The Hindu : Front Page : Demarcation of marine park begins

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Sep 16, 2005

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Demarcation of marine park begins

C. Jaishankar

First buoy floated off Shingle Island using Global Positioning System

RAMESWARAM: A mammoth exercise to demarcate the 560-km-long Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park, India's first marine park, has begun. Officials said the exercise was the first of its kind in the country.

The Gulf of Mannar area, covering 10,500-sq.km, was accorded the status of a biosphere reserve in 1989. All 21 islands in the reserve and fringe areas off Ramanathapuram and Tuticorin districts were identified as a protected national park because of its richness in biodiversity including coral reefs, sea grass and mangrove eco-system.

Though fishing is not restricted in the reserve area, fishermen cannot venture into the protected national park area. It is in this context that the Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve Trust (GOMBRT) has taken up the process of demarcating the marine park area by floating buoys at an estimated cost of Rs.3 crores, assisted by a United Nations Development Programme.

The buoy — 1.5 metre-long with a circumference of 65 cm — will be tied to a 400-kg concrete block, which keeps it float at the same place. It took nearly seven hours for a 25-member work force to take the buoy and concrete block by a boat from Kunthukal shore to Shingle Island and install the same.

The Eco-Development Officer, GOMBRT, S. Ramasubramanian, said the buoys, each costing Rs.18,000, would be floated at a gap of 200 metres. It would help fishermen identify the protected marine park area. The emblem of the Tamil Nadu Government and United Nations Development Programme were engraved on the buoy, coated with anti-corrosive chemicals. Mr. Ramasubramanian said the Eco-Development Committee, which oversees the functioning of buoys, had designed them after consultation with experts. The Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited had certified the worthiness of the buoys.

He said a detailed study would be undertaken on the functional aspects of buoys, which had to float amid strong under currents, waves, wind, corrosive water, cyclone and natural calamities.

Depending on the outcome of the study, modifications would be made, he said.

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