Now Reading: India’s own scientists split on Great Nicobar coral reef report
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India’s own scientists split on Great Nicobar coral reef report
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…
The Story in Brief
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.
The Indian Opinion
The picture is clear: two government scientific bodies, ZSI and NCSCM, are telling contradictory stories about Galathea Bay's corals. One says there are 116 hectares of reef; the other's official maps show none. This is not a minor disagreement. Taxpayers and courts deserve to know which set of scientists is being truthful. The upcoming ZSI approval request to MoEFCC for coral translocation will be the test: if the government approves ripping out corals it officially claims do not exist, the public will have its answer about whose narrative is winning.
Source: frontline.thehindu.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
