COMAPS(Coastal Ocean Monitoring and Prediction System)

The Government of India, in the Ministry of Earth Sciences (formerly Ministry of Ocean Development) have been monitoring the levels of marine pollution at about 80 locations along the coastline of the country. The programme is called COMAPS. The major objectives of this programme are to assess status and trend of coastal marine environmental quality on a long term basis and to alert government and public institutions, of their implications.

Coastal environments of India are under immense stress due to discharge and disposal of domestic and industrial wastes from point and nonpoint sources as a result of rapid growth of population and economic activities. Further, lack of proper sewer systems and discharge of untreated/semi-treated sewage and effluents from coastal towns/cities cause degradation of coastal environment.

The main objectives of the programme are as under:

♤ To detect radical changes in the bio-geochemical regimes of the marine system and to alert Government, public and social institutions of their implications.

♤ To set standards for the measurement of various pollution parameters and to ensure compatibility between the data acquired and processed by various monitoring agencies through definition of equipment specifications, periodic intercalibration exercises, planned cross-checks and training programmes.

♤ To provide advisory and technical services to Government, industry and public institutions aimed at evolving pollution containment measures.