ગુજરાતી
English
In 20 years, due to increasing pollution in Gujarat, the Arabian Sea has warmed, the reason for the destruction of cyclones
Dilip Patel
Gandhinagar, 13 June 2023
Gujarat is now being ravaged by cyclone and heavy rains. Natural forces have wreaked havoc on Gujarat in the last 3 decades. The law of nature is to give. Gujarat’s 12 thousand industries, 6 metropolitan cities, small towns, chemical industries, refineries, the way polluted waste and water and hot water are being dumped into the Arabian Sea. Which has not created any new problem? Such a question is being raised. Is Gujarat destroying agriculture, fishing, traditional industries and nature in pursuit of industry?
The small Caribbean country has been a frequent victim of natural disasters. Two thousand people died in an earthquake in Haiti, followed by a hurricane. Later President Moise of Haiti was assassinated under mysterious circumstances. In Gujarat too, such disasters are happening continuously for 30 years. The geographical location of Gujarat is unfortunate. If a new policy is not made to stop this, then western Gujarat and Kutch will see nothing but devastation.
Earthquakes and storms are not new to Gujarat. Disasters are knocking again and again. People were killed in the devastating earthquake. The small region lies between several unstable tectonic plates. Furthermore, due to its unique geographical location, Gujarat often lies in the path of devastating cyclones. Perhaps the most unfortunate region in terms of natural calamities is the Gujarat region on the Arabian Sea. Droughts, earthquakes, storms, heavy rains, water pollution, chemical industries, fire incidents, sea storms, climate change and resultant floods etc. are hitting this country.
The unique geographical location of Gujarat makes it prone to storms and heavy rains. Earthquakes keep happening due to underground instability. After the formation of Girnar and 7 other mountains in Gujarat, volcanoes do not erupt. It’s a good thing.
Both Gujarat and Bengal are infamous for cyclones. States like Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana situated on the coast of Bay of Bengal are frequently affected by cyclones due to their unique location. Some countries and regions are located in places where hurricanes or earthquakes rarely occur. Gujarat is a victim of natural calamities, which cannot change. In such a situation, their suffering can be reduced by providing proper help during disasters. Scientific discoveries can make them more resilient to such disasters. The government and the people can only do so much.
This is not the first time that Gujarat has faced the threat of a cyclone. Gujarat has been the worst victim of the cyclone.
hot water
Between 1975 and 2000, there were 7 major storms. Whereas in 2020 to 2023 more than 20 storms and air depressions occurred.
Warm air rises from the warm ocean water. The air cools down. Preheated air from below pushes it sideways. This process increases the speed of air. In such a situation, the waves in the sea also rise to a height. These waves are causing havoc in the coastal cities and villages. Strong winds blowing over land cause heavy damage. 20 rivers of Gujarat are polluted including Sabarmati, Narmada, Mahi and Tapi. Gujarat ranks fourth in the country in terms of polluted rivers. Who pours water into the ocean. Chemical and refineries have collapsed along the coast. Whose hot water is going directly to the sea. Neither the state government nor the board is serious about pollution control. Of the 8 metropolitan municipalities, 6 are located on the sea coast. Out of which polluted water of 1.25 crore people is released into the sea. 90 cities are on the coast.
Gujarat badly affected by the warming of the Arabian Sea
The coastal weather around India is changing, with more cyclones generally seen in the Bay of Bengal. The Bay of Bengal had warmer waters than the Arabian Sea. But hurricanes have increased by 52% in the past two decades. The frequency of storms has increased by 80%. Intensity increased by 20 to 40%. The Bay of Bengal has seen an 8% decrease in cyclones. Vriddhi is in the warm Arabian Sea off the coast of Gujarat.
ocean temperature from pollution
Scientists say that the temperature of sea water is increasing and due to this more storms are going to come in future. In the last 25 years, industries in Gujarat have been ravaged by cyclones, increasing pollution in the Arabian Sea. Even more dangerous storms may occur in the years to come. Fishermen, farmers, industries, people are going to be ruined.
Gujarat accounts for 5% of the total population of the country, but contributes 18.4% of the industrial output.
Gujarat alone produces 62% of the country’s polluting petrochemical products. The country’s 98% soda ash, 65% plastic, 50% chemical, 40% silk, 70% denim (jeans) are produced only in Gujarat. Gujarat has 232 industrial areas – GIDC and private industrial areas in lakhs of hectares. There are 90,000 industrial units. Out of which 12000 units cause heavy pollution of air, water, land and sea. In the name of economic development, BJP and friendly governments have put our health and natural calamities at stake in 33 years.
Warning
According to experts, cyclones are increasing due to increase in sea surface temperature. The sea surface temperature in the world is increasing by an average of 10.10 mm degree per year. In such a situation, the increasing number of storms in Gujarat is worrying. Sow seeds like Nilofer in 2014, Chapla and Megh in 2015, Vayu and Fani in 2019, Nisarga in 2020, Tokte in 2021, Beeperjoy in 2023
salmon of storms
What have you done? A one to two degree increase in sea surface temperature is associated with an increase in hurricane frequency. In 2019, there were 5 cyclones in the Arabian Sea. Out of which 4 came to earth. 2 cyclones formed in 2020. 14 districts of Gujarat are highly vulnerable to the cyclone. Which is the highest in the country. It has become necessary to sit down with meteorologists, oceanographers, environmentalists and nature lovers and plan. Global warming is affecting Gujarat. Gujarat Congress had suggested this to the government.
Major Hurricanes – 1975–2000
Is. Between 1975 and 2000, there were 6 devastating storms.
In which Porbandar on 22 October 1975, devastation in 7 districts of Saurashtra on 3 June 1976, destruction of Somnath Veraval port on 8 November 1982, devastation in Veraval and Porbandar area on 1 November 1989, devastation in Gujarat’s Sagar coast on 18 June 1992 In June 1998, there was devastation in Porbandar, Kandla, Kutch, Jamnagar.
Another storm hit on 20 May 1999.
Raw
In 25 years, 6 cyclones wreaked havoc, the most dangerous was the Kutch cyclone in 1998 during the BJP government. The storms caused much destruction. In which more than 1100 people died. Although the death toll was much more than this. Two years after that, there was a terrible earthquake in the BJP government. Billions of rupees were lost. After that the people here have established a new industrial Kutch.
In the year 1975, Jamnagar and Rajkot, about 15 km from the northwest coast, were directly affected. More than 80 people had died due to these storms which came at a speed of 170 km/h. A loss of Rs 90 crore was recorded.
In 1976, a cyclone killed 70 people in Saurashtra’s Jamnagar and Kutch.
In 1982, a storm hit Veravala. In which there has been devastation in many areas including Porbandar, Dwarka, Kutch. There was a loss of 130 crores. More than 500 people had died.
In 1998, a cyclone hit Saurashtra on 9 June. People, industries and agriculture in the coastal areas of Porbandar, Kutch suffered a huge loss of Rs 1800 crores. 1485 people died. 1200 to 1800 people were missing. The storm created history of devastation in Gujarat. In 2001 there was an earthquake immediately and 25 thousand people died.
Hundreds of families, lonely laborers became destitute. This tragedy which shakes even the stone heart has happened in Gujarat.
The sea water spread in the Kandla Free Trade Zone, about 7 km from Kandla, has taken the lives of many families. Many families became homeless. Bodies were found in the streets and in the mud.
In another year 1999, a cyclone hit Gujarat. People, fishermen and farmers were made victims. The cyclones in Saurashtra, Jamnagar and Kutch caused damages of Rs 80 crore and claimed more than 450 lives.
The Collector of Kutch has declared that Jasal Jadeja, known as the black snake in Kutch, was crossing the sea with his wife in the middle of the 14th century. Which is the earliest mention of cyclones in Gujarat.
Globally, naming of storms began after 2000.
In 2014, a cyclone moved towards Gujarat from the Pakistan side. Neelofar was named earlier. The sea was already calm.
In 2019, a cyclone named Vayu hit the coast of Gujarat including Saurashtra and Kutch. The speed was 170 km. This year 4 major and minor storms have come and gone. Billions of rupees were lost.
Major hurricanes 2001–2019
On 29 May 2002, there was a storm in the Arabian Sea. In which Kandla, Kosamba, Jamnagar, Valsad were affected. The storm hit South Gujarat from 7 to 13 October 2002. There was devastation in Porbandar on 30 September and 10 October 2004.
There was a heavy impact in West Gujarat on 21 and 22 June 2005.
From September 14 to September 16, fisheries and agriculture were affected in West Gujarat i.e. Saurashtra.
From 21 to 24 September, the cyclone hit farmers and people in Jamnagar, Junagadh, Porbandar and Rajkot.
Fishermen were affected in Diu on 23 and 24 June 2008.
From 30 May to 7 June 2010 it caused heavy damage to farmers in Rajkot, Kutch, Surendranagar, Jamnagar, Mehsana, North Gujarat.
On 11 and 12 June 2011, mango and agriculture in Gir Somnath, Veraval, Kodinar, Talala, Upleta, Rajkot were badly affected.
Affected fruit orchards in Valsad, Surat, Navsari and South Gujarat from 10 to 14 June 2014.
From 25 to 31 October 2014, the farmers of many districts of Kutch, Saurashtra were again harassed.
From 22 to 24 June 2015, Gir Somnath, Amreli, Rajkot district caused heavy damage to agriculture.
Bhavnagar, Junagadh, Porbandar, Dwarka, Jamnagar in West Gujarat were heavily damaged between 27 and 29 June 2016.
The severe storm from 29 November to 6 December 2017 caused heavy damage to mango orchards and fishermen in Navsari, Surat, Dahan and Chiku.
A severe storm hit Saurashtra, Kutch, Diu from 10 to 17 June 2019 and caused continuous damage to fishermen, industries and agriculture.
Kandla in Kutch was affected from 30 September to 1 October 2020.
From 22 to 25 December 2021, there was heavy damage to orchards and sugarcane in South Gujarat.
On 30 October 7 November 2022, an extremely severe cyclonic storm hit Diva. Which had an effect on the nearby mango orchards.
From 12 to 17 June 2023, Arabian Depression occurred.
Thus, the cyclone is affecting Gujarat, West Gujarat, Kutch, Central Gujarat, North Gujarat and South Gujarat in different ways. In a village or city with a population of one lakh, there is a loss of 1 to 10 crores even when there is a normal storm. On an average, 500 villages and 25 towns are affected by each cyclone.
Let’s go Thus visible and invisible devastation and economic losses haunt people. Is it not really a loss-making business against setting up an industry?
In this regard, it is high time for the central government, state government and policy makers working in the environment sector of the world to take action. Pollution has to be stopped, clean industry has to be given importance. Otherwise, this century of Gujarat will be a century of destruction.
