Article by Harsh Haldonkar
Illustrated by Sanika Kannawar
Conceptualised by the International Centre for Ocean Development (ICOD), World Oceans Day is observed on 8 June to recognise the oceans’ essential role in sustaining life and ecosystems. Oceans are not merely vast bodies of water, but often the epicentre of culture and community, sustaining life by providing food and means of sustenance, in turn enabling societies to thrive in harmony with them.
For many coastal societies, the ocean shapes rituals, livelihoods, and community life. From Konkan’s Narali Purnima, where fishermen make ceremonial offerings to the sea, to the Parava community’s sacred full-moon observances in Tamil Nadu, marine ecosystems remain deeply intertwined with cultural traditions. Preserving these ecosystems, therefore, requires protecting the interconnected communities and ways of life they sustain.
Environmental clearances for many modern coastal projects however, have overlooked several climate risks, which in turn lead to a development model that intensifies ecological and social vulnerabilities. This causes immense disruption to their livelihood and threatens the delicate balance of the local ecosystem
The Greater Nicobar Project, for example, endangers the lives of the Shompen tribe — one of five “particularly vulnerable” tribes across the Andaman and Nicobar islands chain
Numbering between 100 and 400 people, the project threatens to additionally endanger the lands the Shompen live and hunt in, but also increases the risk of contact with other people, with experts from the University of Southampton warning that any contact at all could destroy the tribe.
Similiarly the Koli community in Khar Danda and Worli Koliwada stand at the frontline of these struggles, facing resource inaccessibility exacerbated by developmental projects like the Coastal Road Project. Despite their historical ties to Mumbai’s coastline, the Kolis find themselves marginalised, with limited access to basic necessities like clean water and spaces for fishing
With these very hostile measures undertaken by external forces, the voices of those who very much reside within these localities are hardly ever considered. Communities that have lived alongside and are dependent upon these coastal ecosystems for generations are often excluded from conversations that directly shape their futures and livelihoods. This, in turn, eliminates the context which once permitted these cultures to thrive.
References
M. THANGARAJA , et.al (2024). Maritime Heritage And Cultural Continuity Of The Paravas In The Tiruchendur Taluk Of Tamil Nadu, Educational Administration: Theory and Practice, 30(6) 5683 – 5686
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-68347360
https://www.cdpp.co.in/articles/from-fishnets-to-cityscapes-the-koli-chronicles-of-worli