Preventing light pollution

Vizhinjam International Seaport Ltd (VISL) has said that to qualify as a green port, it’s necessary to opt for a standard lighting policy in line with sustainable development and environmental protection.

Light pollution will be a hot topic for the public hearing on the new port development scheduled for 29 June where the issue will be discussed by the International Dark Sky Association (IDSA).

IDSA wants Vizhinjam to adopt similar measures to Dhamra Port in Orissa. Dhamra has turtle friendly lighting. The lights installed in the Dhamra Port switchyard are horizontally mounted and directed downwards. The bulbs are recessed in the fixture with cut-offs of 70 degrees. These lights avoid illuminating the sky and directing light towards sea.

Artificial lights onshore are known to confuse turtle hatchlings, which use natural light over the ocean to guide them to the sea after birth.

The work on the Rs4000 crore deepwater multipurpose seaport in Thiruvananthapuram is likely to start at the end of 2013 following the conclusion of the environment impact assessment (EIA).