Hello again Friends! Today?s article deals talks about how the changing lifestyle has caused a threat to the Corals of the Lakshadweep Islands.

Lakshadweep, islands of coral origin, is mainly atolls except for one platform reef of Androth. The height of the land above the sea level is about 1 to 2 meters. The Lakshadweep group of islands comprise of 36 islands (11 inhabited, 16 uninhabited with attached islets, 4 newly formed islets and 5 submerged reefs), covering an area of 32 sq. km with Kavaratti as the Capital. According to the provisional population data of 2001 Census, Lakshadweep has a population of 60,595 persons. The density of population is 1899 persons per sq. km, third highest in the country and a serious cause of concern for the fragile ecosystem.

Changing life style and burgeoning population have led to increased generation of sewage and solid wastes. Untreated domestic wastes are discharged directly into the sea without treatment. Solid wastes are dumped on the narrow shore line, behind each row of houses. It is estimated that about 1.2 million litres of waste per day is generated at Kavaratti alone.

There is an absence of a systematic sewerage system – most households have constructed soak pits for disposal of latrine waste. Owing to acute pressure on land, the soak pits are very close to open wells. The soil being sandy and porous, faecal matter from soak pits finds its way into the water in open wells. The non-degradable solid wastes are dumped at one end of each island by local bodies. Ongoing resource harvest from reefs has brought several reefs in Lakshadweep under various degrees of stress.

Coastal erosion is a serious problem faced by the islands every year resulting in loss of land. Maximum erosion observed over a period of 35 to 40 years was in the range 28 to 44 meters. Degradation of lagoon and coral ecosystems (eutrophication) are also visible. 

Unplanned and mismanaged fishing, tuna and bait fishing, reef walking, octopus hunting, shell collection, coral harvesting, tourism and related activities such as diving, snorkeling, operation of glass bottom boats, etc., are proving to be detrimental for the ecosystem. There is a growing dependence on the sole desalination plant recently set up for supply of safe drinking water. Though the government has tried it?s best, lack of awareness amongst the masses of this island has been a detrimental factor causing the extinction of corals.

Information and image source: http://geographyandyou.com/climate-change/inbriefclimate/ecosystem-under-threat-lakshadweep/