriers of elements. Al and Fe are positively correlated with majority of the
elements studied. Hydrous oxides of Al and Fe readily sorbs and co precipitate elements when they sink to
the bottom of water. This association may be due to the large surface area, extensive cation exchange and
wide availability of the elements. In the present study trace elements show positive correlation with Fe than
Mn. Correlation of Cr with clay indicates that illite traps Cr in a reducing environment. Cu enrichment is
generally found associated with clay as well as the high organic content and this proves the negative
correlation of these elements in the area. Correlation of Ni with Cr and mud indicates that these elements are
either absorbed/adsorbed by mud rather than organic carbon. Contamination Factor (CF) is used to evaluate
the extent of metal contamination and also anthropogenic inputs The values of CF for almost all the trace
elements except Zr in the study area are less than one indicating low contamination. Zr shows highest value
due to the presence of zircon in the heavy minerals of Kovalam. Concentration of heavy mineral
assemblages in Kovalam is the result of strong winnowing action of waves rather than selective transport by
longshore currents.
 DISCUSSIONS

The wave energy regime along the Kerala coast exhibits distinct patterns, with highest energy observed off
Thiruvananthapuram region . Winnowing action of the waves aided by the steep bathymetry may be a
reason for the high concentration of sand in the region . Southern Kerala coast (Paravur and Veli) recorded
low organic carbon with high percentage of sand and the low organic carbon values might be related with
the poor absorbability of organics by sand dominant regions and constant flushing activity by tides along
with the input of waves . Carbonate materials have a coarse texture and as a result the Ca contents are very
high in coarse sediments. The Ca is abundant in the southern side of Tuticorin, East coast of India where the
shelf is widest and shell debris is main constituent. Another source of Ca is the plagioclase mineral20. Mg
concentrations reveal a higher average in the surface sediments of Gulf of Mannar (Mg: 1.12-8.32%) than
for other coastal regions along the southeast coast of India due to the abundance of skeletal components .
Abundance of heavy mineral assemblages in Kovalam reveals that the morphodynamics of the coast and the
hydrodynamics of the region are the major factors that determine the distribution patterns of these minerals
in the area . Atomic minerals directorate for exploration and research (2001) reported an average total heavy
mineral concentration of 21.33% at Vizhinjam Kovalam stretch. Higher percentage of sand implies that Si is
related to terrestrial input of quartz . The concentration of Cu (48.8µg/g) and Ni (71.1µg/g) at the nearshore
sediments of Ennore, south east coast of India may be due to the industrial and petroleum related activities.
Cu and Ni enrichment are commonly observed in a region where harbour and petroleum-related activities
are intense . Presence of Pb and Zn can be due to the heavy input of industrial effluents from the industrial
regions and also from the vehicle emissions, municipal refuse and automobiles. Trace metals do not seem to
constitute a threat to the marine environment of central south west coast of India and this supports the results
of our study. Chromium is an essential nutrient for plants and animal metabolism and it indicate the
anthropogenic influence in the marine sediments due to the occupational exposure of numerous processes .
The correlation of Fe/Mn hydroxides with trace element was also reported in Cochin estuary. Significant
correlation between Cu and Zn is primarily due to uptake of these elements by micro organisms as these
elements are the micronutrients for plankton growth. Lack of correlation of Cu with other elements and finer
particles is due to desorption capacity of the element when they get in contact with seawater . The Cu
concentration in ocean water depends on the nutrient content, chemical composition of plankton and water
depth. These trace metals like Cu, Ni, Pb, Cr and Zn form a major factor in the marine contamination studies
for evaluating the anthropogenic activities .

CONCLUSION
The occurrence of major and minor elements in the study area is mainly of detrital origin and is lower than
the world average shale values. A slight variation is noticed in Kovalam and it may due to the anthropogenic
activity which is mainly due to tourism. There is no uniqueness either in the distribution of sediments or
heavy metals which is indicative of pristine coastal environment. The present study reveals that, as of now,
the area is neither under stress nor environmentally degraded. Most of the seaports in the world as well as in
India face considerable heavy metal pollution which can be correlated with the urbanization or
industrialization in the area. This is a major environmental issue and the remediation of this problem is often
problematic due to the persistent and non biodegradable properties of the contaminants in the environment.
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