Estuarine and coastal areas of India in the recent years are under immense stress due to rapid growth of population density and economic activities. The estuaries, coastal waters and wetlands provide highly diverse and productive ecosystems and are therefore important food sources for human beings. Pollution through both domestic and industrial wastes, either as point or non-point sources, affects the water quality in the productive estuarine, coastal and marine environment. Long-term monitoring of health of estuarine and coastal seas is highly essential to assess the status of pollution in relation to remedial measures taken periodically. In view of this, a programme on Coastal Ocean Monitoring and Prediction System (COMAPS) addressing the above issues is being operated along Indian coastal areas since 1991.
To assess the health of estuarine and coastal waters through an observations network and provide current status of pollution, trends of variation and their predicted levels for the future.
The proposed activities on Water quality monitoring and prediction of pollutants through modelling will be implemented by the proposed Coastal Research Centre with the support of leading R & D institutions and Universities.