Great Nicobar Project: Pollution board flags absence of labs in Andaman & Nicobar Islands

At a monitoring committee meeting reviewing pollution-related aspects of the Great Nicobar Project, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) flagged the absence of NABL-accredited laboratories in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.MK Biswas, Regional Director, CPCB, raised observations regarding monitoring pollution and highlighted the absence of NABL-accredited laboratories in the islands for generating reliable data.

As per the minutes of the meeting of the monitoring committee, Biswas emphasised the need to develop local laboratory facilities and suggested the adoption of a systematic approach to ensure readiness when required. “It was further clarified that agencies implementing the project will engage NABL-accredited laboratories for monitoring during both the construction and operational phases,” stated the minutes of the meeting.

State-owned power generation company, National Thermal Power Corporation Limited (NTPC), informed the committee that one air pollution control equipment (APCE) per engine and three continuous air quality monitoring station units were proposed for the power plant project.

Egis India, which has bagged the contract to design the masterplan of the project, told the panel that two rainwater reservoirs had been proposed in addition to the existing water sources and regular groundwater-level monitoring had been incorporated into the Environment Management Plan.

In a separate meeting, the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) said it had identified four new translocation sites on the west coast of tGreat Nicobar Islands for the translocation of coral colonies and Giant Clams before the commencement of the Great Nicobar Project.

As per the minutes of the meeting of the monitoring committee of Andaman and Nicobar Islands Integrated Development Corporation (ANIIDCO), the ZSI said that manpower had been engaged and survey equipment had been procured for the conservation and management of coral reefs and for intertidal marine fauna proposals.

The ZSI said it would obtain approvals under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, before handling species such as coral colonies and Giant Clams, which are accorded the highest protection. It informed the panel that it would maintain systematic data on the translocated colonies with GPS tags for each colony to monitor their survival.

In the same meeting, the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) said manpower had been engaged for various wildlife monitoring activities. During the recent survey by the WII, 282 tracks with 131 nests, including 114 Leatherback turtle nests, were observed.

“Essential surveys are being conducted to collect ecological data and monitoring systems have been established to prepare a conservation plan for saltwater crocodiles,” the WII said.

The Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History (SACON) said that intensive field surveys were also underway, with two field stations established in Great Nicobar Island for Nicobar Megapode studies. A field station has been established at Campbell Bay for Nicobar Long-tailed Macaque research.