ENVIRONMENTAL STATUS OF ANDAMAN GROUP OF ISLAND

The remote islands of Union Territory of Andaman and Nicobar are known for the rich bio-diversity, the corals reefs, beaches covered with abundant sea shells, and the enchanting mystery of travelling across the vast sea to reach there. Recent statistics of burgeoning population (including that of the tourists), reports of bleaching of the corals, and forest degradation have aggravated the environment quality of these fragile islands. The monitoring team of CPCB was deputed to provide a first hand report of the environmental quality of these islands. The report states that the ambient air is pre-dominant by the pollution contributed from 2-wheelers vehicles followed by the numerous portable DG sets. Since no perennial rivers exist, the islanders are dependent on surface water which is 'strangely' inadequate to meet the demands for the population, although these islands get on an average, 3000 mm of rainfall annually. It is the first report of Central Pollution Control Board addressing the environmental quality of the Andaman Islands.