The significance of the ocean for climate, navigation, fishing, recreation, and as a natural resource has been known for centuries. The ocean plays significant role in sequestration of about 30% of industrial carbon-dioxide emissions. The 7517 km long coast line of India, sustaining extremely rich marine bio-diversity is dotted with several major ports such as Kandla, Mumbai, Mangalore, Cochin, Chennai, Tuticorin, Vishakapatnam, and Paradip. Ports are the gateways to India's international trade, handling over 90% of its foreign trade. Another eight projects worth more than Rs 32 billion are under consideration. Numerous infrastructure projects and power plants have also been proposed to support ever developing Indian economy. However, need of today is development and environment should go hand in hand. Vikrant A. Kulkarni is committed to offer independent Consulting Services in Marine Environmental Impact Assessment and Coastal Zone Management with an international standard to meet aforesaid requirement.
Profile: Qualification: M.Sc. (Botany), Ph.D. (Marine Ecology) in progress NABET accredited Functional Area Expert for Ecology and Biodiversity, associated with Ultratech Environment Consultancy and Laboratory, Thane Pune. Professional Experience: 3 years as Project Assistant in National Institute of Oceanography (NIO), Goa. 6 research publications in International journals. Major Clients in NIO: ESSAR Groups Bharat Oman Refineries Ltd. Mundra Port and Special Economic Zone Ltd. Maharashtra and Goa State PWD Consultancy Clients: Dhruv Construction Services, Mumbai. Welspun Maxsteel, London. District Collector, Thane and Raigad. Vaitarna Marine Infrastructure Pvt. Ltd. Kaizen Power, Abhijeet Group. Associations: Ultra-Tech Environmental Consultancy and Laboratory, Pune. Green Circle Consultants India Pvt. Ltd. Vadodara. Gadark Lab Pvt. Ltd. Mumbai. SENES Consultants India Pvt. Ltd. Navi Mumbai. Tata Power, Mumbai.
: Mangrove Management Plan Mangrove Survey Reclamation Analysis Technical know-how about plantation Marine Ecology Assessment Off-shore sampling Plankton study Benthic Ecology flora and fauna GIS Applications Land Use Classification Satellite Imagery Analysis Numerical Modeling Thermal Dispersion Salinity Dispersion Ground Thruthing Field Dilution
Foremost Marine EIA Projects carried out In NIO and on sub-consultancy basis PROJECT CLIENT 1. Marine EIA of proposed SEZ at Gorai, Mumbai. Pan India Paryatan, Mumbai. 2. EIA & Mangrove habitat evaluation at proposed Thermal power plant site. 3. Mangroves & Sand-dune Flora evaluation at proposed Bridge site. 4. Rapid EIA for Madel Church Chodan Bridge, Goa. 5. Mangrove & Coral habitat assessment along the proposed route for SPM in Gulf of Kutch. ESSAR Power, Jamnagar. PWD, Ratnagiri. State Infrastructure Development Corp. Bharat Oman Refineries Limited, Mumbai. 6. Hydrodynamic modeling for 330 MW Thermal power plant at Salav, Maharashtra. Welspun Maxsteel, London 7. Rapid EIA for feasibility of sand dredging in Ulhas, Kundalika and Savitri river basins. 8. Comprehensive Marine EIA and hydrodynamic modeling for proposed thermal power plant at Atchutapuram, Vishakhapattanam. 9. Comprehensive Marine EIA for proposed ship building yard in Vaitarna Basin. District Collector Thane and Raigad Kaizen Power, Abhijeet Group. Vaitarna Marine Infrastructure Pvt. Ltd.
Research Publications 1. Jagtap, T.G.; Kulkarni, V.A. and Verlecar, X. N. (2008). Vulnerability and adaptation of ecologically sensitive mangrove habitats to the changing climate. Proceedings of Conference on Marine Problems and Specific Solutions COMPASS 2008; Maldives; 15-18 June 2008. 2. Jagtap, T.G.; Nagi, H.M.H.; Kulkarni, V.A. and Savant, S.B. (2008). Applications of GIS and remote sensing for assessing and management of ecologically sensitive habitats from small islands on Chagos Laccadive Archipelago. Proc. of SPIE Vol. 7150, 71500W. 3. Jagtap, T.G.; Shenai-Tirodkar, P.S.; Savant, S.B.; Kulkarni, V.A. and Ansari, Z.A. (2009). Elysia bangtawaensis Swennen (Nudibranch) from the mangrove habitat of Mandovi estuary, Goa (central west coast), India. Current Science 96(1); pp 30-33. 4. Kulkarni, V. A.; Jagtap, T. G.; Mhalsekar, N. M. And Naik, A. N. (2010). Biological characteristics of mangrove habitats from Manori creek, Mumbai, Central West Coast, India. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment vol.168 (1-4); 587-596. 5. Joshi, S. A.; Savant, S. B.; Kulkarni, V. A.; Shenai-Tirodkar, P.S.; Emparanza, E. J. M. and Jagtap, T. G. (2011). Occurrence of Acanthonyx euryseroche Griffin & Tranter, 1986, (Family: Majidae) a seaweed associate, along the Central West Coast, Arabian Sea, India.Vol. (100) 1236 1240.
6. Kulkarni, V. A. And Jagtap, T. G. (2009). Characterization of microalgal (diatom) community structure associated with Padina gymnospora (Kutzing) Sonder, along the central west coast of India. Communicated to Hydrobiologia. 7. Kulkarni, V. A.; Naidu, V. S. And Jagtap, T. G. (2010). Environmental concern towards ecologically sensitive marine habitats: A case study of the projected thermal power plant development. Journal of Environmental Biology. Vol. 32: 213 219, 2011.