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8.1 INTERTIDAL ZONE
HEAVY METAL POLLUTION
Heavy metals are among the best known and most 8.1.1 Methods
widely studied pollutants in an aquatic system.
However, the behaviour of heavy metals in Heavy metals were estimated both from water
sediments varies according to the physico-chemical (dissolved) and sediments of intertidal zones at
nature of the aquatic system. The Gulf of five different sites viz. N-Control, N-ASSBY, M-
Khambhat (Cambay) represents a semiestuarine ASSBY, S-ASSBY and S-Control. Dissolved
condition. When the river-water/surface runoff heavy metals (Fe, Mn and Zn) were estimated
carrying the pollutants from onshore comes in using ICP Emission Spectrophotometer. However,
contact with saline water, a flocculation of the 0.01 M HCl were used to extract heavy metals
organic and inorganic dissolved species begins as from the < 500 µm fraction of sediments and
a result of chemical as well as electrostatic analysed for Fe, Mn, Zn, Cr, Cu, Pb, Ni and Cd,
interaction (Aston and Chestner 1973; Rasid 1974; using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer
Eckert and Sholkovitz 1976; Boyle et al. 1977; (AAS).
Sholkovitz et al. 1978 and others). A general
phenomenon during mixing is a large scale
removal of dissolved metal species from water. 8.1.2 Heavy metal distribution
Flocculation of dissolved organic and inorganic Higher concentration of Fe and Mn were recorded
matter during the mixing is an important removal from the ASSBY areas as compared to the control
mechanism for Fe, Mn, Al, P, Zn, Cu, Ni, Co, Pb sites (Table 8.1). This highlights the input of the
and Mo. Accordingly, both suspended and bottom metals into the intertidal water from the ASSBY
sediments in the Gulf of Cambay act as a sink for activities. However, most of the other dissolved
most of the pollutants introduced from the heavy metals were recorded below detection limit
mainland. Thus analysis of the sediment and water of the instrument and thus considered under the
provide knowledge regarding state of heavy metal safe limits.
pollution in the Gulf around Alang Shipbreaking
Yard.
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metals: Fe, Mn, Zn, Cr, Cu, Pb, Ni, and Cd. The
8.2 OFFSHORE ZONE
geostandards used as reference material were
Canadian Soil standards viz., SO-1, SO-2, SO-3
8.2.1 Methods and SO-4 (Govindaraju 1994).
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distribution of sediments (Islam 1986) also shows The enrichment of heavy minerals and the nature
that nearly half of the distribution spectrum of of clay minerals are two significant criteria which
bottom sediments overlaps the distribution determines the abundance of heavy metals in a
spectrum of suspended sediments, which suggests sediment mass. The Gulf of Cambay sediments
that the bottom sediments are also capable of show that the dominant clay mineral in both
demobilisation. The fine grained sediments have a suspended and bottom sediments is
large surface to mass ratio, and thus provide wide montmorrilonite. Montmorillonite in suspended
space for metal adsorption. This fine sand, silt and sediments ranges from 76 to 83% of the total clay
clay size class, as suggested by Mantei and Foster minerals, while illite constitutes 9 to 18%, chlorite
(1991), is fine enough to accumulate higher 4 to 5% and kaolinite constitutes 3 to 5% (Islam
quantity of metal as well as large enough to resist 1986). There is an overall homogeneity in the
transport and have longer residence time in the distribution of clay minerals all over the coast. The
aquatic system. cation exchange capacity (CEC) of different clay
minerals are as follows:
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Iron 46700
Manganese 850
Zinc 95
Copper 45
Lead 20
Nickel 68
Source: Turekian and Wedepohl (1961)
The total metal concentration in the bottom
sediments varied from 59200 to 84400 µg/g for Fe,
0.10 to 0.18% for Mn, 71 to 273 µg/g for Zn, 64 to
186 µg/g for Cu, 11 to 26 µg/g for Pb, and 54 to 111
µg/g for Ni. Although most of the off-shore stations
shows a similar distribution pattern of heavy metals,
the five coastline stations represented significant
differences in the concentrations at least for few
elements in the bottom sediments.
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0 th km 1s t k m
40 0
3 rd k m 5t h k m
30 0
µg/ l
20 0
10 0
0
N -C o ntro l N -Alan g M-A lan g S -A lan g S -C ont rol
0th km 1 st km
2 00 3rd km 5 th km
1 50
µ g/l
1 00
50
0
N-C on trol N-Ala ng M-Ala ng S -Ala ng S -C on trol
30 0t h k m 1s t k m
3rd k m 5t h k m
25
20
µ g/l
15
10
0
N-Co ntro l N-A lan g M-A lan g S -Alan g S -C o ntro l
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0th k m 1 s t km
4 00
3rd km 5 th km
3 00
µg /l
2 00
1 00
0
N-C on trol N-Ala ng M-A lan g S -Alan g S -C on trol
0t h k m 1 s t km
20 0
3rd k m 5 th km
15 0
µg/ l
10 0
50
0
N -C o ntro l N -Ala ng M-Alan g S -Ala ng S -C o ntro l
0 th k m 1 s t km
35
3 r d km 5 th km
30
25
20
µ g /l
15
10
0
N -C ont rol N -Alan g M -Alang S - A la n g S -C o nt rol
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8.3.1Interelemental relationship
Cu Fe Mn Ni Pb Zn
Cu 1.00
Fe 0.57 1.00
Mn -0.03 0.45 1.00
Ni 0.45 0.38 -0.28 1.00
Pb 0.49 0.40 -0.13 0.13 1.00
Zn 0.91 0.56 -0.09 0.33 0.55 1.00
Cu Fe Mn Ni Pb Zn
Cu 1.00
Fe 0.32 1.00
Mn 0.15 -0.37 1.00
Ni 0.73 0.27 -0.14 1.00
Pb 0.64 -0.01 0.29 0.39 1.00
Zn 0.75 0.21 0.25 0.41 0.50 1.00
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Transects Fe Mn
0 km 1 km 3 km 5 km 0 km 1 km 3 km 5 km
N-Control Bottom 1.61 1.65 -- -- 1.52 1.39 -- --
Suspended 1.74 1.61 1.64 1.70 1.52 1.78 1.72 2.26
N-ASSBY Bottom 1.67 -- 1.68 1.75 1.47 -- 1.52 1.47
Suspended 1.79 1.82 1.67 1.61 1.64 1.64 1.92 2.01
M-ASSBY Bottom 1.81 1.28 1.52 1.66 1.59 1.31 1.38 1.38
Suspended 1.77 1.78 1.71 1.72 1.86 1.65 2.02 1.95
S-ASSBY Bottom 1.70 1.43 1.69 1.54 1.55 1.99 1.58 1.42
Suspended 1.77 1.63 1.81 1.49 1.47 2.05 1.44 1.55
S-Control Bottom 1.53 1.27 1.46 0.96 1.35 2.11 1.16 1.93
Suspended 1.74 1.60 1.66 1.66 1.32 2.25 1.71 1.72
Transects Pb Ni
0 km 1 km 3 km 5 km 0 km 1 km 3 km 5 km
N-Control Bottom 0.60 1.00 -- -- 1.63 1.01 -- --
Suspended 0.40 1.10 0.80 1.25 1.41 1.28 1.10 1.28
N-ASSBY Bottom 1.10 -- 1.00 1.15 1.19 -- 1.19 0.93
Suspended 1.00 0.70 0.70 0.75 1.28 1.10 1.19 1.19
M-ASSBY Bottom 1.30 0.85 0.70 0.75 1.24 0.93 1.24 1.06
Suspended 1.45 0.75 0.70 0.60 1.63 1.32 1.19 1.28
S-ASSBY Bottom 0.60 0.55 0.55 0.60 0.97 0.93 0.93 1.06
Suspended 0.85 1.00 0.60 0.70 1.24 1.15 1.28 1.28
S-Control Bottom 0.75 0.60 0.70 0.75 1.24 0.79 0.88 0.93
Suspended 0.95 0.60 1.10 0.85 1.28 1.19 1.15 1.24
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Table 8.15 Igeo class with respect to sediment quality (Müller 1979)
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Transects Fe Mn
0 km 1 km 3 km 5 km 0 km 1 km 3 km 5 km
N-Control Bottom 0.10 0.14 -- -- 0.02 -0.11 -- --
Suspended 0.21 0.11 0.13 0.18 0.02 0.24 0.20 0.59
N-ASSBY Bottom 0.16 -- 0.16 0.22 -0.03 -- 0.02 -0.03
Suspended 0.25 0.28 0.16 0.10 0.12 0.12 0.35 0.42
M-ASSBY Bottom 0.27 -0.22 0.02 0.15 0.08 -0.20 -0.12 -0.12
Suspended 0.24 0.25 0.19 0.19 0.31 0.13 0.43 0.38
S-ASSBY Bottom 0.18 -0.07 0.17 0.04 0.05 0.41 0.07 -0.08
Suspended 0.24 0.12 0.27 -0.01 -0.03 0.45 -0.06 0.05
S-Control Bottom 0.03 -0.24 -0.04 -0.65 -0.15 0.49 -0.37 0.36
Suspended 0.22 0.09 0.15 0.15 -0.19 0.58 0.19 0.20
Transects Pb Ni
0 km 1 km 3 km 5 km 0 km 1 km 3 km 5 km
N-Control Bottom -1.32 -0.59 -- -- 0.12 -0.56 -- --
Suspended -1.91 -0.45 -0.91 -0.26 -0.09 -0.23 -0.44 -0.23
N-ASSBY Bottom -0.45 -- -0.59 -0.38 -0.33 -- -0.33 -0.70
Suspended -0.59 -1.10 -1.10 -1.00 -0.23 -0.44 -0.33 -0.33
M-ASSBY Bottom -0.21 -0.82 -1.10 -1.00 -0.28 -0.70 -0.28 -0.50
Suspended -0.05 -1.00 -1.10 -1.32 0.12 -0.18 -0.33 -0.23
S-ASSBY Bottom -1.32 -1.45 -1.45 -1.32 -0.63 -0.70 -0.70 -0.50
Suspended -0.82 -0.59 -1.32 -1.10 -0.28 -0.39 -0.23 -0.23
S-Control Bottom -1.00 -1.32 -1.10 -1.00 -0.28 -0.92 -0.77 -0.70
Suspended -0.66 -1.32 -0.45 -0.82 -0.23 -0.33 -0.39 -0.28
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8.4 CONCLUSION
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9 9.1 METHODOLOGY
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ASSBY.
Workers
Village Total Cultivators Agricultural Household Other
Labours Industries Categories
1981 1991 1981 1991 1981 1991 1981 1991 1981 1991
Alang-Manar 1268 5544 601 602 440 492 61 8 166 4443
Sosiya 952 554 379 263 521 174 14 4 38 113
Bharapara 368 548 298 375 63 151 4 0 3 22
Mathavda 526 1041 248 569 211 390 14 7 53 75
Mandva 371 448 135 96 192 237 15 23 29 101
Jaspara 497 559 304 336 120 165 8 9 65 49
Padari 537 764 318 364 160 278 35 12 24 116
Sathara 882 966 449 476 290 254 28 15 115 221
Kathava 463 840 261 541 173 202 12 1 16 96
Piparla 1214 1142 615 532 487 446 38 21 74 143
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exposed favourably to the site of ASSBY. to be validated. Keeping this in view an independent
Development of ASSBY has not brought any survey led by an eminent social scientist was also
significant pressure on the existing stock of houses conducted following the random sampling
in nearby villages except in case of Manar. In all, procedure. The sample for the second survey was
197 housing units were occupied by workers larger. Despite the two different mode of sampling,
engaged in shipbreaking in four villages. Of these, there was a fair degree of similarity in data collection
150 units were occupied in Manar, when the field in both surveys. Hence, the results presented below
survey was undertaken. Manar experienced are generated by integrating the findings of both
appreciation in the property price to the measure of the studies.
approximately 300 percent in 1996 as compared to
the prices prevailing in early 1980s. In other villages
the land price appreciated marginally. 9.3.1 COMPOSITION
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State Number %
U.P. 158 43.77
Orissa 106 29.36
Bihar 77 21.33
M.P. 4 1.11
Kerala 3 0.83
Rajasthan 3 0.83
Gujarat 2 0.55
Bengal 2 0.55
No. Resp. 2 0.55
Delhi 1 0.28
Haryana 1 0.28
Nepal 1 0.28
Maharashtra 1 0.28
Total 361 100.00
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Age Number %
Below 15 9 2.49
15 to 18 2 0.55
18 to 21 81 22.44
Above 21 269 74.53
9.3.2 Literacy
Education Number %
Illiterate 86 23.82
Upto primary 82 22.71
Upto High School 115 31.86
More than H. School 8 2.22
No response 70 19.39
Total 361 100.00
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A vast majority (96.2%) of workers live in small either log or ferrous scrap gathered from the waste
huts (Table 9.19), each having the size of about 100 of the shipbreaking industry. The huts are without
sq.ft. These huts are like slum dwellings where five ventilation or adequate air circulation. During the
to six persons live with an average floor space of rainy season they do not have any protection
about 22 sq. ft. (Table 9.20). The hut is generally against wind or rain. No hut has attached toilet
used only for sleeping purpose and often they sleep facility. In the same way not a single
in shifts. The hut is a Kachcha structure made from accommodation has either water or sewerage facility.
Type Number %
Kachcha 11 3.2
Pucca 2 0.6
Hut 334 96.2
Total 347 100.00
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The workers do not purchase much furniture. Only The housing scenario is so alarming at Alang that
7.2% of workers have one cot each. Rest of them very few workers bring their families. It is evident
sleep on bare ground. Only a few workers (3.05%) from Table 9.21 that only around 6% workers lived
have transistor radio sets and still very less (0.55%) with their families. Though around 32 percent of
have TV sets. Not a single worker has a cupboard the workers had their own accommodation at
and thus their belongings, mainly clothes, lie open ASSBY, they did not find the living environment
on a string. convenient for bringing their families.
The housing situations at Alang, has not for them, about 52 percent of them feel that they
discouraged respondent workers to the extent that would like to bring their families if a worker's colony
they have stopped thinking in favour of bringing is developed at Alang (Table 9.22).
their families to Alang. When asked whether they
would like to bring their families if a colony is built
Table 9.22 Preference of workers for staying with their families in a housing
colony at Alang
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Majority of workers have settled down at ASSBY that more than 85 percent of workers covered under
as approximately 40 percent of them stay at Alang the survey do not enjoy job security. This has given
for more than 6 years (Table 9.23). Only 18 percent them a status of casual workers and discouraged
workers have come recently to work in ASSBY. them from thinking in favour of settling down in
What worries them is perhaps the job security. ASSBY area permanently.
The information contained in Table 9.24 shows
9.3.5 Victuals workers spend between Rs. 600 and Rs. 900 per
month on their food (Table 9.25). Moreover, looking
It is rather revealing that the workers in ASSBY to the number of vegetables, fish and fruit vendors
spend good amount on their food. Only about 1 and the grocery stores selling food items inference
percent of workers, spend less then Rs. 300/- per can be drawn that workers engaged in shipbreaking
month on their food items. More than 64% of do not stint on food.
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The ASSBY workers - like most others who are to caters to the worker's need of these items. More
engaged in physically demanding as well as than 50 percent of workers, spend more than Rs.
hazardous work - are accustomed to spend more 200 per month on above items (Table 9.26).
on tea, beatel leaves, tobacco etc., for quick
relaxation during the long laborious and sometimes
monotonous working hours. Against each
shipbreaking plot, an average 3-4 shops are located
Safe drinking water is rare. Between two ship- Count (SPC) of pathogens in different categories
breaking plots a cement tank is constructed in of samples was found higher than their safe limits
which mobile water tankers refill the water. Some for drinking water. The coliform density varies from
plot owners have dug their own wells, from which mere presence (+) to abundant (+++). While saline
labourers fetch water manually. There are no proper coastal and marine areas do not support their
sanitation and drainage facilities; the labourers survival for more than 24 hours, the estuarine water
have to go to closeby open places for toilet. at Alang contains a significant number of coliform.
Poor drinking water and drainage facilities lead to This indicates the overloading of faecal materials
recurrence of water borne diseases around ASSBY. in the estuarine water. Other pathogens like
Water samples collected from this area recorded Salmonella spp., Clostridium spp. and
the presence of various pathogens (Table 9.27). Staphylococcus spp. have also been observed in
Most probable number (MPN) and Standard Plate the coastal and marine water of the study area.
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Table 9.28 Number of leprosy cases among the workers of different states.
A private qualified medical practitioner has occasions when the team visited his hospital, all
established 10 bed hospital with X-Ray facilities the ten beds were found occupied by patients
in ASSBY area. He supplied detailed information suffering from burns, fracture, fever, etc.
of incidence of diseases based on 939 cases The team met a few non-qualified medical
reported to his hospital during a period of two practitioners who have set up their 'clinics' along
months. Of these, 175 cases of serious nature were the ASSBY service road. These doctors hail from
referred to Bhavnagar for further treatment. His U.P., Bihar and Orissa and have a close bond with
estimate of deaths of workers due to accidents their patients due to common language and regional
while undergoing shipbreaking activity ranges background. Information drawn from different
between 2 to 5 per week on an average. Since sources suggest that unqualified practitioners may
official record of such deaths is not available, this be about 100 in number at ASSBY. They seem to
could be a case of exaggeration. During the study have thriving practice.
team's visits to ASSBY, cases of fatal and non-
fatal injuries were mentioned in general terms. The The Red-cross society of Bhavnagar has
same medical practitioner also found high rate of established a clinic with one doctor. The team was
morbidity among the employees who worked after informed that this clinic treats 25-30 cases of out-
5.0 p.m. due to extreme exhaustion. On two door patients everyday. This clinic has no facilities
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for indoor patients. Its expansion was, however, at ask for compensation for the loss of their
planning stage. functioning. Inhalation of burnt fumes of carbon
monoxide and carbon dioxide cause respiratory
Further, during the survey it was recorded that many ailments after some time-lag. Falciperum-malaria,
of the workers suffered more than one ailments. typhoid, etc. are caused because of poor hygiene
Different types of ailments and their frequencies and non-availability of potable water. Tables 9.30
are presented in Table 9.29. The Table shows that and 9.31 record the frequency of diseases and
all ailments identified during the camp had no direct accidents occurred to workers in the last one year.
relationship with shipbreaking activity. For example, It is revealing that 78 percent of workers complained
back-pain, chest pain, hydrocil, skin ailment or about the recurrence of ailments in a period of one
respiratory diseases manifest after a long gestation year.
period. It is obviously difficult for any worker to
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The team collected data on the body weight status of workers were found having normal weight as per
of workers who reported at the medical camp. The the standard weight chart prescribed with reference
standard weight chart was used to know the weight to varying age and height groups. Though only
loss caused either by morbidity, hardwork, two percent of them had more than normal or
nutritional deficiency or by all these factors put standard weight, almost 34 percent workers were
together. Table 9.32 provides information on the found having weight below the normal level. This
health status of workers using weight as a proxy situation is relatively better than the national
variable. It was interesting to know that 64 percent average.
Further analysis of intensity of weight loss of percent suffered weight loss within the range of 6
sample workers highlights that 78 percent workers to 10 kg. It is also important to note that those who
who suffered weight loss were within the range of suffered weight loss, represented relatively younger
1 to 5 kg (Table 9.33). Whereas, remaining 22 age-groups.
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