The Hindu : Front Page : Immense damage to ecology feared in Andamans

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Monday, Jan 03, 2005

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Immense damage to ecology feared in Andamans

By Aarti Dhar

NEW DELHI, JAN. 2. As the world focuses its attention on the lives and property devastated by the tsunami waves, environmentalists fear that the damage to the ecology will be no less, particularly in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

``Though it is too premature to say anything unless a proper assessment is made, preliminary reports received by us suggest that the damage could be immense,'' says environmental activist and travel writer Shorobindo Dey.

`Salination'

Besides extensively damaging the flora and fauna of this ecologically-fragile region, experts fear that the entire soil of the islands could have been salinated. If `salination' is only on the upper layers, desalination would be easier but if the water has percolated deep, it would have left the soil unfit for any kind of vegetation.

As the beaches are also reported to have been washed away and the `sea-walls' — walls made to check erosion of beaches — pulled down, it is possible that a large area of the islands could have been ``eaten into'' by the sea. Researches over the years had shown that the area of the islands was gradually decreasing which prompted the Supreme Court to increase the forest cover of the islands to 4,000 hectares. This was being done by jatropha and bamboo cultivation as the climatic and soil conditions were best suited for the growth of these two plantations. Now, if the soil has a high salt content, there would hardly be any vegetation.

Mangroves, coral reefs

``The tidal waves would have extensively damaged the mangroves and coral reefs,'' says Anwar Ahmed of the Island Development Authority. Mangroves are responsible for holding the beaches and if these are damaged, then the threat of erosion is greater, he points out. Mr. Ahmed, however, believes that the Jarawa Forest Reserve will be safe since it is on a higher altitude.

On the other hand, Mr. Dey expresses concern over the fate of some rare species of crocodiles and leather-back turtles. ``This happens to be the nesting season for at least one of the endangered leather-back species of turtles that come on the Greater and Little Nicobar beaches. The nesting peaks between December and January. One cannot say what happened to them,'' he says, fearing the worst.

Both Mr. Dey and Mr. Anwar are equally concerned about the fate of the aboriginal tribes on the islands. ``Perhaps, it is nature's way of telling people to be more environment-sensitive,'' feels Mr. Dey.

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