Coral reef heritage of India THE INDIAN coral reefs are world
famous but least explored, studied and utilised. On the other
hand, they are indiscriminately damaged by human exploitation
mainly for the cement industry (calcium carbide), road and
building material in certain areas like the Gulf of Mannar and
the Gulf of Kutch. The other two regions, the Andaman and
Nicobar Islands and the Lakshadweep, because of their far-flung
location from the mainland, are comparatively less affected by
human depredations, according to various surveys conducted by
the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI), Cochin
in the 1980s and the 1990s. Coral reefs are in peril not only in
this country but also in the oceans round the globe due to human
interference, natural calamities, disease, etc. It is sad to
note while even small island countries have taken adequate steps
to protect and contain the damage to corals, mainly from human
interference, India has paid practically no attention to the
alarming deterioration of