# India’s own scientists split on Great Nicobar coral reef report 2026-08-10T01:04:34+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet India's Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) and National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM) have given opposite assessments of coral reefs in Galathea Bay, Great Nicobar Island, Frontline reports. NCSCM's officially approved 2023 coastal zone maps show Galathea Bay devoid of corals, while ZSI has identified over 116 hectares of reef there, including more than 100 coral species. The contradiction matters because the Ministry of Environment is overseeing a plan to translocate corals from Galathea Bay to the west coast for a transshipment port. Independent scientists call the translocation scientifically invalid and warn it would destroy 2,000-year-old reef structures. ## Coverage - frontline.thehindu.com Tags: coastal regulation, coral reefs, environmental clearance, Great Nicobar, NCSCM, Zoological Survey of India Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/indias-own-scientists-split-on-great-nicobar-coral-reef-report/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/indias-own-scientists-split-on-great-nicobar-coral-reef-report/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.