Satpati fishing village in Palghar district is one of Maharashtra’s largest and oldest fishing villages; the images pertain to the years 1987 to 2020.
The area is under the strong influence of tidal surge at the creek mouth. The change in the shape of the spit at the creek mouth is observed and results from the deposition of fluvial sediments. The head of the spit also eroded between1987 to 2020. Furthermore, the overall width of the creek mouth has increased over the years due to erosion along the upstream channels, as well as the destruction of rocky outcrops to allow for ships to berth. Aquaculture, housing and industrial development along the creek bank are visible, encroaching on natural land use, opposite Murbe. The Satpati area, immediately below the spit at the creek mouth, has witnessed significant growth in habitation, and the degradation of vegetation over the previous two decades. The change in the spread of coastal vegetation cover is also visible over the years, but the change is uneven without a straight pattern. The impact of developmental activities on the coastal geomorphology of the area may indicate future land degradation, flooding and inundation, and decline in fish species.
Credit: Arun Inamdar
