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FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF handler”. The details of garbage discharged into the sea, to shore reception facility and incinerated could be recorded in the ‘Garbage Record Book’ (sample page is appended at the end of this paper). Sewage Disposal and MARPOL 73/78 Annexure IV of the protocol entered into force on 27 Sep 2003 and stipulates regulations for discharge of sewage by ships. A gist of these regulations is appended. • It is prohibited to discharge sewage into sea except when it is disinfected and discharged at a distance of more than 4 Nm from nearest land. • Sewage which is not disinfected could be discharged in to sea at a moderate rate at a distance of more than 12 Nm from the nearest land when the ship is enroute and proceeding at not less than 4 knots. Sewage Disposal in Water Bodies and Harbours The current practice of discharging raw untreated sewage into water bodies and harbours has ominous outcome for us in future. By far, the greatest volume of waste discharged into harbours and seas is raw and untreated sewage, which is primarily organic in nature and subject to bacterial decay and dilution to harmless concentrations over a period of time. Aerobic bacterial degradation of sewage (bacteria that uses oxygen to act upon organic matter) results in oxidation of faecal matter to stable inorganic compounds like H 2 O and CO 2 at the cost of dissolved oxygen in water. However, the sheer volume and concentration of sewage discharged in to harbours overwhelms the natural regenerative capacity of the water and renders it septic (severely deprived of O 2 ). The enmasse death of fish and absence of life in harbours is a testimony of our misdoings and a direct consequence of extremely low levels of dissolved O 2 in water. There is yet another process, the anaerobic oxidation in which anaerobic bacteria decomposes the organic (faecal) matter without using oxygen resulting in release of Hydrogen sulphide H2S and Methane CH 4 . These gases in higher concentration have potential to wreak havoc as H 2 s FFFFFFFFF SEPTEMBER 2010 NAVAL DESPATCH with an offensive rotten egg smell severely impairs central nervous system of its victim and causes instant death whereas CH 4 is one of the most powerful Green House Gas with an ‘atmospheric persistence time of 12 years and having 21 times the potential of CO 2 to warm the globe’. Public Health Hazards Human sewage contains enteric bacteria, pathogens and viruses of varied and complex nature and has enormous potential to contaminate food and water sources. The chief health hazard is associated with inadvertent ingestion by personnel carrying out diving and sea bathing. Food contamination also takes place by way of consuming sea food infected with such pathogens while water contamination takes place due to percolation of infected water into ground water. As of now, there is no known natural phenomena that can churn these super saturated waters (with faecal matter) and result in a thorough purging. Its a matter of time when their concentration rises to an unmanageable level and cause wide spread deleterious consequences, both to humanity and other living beings. Possible Solutions As brought out, we need to urgently resuscitate our water bodies and harbours . While discharging raw sewage is a definitive No – No, partial treatment by passing it through STPs is not a viable option either, as the sheer volume of sewage impairs the self repair capability of water. The other possible solutions could be :- • Sewage from ships could be collected into large holding tanks ashore through a grid of under ground pipe system where it is disinfected and diluted before discharging deep into sea. FFFFFFFFF 43
FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF Yes, the suggestion has relatively large gestation period and is capital intensive but rich in dividends and less maintenance intensive. • Collection of sewage using a network of a smaller sullage barge, which would finally empty the contents into a large one, which would then discharge it into sea (more than 12 Nm ) as stipulated by MARPOL 73/78. Where Do We Go From here? Ruefully, there is no singular agency that is solely responsible to enforce better quality of waters in harbours. As of now, there is no known yardstick to assess the quality of water in harbours but for regular clinical sampling of the water which would give us a true reflection of its quality and life supportability. The key factor towards achieving vibrant harbours would be enlightening personnel regarding their (mal) practices of dumping garbage and sewage into harbour /sea and implement a complete clamp down on it. As we continue to be woefully short of what is required to be done to rejuvenate the state of waters in our harbours , it is time we wrestle / circumvent with the existing procedural road blocks to set into motion what is required, on a war footing. ************ ABOUT THE AUTHOR Commander T Sugreev is an alumni of National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla. He was commissioned in Jul 1996. He is a Gunnery Specialist. His previous appointments include SAMCO Ranjit & Rajput, Gunnery Officer Kirch & Jalashwa and Commanding officer Vibhuti. He is presently undergoing Staff Course at DSSC, Welligton. FFFFFFFFF SEPTEMBER 2010 FFFFFFFFF44
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