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Two govt bodies gave opposite reports on Great Nicobar corals
Two scientific bodies under the Union environment ministry have given opposite reports on the status of coral reefs in Galathea Bay, Great Nicobar Island. The Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) identified four locations on the west coast for translocating giant clams and coral colonies from the bay, as part of clearance conditions for a transshipment port. The ZSI began data collection to measure sediment deposition at recipient sites and plans to extract corals using saws, hammers, and drills before moving them onto ships.
However, the National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM) published coastal land use maps in 2023, approved by the ministry in 2021, showing Galathea Bay completely devoid of corals. This contradicts the project's own environmental impact assessment, which recorded over 20,000 coral colonies, and the ZSI's finding of a 116-hectare reef with over 100 species. Scientists have questioned the viability of translocation, calling it an irreversible loss of a 2,000-year-old ecosystem.
Indian Opinion Analysis
The contradiction between the NCSCM maps and ground evidence raises questions about the integrity of the coastal regulation zone clearance process. If the maps were used to approve the port, then the entire basis for the translocation plan is flawed. The next step to watch is whether the ZSI's approval from the wildlife division of the environment ministry will be granted, and whether the ministry will reconcile the two official positions. The dispute also involves the credibility of the NCSCM, which is the ministry's own technical arm for coastal zone management.
Source: frontline.thehindu.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above. Methodology and corrections.
