Lakshadweep Archipelago

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Why in News?

New administrator who took charge (Praful Khoda Patel) proposed new draft legislations that have wide-ranging impact. In this article, we shall look into those legislations and the controversy surrounding it. But before that, let's understand the geography, ethinicity, people and the administration of Lakshadweep.


Geography

  • 36 Islands

    • 4 newly formed
    • 5 submerged reefs
    • 17 Uninhabited islands
    • 10 islands inhabited -
      • Kavaratti
      • Agatti
      • Amini
      • Kadmat
      • Kitan
      • Chetlat
      • Bitra
      • Andrott
      • Kalpeni
      • Minicoy
    • out of 36 islands, 1 island sank under sea, namely, Parali I (so currently, there are 35 islands)

  • 3 main GROUP of Island

    • Amindivi Islands - northernmost
    • Laccadive Islands
    • Minicoy Island - southernmost

  • Climate

    • warm & humid climate
    • S.W. monsoon

  • 9 degree channel

    • Separates rest of Lakshadweep & Minicoy

  • Atoll islands  - ring shaped coral reef island (how it is formed?)

    • Sea mountain - formed by underwater volcanic eruptions where lava piles up on sea floor, elevation grows higher. It can go above the surface of the water, the top of the volcano becomes an oceanic island  (if  it does not touch water's surface then it is called sea mount). This is how a volcanic island is  formed.
    • Tiny sea animals called corals begin to build a reef around this island.
    • Gradually, over millions of years, these volcanic islands erode and sink to the sea floor. This process is called subsidence.  The top portion of the sea mountain is made flat by the constant pounding of powerful ocean waves. Ultimately the island sinks below the sea and all you can see is a ring shaped island formed with coral reef called atoll.  In between the ring it is filled with water called lagoon.

  • Types of Coral Reefs

    • Types of Coral Reef Formations

    Description

    Fringing reefs
    • reefs grow near the coastline around islands and continents
    • they are separated from the shore by narrow, shallow lagoons
    Barrier reefs
    • also parallel the coastline but are separated by deeper, wider lagoons
    • at their shallowest point, they can reach the water's surface forming a "barrier" to navigation
    • Eg. The Great Barrier Reef in Australia - it is the largest barrier reef
    Atolls
    • rings of coral that create protected lagoons and are usually located in the middle of the sea
    • atolls usually form when islands surrounded by fringing reefs sink into the sea or the sea level rises around them (these islands are often the tops of underwater volcanoes)
    • The fringing reefs continue to grow and eventually form circles with lagoons inside
    Patch reefs
    • are small, isolated reefs that grow up from the open bottom of the island platform or continental shelf
    • occur between fringing reefs and barrier reefs
    • they vary greatly in size, and they rarely reach the surface of the water

People

  • Ethnicity

    • 65000 people only - Malayalam dialect except in Minicoy - Muslim majority in archipelago (90% + Muslims)
    • Minicoy located close to Maldives - here people speak Mahl (dialect of Dhivehi (language of Maldives))

  • Literacy Rate

    • One of the highest literacy rates compared to other Indian states - 92%

  • Gender Ratio

    • Sex ratio - 946 - just above national average (which is 940)

Administration

  • Political Structure

    • Union Territory
    • led by an Administrator appointed by President

  • Capital

    • Kavaratti

  • Court jurisdiction

    • Kerala High Court

  • District

    • Lakshadweep is a single district with 4 sub-divisions

  • Permit

    • Lakshadweep is a Restricted territory - 94.8% STs - outsiders require an inland permit to enter (clearance certificate)

Economy

  • Agriculture

    • exports copra (abundant coconut trees are present here) to mainland India - copra is used to make coconut oil
    • fishing sector important for Lakshadweep
    • corals mixed with soil to form hummus - increase fertility

  • Manufacturing

    • food processing (focus on fish - Tuna factory present in Minicoy )
    • coconut fibre production
    • hosiery fabric production
    • weaving
    • boat building

  • Tourism

    • But require an inland permit to safeguard tribes and environment - clearance certificate
    • watersports available

Military

  • Indian Naval Units located in

    • Kavaratti - INS Dweeprakshak  (Dweep-rakshak)
    • Agatti
    • Andrott
    • Minicoy

  • Lakshadweep is strategically important to India

    • 9 degree channel forms a direct shipping route from Persian Gulf to East Asia and it is also close to the India (Malabar coast), Sri Lanka and Maldives (important trade places), hence these shipping lanes are busy and require a constant maritime security from India.
      • For this purpose - INS Dweeprakshak which is a naval base of the southern naval command of Indian navy has been commissioned in Kavaratti
    • as India expands its maritime horizons, in both the western (Lakshadweep) and eastern (Andaman & Nicobar) theatres of the Indian Ocean
    • increases area of territorial waters and Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) for India
    • For maritime security - to protect from increasing threats from Somalian Pirates

The New Legislations introduced are:

  1. The Lakshadweep Animal Preservation Regulation, 2021

    • beef ban
    • seeks to ban the slaughter of cow, calf, bull, and buffalo
    • prohibits the sale, transport, and storage of beef and beef products
    • Penalties include up to 1 year jail and Rs 10,000 fine
    • Residents' view: They view the rule as an infringement on their culture and eating habits
    • Administration's view: It has not provided an explanation on why the rule was brought in

  2. The Prevention of Anti-Social Activities Regulation (PASA)

    • Goonda Act
    • provides for powers to detain a person for up to one year to prevent him from harming public order
    • allows detention for 6 months to 1 year without legal representation
    • Residents' view: Residents are skeptical of the need for such stringent law in a UT with one of the lowest crime rates in the country. They allege it has been brought in to arrest those opposed to the Administration
    • Administration's view:The Collector said while the island remains peaceful, there have been reports of drugs being found along with weapons and live ammunition. He said the regulation is required to keep the “youth from getting misguided by illegal businesses”

  3. The Lakshadweep Panchayat Regulation, 2021

    • aims to bar people with more than two children from becoming a member of the gram panchayat
    • For those who already have more than two children, the regulation does not disqualify them provided they do not have further children after the date on which the rule comes into effect
    • With a population of just 60,000  is this regulation required? - fertility rate is only 1.4 which is well below the national average of 2.2

  4. Lakshadweep Development Authority Regulation, 2021 (LDAR)

    • to oversee the development of towns on the islands, with sweeping changes in the way land can be acquired and utilized
    • It talks of the declaration of ‘planning areas’ and constitution of ‘planning and development authorities’ for preparing a land-use map and register, probably for large projects
    • Residents' view:
      • Residents have protested against the way it was prepared and pushed through without consultation
      • They fear large infrastructure and tourism projects can destabilize the ecology, and that the notification gives powers to the Administration to remove small landholdings of ST residents
    • Its a development vs environment issue and also a land acquisition issue

  5. Relaxing liquor rules for tourists

    • to allow liquor to be served at resorts on inhabited islands
    • Currently, prohibition is in place on all inhabited islands, with liquor served only at resorts on the uninhabited Bangaram Island
    • Administration's view: permits would be given only to resorts for tourists, not for locals
    • Residents' view: the move will lead to a proliferation of liquor sales on the island

Maldives Model for Lakshadweep (to attract tourists)

PROS

CONS

tourist destinationfragile coral ecology
developmentthere are no poor people in Lakshadweep as of today, hence preserving environment can be given priority over development
wealth and prosperity for islandersproliferation of liquor sales on island
increased investmentovercrowding in island

fishing communities will be affected

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