4 websites on Nicobar west coast recognized for coral translocation, says Zoological Survey of India | India Information
Coral colonies and big clams that will probably be impacted as a result of work on the transhipment port proposed at Galathea Bay as a part of the Nice Nicobar Island (GNI) mega undertaking will probably be translocated to 4 websites on the west coast of the islands, the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) has mentioned.
ZSI knowledgeable this to the committee overseeing the implementation of biodiversity-related points as a part of the undertaking’s environmental administration plan for translocation throughout its fourth assembly, held on November 7, based on the minutes. The minutes of the assembly had been made public by the Andaman and Nicobar Island Built-in Growth Company Ltd (ANIIDCO) solely on June 10.
The minutes said that ZSI has recognized “4 new translocation websites on the west coast of Nice Nicobar Islands and undertake the translocation of coral colonies and Big Clams from the undertaking affect space as per EC (Environmental Clearance) and CRZ (Coastal Regulation Zone) clearance situations previous to the graduation of undertaking works”.
The minutes added that it’ll keep systematic knowledge on “translocated colonies with GPS tags to every colony to watch its survival.”
The biodiversity-related committee has been fashioned in compliance with the particular situations laid down by the Setting Ministry whereas granting EC to the undertaking, to implement an environmental administration plan. This committee is tasked with overseeing wildlife conservation plans and actions to mitigate the undertaking’s affect on the endemic Nicobar Megapode, leatherback marine turtles, saltwater crocodiles, Nicobar Macaque, Robber Crab, coral translocation, and different birds discovered solely on the island.
Galathea Bay is without doubt one of the most vital nesting websites globally for the leatherback sea turtle.
Two different committees, on pollution-related measures and to supervise welfare points associated to Shompen and Nicobarese tribal communities, have additionally been fashioned.
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On the time of the undertaking’s appraisal for EC, in addition to throughout the problem in opposition to the undertaking earlier than the Nationwide Inexperienced Tribunal, ZSI, which comes beneath the Ministry of Setting, Forest and Local weather Change, had submitted that it might translocate 16,150 coral colonies from the peninsular a part of Galathea Bay. There are 20,668 coral colonies in a 10-hectare space, and the remaining 4,518 are to be noticed earlier than a choice is taken on their translocation.
Whereas the Centre has maintained that no corals are discovered on the jap flank of Galathea Bay, which is the positioning of the transhipment port, this declare was contested earlier than the Nationwide Inexperienced Tribunal in a problem in opposition to the undertaking’s alleged environmental violations by environmental activist Ashish Kothari.
The federal government’s personal maps and studies on the Island Coastal Regulation Zone (ICRZ) Plan had been relied upon to indicate the presence of corals within the undertaking space, and argue that their translocation is just not a permissible exercise beneath regulation.
Nonetheless, the Nationwide Inexperienced Tribunal, in its February 16 order this yr, dominated that the ICRZ Notification, 2019, was not violated and directed the Centre to guard coral reefs alongside the coastal stretch, in compliance with the particular situations laid down within the undertaking’s EC. It additionally directed ‘coral regeneration’ in appropriately recognized areas abutting undertaking areas.
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ZSI additionally mentioned within the November 7 assembly it should receive approvals beneath the Wildlife Safety Act, 1972, earlier than dealing with Schedule-I species, comparable to coral colonies and big clams, that are accorded the best safety. It additionally said that manpower has been engaged and that survey tools has been procured for the conservation and administration of coral reefs and for intertidal marine fauna proposals.
In the meantime, the Wildlife Institute of India, which has been entrusted with the conservation of Nicobar Megapode and Leatherback Turtles, mentioned throughout the assembly {that a} survey had discovered 141 leatherback turtle nests. It didn’t specify the survey interval.
The committee’s biodiversity skilled, Deepak Apte, steered that satellite tv for pc tagging of turtles needs to be prioritised to trace their actions earlier than the graduation of undertaking work.
The Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Pure Historical past knowledgeable the monitoring committee {that a} pilot survey of endemic and tree-cavity-nesting birds has been accomplished in GNI, whereas one other on Coconut Crabs is at present in progress.
