4 sites on Nicobar west coast identified for coral translocation, says Zoological Survey of India

📌 Summary:

• The Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) said coral colonies and giant clams impacted by the proposed Galathea Bay transhipment port (part of the Great Nicobar Island mega project) will be translocated to four sites on the west coast of Great Nicobar
• ZSI will GPS-tag translocated colonies to monitor survival; it had earlier committed to moving 16,150 of 20,668 coral colonies in a 10-hectare area, with the rest to be assessed
• Galathea Bay is one of the world''s most crucial nesting sites for the leatherback sea turtle; the project area also hosts the endemic Nicobar Megapode, saltwater crocodiles, Nicobar Macaque and Robber Crab
• Governance/oversight: a biodiversity committee (under the project''s Environmental Clearance conditions) oversees the management plan; ZSI must obtain Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 approvals before handling Schedule-I species like corals and giant clams
• Dispute: the Centre claims no corals on the port''s eastern flank, but this was contested before the National Green Tribunal (activist Ashish Kothari), using the govt''s own ICRZ maps
• The NGT (Feb 16 order) held the ICRZ Notification 2019 was not violated, but directed the Centre to protect coral reefs and undertake "coral regeneration" near project areas

🎯 UPSC Relevance: GS3 Environment — EIA, Coastal Regulation Zone, biodiversity conservation vs strategic infrastructure; the development-vs-ecology trade-off.

📝 Prelims Facts:

• ZSI is under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
• Galathea Bay is a key nesting site for the leatherback sea turtle
• Corals and giant clams are Schedule-I species under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972
• ICRZ = Island Coastal Regulation Zone (Notification, 2019); disputes adjudicated by the National Green Tribunal

🔑 Key Term: Coral Translocation — physically relocating coral colonies (here, GPS-tagged) from a project-impact zone to safer reefs to reduce biodiversity loss.