UNIT 29 ISLANDS AND BEACHES

Structure

29.0 Objectives 29.1 Introduction 29.2 Tourism and Environment 25.3 Islands and Beaches: Their importance 29.4 Islands: Classification and Mode of Formation 29.5 Islands: Spacial Distribution . 29 5.1 The Andaman and Nicobar Islands 29.3.2 The Lakshadweep Islands 29.6 Beaches: Mode of Formation 29.7 Beaches: Spatial Distribution 29 7.1 Beaches along the Western Coast 29.7.2 Beaches along the Eastern Coast 29.8 Threat to Environment 29 8.1 Pollution Caused by Tourists 29.8.2 Degradation Caused by Infrastructure 29.9 The Way Out 29.10 Let Us Sum Up 29.11 Answers to Check Your Progress Exercises

29.0 OBJECTIVES

Tourism today is one of the world's fastest growing enterprises and has acquired the status pf an industry. It earns over three trillion U.S. dollars worldwide, generated by over 500 aillion international travellers. The corresponding figures are likely to go up to $5.3 trillion and 600 million by the turn of the century. As such this 'smokeless industry' is reeling under the pressures generated by an over expanding traffic. Such a scenario calls for a sharp scrutiny . --.of the interrelationship between,tourism and Environment. Our objectives in this Unit, therefore are to make you:

appreciate the relative importance of Islands and Beaches in the tourism' industry realise the implications of 'uncontrolled' tourism on the environment of Islands and Beaches acknowledge the need to conserve and protect the otherwise threatened environment of

the islands and beaches, and work towards the same. I

29.1 INTRODUCTION

Island and beaches, locate'd at the intersection of land and sea, have provided an incentive to the promotion of tourism and the development af tourist industry. This Unit explores the relationship between islands and beaches as facets of environment, and tourism in the form of a human intervention into nature. Islands and beaches have been discussed separately in the Unit. It takes up the islands first and classifies them into different categories. It then describes to you the two major Indian islands - Andaman and Nicobar and Lakshadweep. Similarly, the Unit defines beaches and discusses the manner in which they are formed. It then points out the specific characteristics of the Indian beaches geographically distributed on the eastern and western coasts. Finally the Unit talks'about how the islands and beaches are affected.by tourism and suggests way of improving the situation.

TOURISM AND ENVIRONMENT - - . :. " Tourism and Environment are mutually inter-related.?%ile t~smrequires a goodnatural environment, not to speak of sociosconomic environment, ~OT#-to flourish, the existence of .. . -. . . . -. Environmental Impacls - 2 degradation can lead to a decline in tourisms, while uncontrolled tourism leads t'b environmental degradation. Blocks 5 of this course has addressed itself to this importapt issue. In biogeography, the sum of physical, chemical and biological conditions experienced by an organism, including climate, soil, water, light, neighboring vegetation, individuals and members of other species forms an environment. Environment is dynamic too, as environmental conditions vary according to the time of the day, season, weather and other factors. To make things simple and in the context of tourism we will primarily focus on two components of environment; firstly the physical environment and secondly the socio-cultural environment. Reverting back to the discussion, one might wonder why this hue and cry over environmental degradation now? Tourists were always there, tourism has a long history but the concern over the need to protect the environment was never so compelling. The answer perhaps lies in the rapid 'modernization7 across the globe. Owing to unprecedented industrialization, urbanization, technological developments, the world is no longer the same place that it used to be. Human life has become very fast while keeping pace with these developments. In addition, modern means of transport and communication have made mobility very easy and convenient. A natural corollary of all this has been a spurt in tourist activities, both at the international and at the domestic level. While in the case of foreign tourists, business, pleasure, 'people and culture', history and archaeology, 'knowledge of the , world' have been the influencing factors, in case of domestic tourism pleasure, people and culture, pilgrimage, history and archaeology are the most important factors. The places of visit thus vary accordingly consisting of mountains, valleys, historical monuments, deserts, temples/churches and islands and beaches. In this Unit we will introduce you to different kinds of Islands and beaches.

6 29.3 ISLANDS AND BEACHES: THEIR IMPORTANCE

India, with such a diversified physiography, has much to offer by way of tourism; the Himalayas are perfect for skiing, skating, hiking and trekking. India's temples, forts, palaces, sculptures, paintings, monuments and archaeological ruins are over 3000 ycars old. The temples of Khajuraho, the Sanchi Stupa, the Ajanta and Ellora caves, the forts at Delhi and Agra and many others are the best bet for those interested in history and architecture. For wildlife enthusiasts there are National parks and sanctuaries with a variety of wildlife. Similarly India is also rich in beaches and islands. The tourists from colder climates looking for sunshine and warm water beaches constitute one of the largest segments of present day tourism. The pleasure periphey of European and American tourists which ended at the Mediterranean and Caribbean now extends to the beaches of Asia and Pacific. India plays a major role in this regard. The beaches along the Arabian sea coast are ideal for bathing, surfing and sailing. The white sand beaches and warm conditions along the Puri-Konark region in the East can draw millions of tourists from freezing Europe. The Andamans and Lakshadweep are ideal for scuba diving and snorkeling. Underwater life can be interesting to naturalists and photographers.

It is no wonder that sand, sea, surf, water and wind together with the background in a beach could be fascinating for anyone. It is more so for Indians many of whom living in far interior places would not have seen them before. As far as the domestic tourists are concerned, survey reveal that Beaches are the best attractions followed by temples/pilgrirn centres, historic places, Hill resorts, cities, wildlife etc. The beachcs and islands therefore have a special importance for foreign as well as domestic tourists.

29.4 ISLANDS: CLASSIFICATION AND MODE OF FORMATION

Before embarking upon a discussion on the spatial distribution of Islands and Beachcs in India, let us familiarise ourselves with their definitions and the conditions that necessitate their existence. An island is a piece of land surrounded on all sides by water. It may occur individually or in a group, in open oceans or seas. Smaller ones of only local significance are found even in lakes and rivers. The following chart shows the classification of Islands and their modes of formation. Islands Chart Islands and Beaches

I ! Continental Islands I Oceanic Islands 1 They were formerly part of They are normally small and are mainland and are now detached located in the midst of oceans and from the continent. Their have no connection with the separation could be due to mainland. subsidence of some part of the vland or to rise in sea level.

I Individunl Islnnds Archipelagoes 11 Coral Islnnds These lie just ourside the These comprise These islands form an I I Theyare These islands built up by continent, very much islands of varying archipelago in the shape coral animals of various associated with the shapes and sizes, for of a loop around the edge i) the topmost parts of species, are found both characteristic features of example The British or the mainland, marking the cones of volcanoes near the shores of the the mainland, for Isles. the continuation of the that rise from the bed. mainland and in the midst example Madagascar mountain r :nges which Example - Mauna Lao of oceans. Elample - Ceylon. can be tzgc :I! )n the (Hawaii), or Lakshadweep, h:aldi.res. continent, to1 exaniple the Aleutian Islands, East ii) have emerged from Indies. the submarine ridges of 11 the oceans.

29.5 ISLANDS: SPACIAL DISTRIBUTION

At the outset, it needs to be stated, that we will confine our discussion to those islands which .are important from the point of view of tourism. Thus only two group of Indian islands figure in our list. he Lakshadweep Islands and Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

29.5.1 The Andaman and Nicobar Islands . Situated in the Bay of Bengal they form a group of more than 300 islands, the great majority of which (about 265) are uninhabited being too small and with little or no water. Andarnan and Nicobar form two broad group of Continental Islands separated by the 10 degree channel. Geologically, the islands appear to have been a part of the landmass of South-East Asia, comprising north east India, Burma, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia. The climate of Andaman and Nicobar Islands is of tropical type but the cbntinuous breeze blowing in from the surrounding seas, makes it very pleasant. The Andaman group, has at its extreme north, Land Fall Island. This is followed by the three main islands; North Andaman, Middle Andaman and South Andaman, all of them separated from each other by shallow seas. The important islands in the Nicobar group are Great Nicobar, Car Nicobar, Chowa Teressa, Nancownie, Katchal and Little Nicobar. The economy of the Islands is based primarily on wood based industries. Besides fisheries, tourism and ship repairing are also important. Small cultivated area has crops like rice, coconut and arecanut. Other crops are sugarcane, pubes, fruits and vegetables. Spices and rubber are also being tried. Though travel is restricted here, these islands are.open to tourism and, with their lovely beaches and coral beds, are a traveller's delight. At Port Blair, the Cellular Jail and Anthropological Museum merit a visit.

Besides Marine Museum, Zoological garden, Mount Harriet, Chidiya Tapu (Bird Island) Wandoor Beach, Viper Island, Dilthaman Tank are worth mentioning. In 1992 the government decided to'open the islands to foreign tourists.

There are regular air and sea services between the mainland and the islands. Indian airlines flies from Delhi, Calcutta, Madras to Port Blair. Ships ply between Calcutta, Madras Xl;rlrot-rr~tn-m =nA Dnrt Rl-;r Environmenta'lmpacts - 29.5.2 The Lakshadweep Islands

4 Thc tiniest Union Territory of India, Lakshadweep is an archipelago consisting of 12 island three reefs and five submerged banks. Of the 36 islands, covering 32 Kms, only 19 are inhabited.. These are coral islands. The islanders have lifestyles and occupations that revolve around coconut cultivation, coir matting and fishing. EvenAtoday,nothing actually is produced in the islands and everything comes from the mainland.

Cheriyan, Suheli, Valiyakara and Tinkara have been identified for international tourism. Tourism's major focus is on water sports, as each of the islands is surrounded by a coral reef providing large areas of crystal clear water for everything from snorkeling to wind surfing. The five islands which are open to tourists have simple accommodation in the shape of beach cottages.

ICheck Your Progress-1 1) Write a note on the diffcrent kinds of islands in the world......

2) Write a note on the Andaman and Nicobar islands. What is the attraction that they hold for the tourists?

29.6 BEACHES: MODE OF FORMATION

Beach may be defined as the accumulation of materials along the coast, usually defined as lying between the highest point reached by the storm waves and thc low water spri~~gtide line. It is one of the outcomes of the coastal features of deposition and is thc most dominant form of the constructive work at sea. The eroded material, usually consisting of sa~idsand gravels loosened from land, is transported along the,shore in sevcral distinct ways

a) The longshore drift which comes obliquely to the coast, carries the material along he shorc in the direction of the dominant wind.

b) At the same time, the backwash removes part of the materials seawards along the bed of the sea, and deposits it on the off shore terrace and even beyond. Finer materials such as silt and mud are deposited in the shallow watcrs of shcltered coast.

* The constant action of the waves automatically sorts out the shoreline deposits in a graded manner. The coarser materials (cobbles and boulders) are dropped by thc waves at the top of the beach. The finer materials (pebbles and sand grains) which are carried down the beach 1 LL 1 11 1 1 - 3 1 - -- r- rL- - n------*L 1 l--.l- L. .-,.L-.. -..-4: for miles such as West Malaysia but in the upland regions where the land descends abruptly Islands and Beaches into the sea, such as the Chilean coast, long beaches are abse~t.

The beaches on the coastline of the southern peninsula stretch for over 7500 kms. Thus we I find be?ches both along the western and eastern coast of India, However, more developed beaches, particuIarly useful for tourism are found along the western coast because of a stronger wave action there and a regular coastline. Thus water sports is a regular feature of the beaches on the Western coast where as beaches along the eastern coast are more noted for their physical beauty.

29.7.1 Beaches Along the Western Coast The Western coast covers the states of Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa, Karnataka and Kerala, I Out of these, Maharashtra does not have very developed coasts. The Chowpatty and Juhu beaches of Bombay town open spaces and cater mainly to the resident population.

Goa - It has the most comprehensive beach resort in the country. Goa's coastline provides endless sun drenched crescents of sand. Vagator, Anjuna, Aguada, Baga, Calanghute and Candolin stretch out in an unbroken palm fririged Pine. Other Beaches are at Miramar and Colva. Parasailing, yachting, windsurfing and deep sea diving are some of the popular water sports, facilities for which are available. In addition, every sort of accommodation fringes the beaches, from deluxe resorts to budget lodgings. Diu - A tiny is,land off the extreme south of the mainland, it is even now a secluded beach resort near a colonial town of great charm, with whitewashed churches and tile roofed was.... Gujarat - The state of Gujarat is endowed with lovely beaches, One of them is I Ahrnedpur Mandvi whose chief attraction is the ethnic beach resort. Cottages modelled on rural Gujarati architecture look out onto a secluded beach, one of the state's chief centr-" c-- 4-- "---*" GS IUI -..-waLcx spu~~s. Kerala - Just 16 krns away from Trivandrum is one of the most popular beaches in the country; Kovalam;

7 9 n,,,.,,~.,,..-I-..,. 4~.. w-"4--.. t-....-."+ a I India's long eastern coast bordering the Bay of Bengal presents a charming scene of sun-drenched golden beaches stretching endlesslv over hundred of miles in exotic wilderness. I It covers the sktes of Orissa, Andhra gradesh ahd Tamilnadu.

Andhra Pradesh - The coastal fringe of Andhra Pradesh in particular bound by sea and the lush green Eastern Ghats is a beach lovers paradise. Against the backdrop of low hills, one would find curvaceous shore lines dotted by seclvded creeks and cover where I the idyllic waterfronts are caressed by dazzling white surf. The fast developing modern port- city of Vishakhapatnam, or Vizag as it is popularly called, offers tourists and travellers a unique opportunity to explore and enjoy rare views of Gopalpur in Orissa. Bheemunipatnam, just 24 kms away from vishakhapatnam, is a tranquilbeach resort with .I. _ - ...... L J ------11s aquamarme walers anu green groves. Orissa -Puri, about 60 kms away from the capital city of Bhubaneswar, is a beach that has been relatively overshadowedby the religious importance of the place. Gopal-on-Sea is a quiet bcach resort 95 kms away from Bhubaneswar. Tamilnadu - The Marina Beach is regarded as one of the longest beaches in the world.

29.8 THREAT TO ENVIRONMENTAL

The environment of the islands and beaches is threatened, on the one hand, by human activities and encroachment, and on the other, by natural calamities. Natural calamities I include cyclones, excessive rains, local upheavals and the presence of certain predator plants 17 Environmental Impkts - like Acathanster which have destroyed the massivc corals of minicoyatol. The human encroachment has been mainly in the form of industrialisation, urbanisation, construction, dredging and tourism. Here we will concentrate mainly on the impact generated by tourism and tourist industry. The degradation of the islands and beaches caused by tourism is of two kinds. The first is pollution caused directly by increasing human presence at the sites. The second is degradation caused by infrastrhctural expansion. This includcs construction activities in the main. Let us look upon both these aspects.

29.8.1 Pollution caused by Tourists

Leaving behind leftovers, bottles, cans, polythene packs dumping of human wastes etc is a problem faced by almost all the places concerned. To derive maximum pleasure out of the visits, the tourists (both international and domestic) bring along with them eatables, most of which are left behind indisposed after the 'fun' is over. The leaflets, coconut wastels, polythene packs, cans, bottles lie strewn all over the beaches. This does not only give a dirty look to the landscape but also destroys the scenic beauty. Some of these materials are not bio-degradable and take a long time to decay. (polythene packs are non-bio- degradable while glass objects take a long time to decay). These pose agrave threat to the environmcnt. The nature of leftovers varies from place to place. Thus puri being a centre of pilgrimage, gets leftovers which are primarily religious in nature. In Goa, on the other hand, beer bottles and can constitute left overs. Similarly Bhelpuri leaflets adorned the chaupati beach at Bombay till vcry recent times.

Likewise pollution.of beaches by dumping of human wastes as well as defecation isea major problem in many parts of the country. The atolls of Lakshadweep perhaps stand foremost in this regard. Lack of sanitary facilities coupled with an inherent reluctance to avail even the extending facilities by many make beaches unhygienic. Needless to say that clean beaches will eradicate the causative agents of many contagious diseases from our fishing villages.

29.8.2 Degradation Caused by Infrastructure

This will include those activities in which human being is not a direct contributor, although this classification between direct and indirect human interference should not be secn as rigid as ultimately human beings are at the root of both. This incorporates activities which are, in some way or the other are related to thc promotion of tourism, for example building rcsorts, hotels, laying down transport and communication lines, developing golf courses, setting up of small handicraft and consumer industries, eating joints near the coasts. These destroy not only the physical landscapc but also seriously affect the ecology of the region cornered.

Building and construction activities either intended to make guest houses, restaurants, hotels almost invariably flay the 500 meter distance from the tide line, Besides governments instruction that no building near the beach should be higher than the coconut tree is grossly violated, in some cases by the government agencies themselves.

This is clearly exemplified if you visit Kovalam. At times construction activities also involve dredging. This has a disastrous effect on the ecosystem. The death of benthic organisms at the site of dredging is a natural corollary. The after effect of dredging is even more severe as it causes stirring up of sand and its transport downstream. The situation results in the death of many filter feeding animals either by clogging of their digestive tracts altogcther or by total burial of thc animal. Sedentary animals like lobsters and scallops, are the worst victims of the situation. The drastic change in thc ecosystem and the mass mortality of thesc corals due to continuous dredging of lagoons and blasting of the reef flat has enhancccJ the sea erosion of the coast and large scale shifting of bottom sand towards the southern half of thc atoll. Dredging is done in many atolls in Lakshadweep and other parts of the country. Somewhere the once beautiful underwater gardens of the atolls with rich and varied fauna and flora are being totally depleted and lagoons found barren. This affects present tourist sites but also the potential ones.

Another factor which affect the concerned ecosystem is deforestation. Deforestation ik closely connected with tourism. Removing forests either to develop beach resorts, or set up consumer and handicraftindustries, to lay down lines of transport, to develop fishing farms, beach side dwellings etc has been a major problem affecting the ecosystem of the islands and h~arh~c Thus removal of evergreen ramified tropical forests in Andaman and Nicobar islands by the Islands and Beaches proponents of timber/plywood industry presents a grave threat to the forests of the region. Also proposed airstrip in Lakshadweep for small aircrafts like Avro has earned the wrath of the environmentalists. it is said that about one lakh trees will have to be cut down. Further, once the ground is exposed to direct sunlight because of large expanse of clearing, a con-commitant temperature eicalation would result which would ultimately lead to the depletion of ground water level. This would also affekt the surrounding coconut plantations which in turn would be detrimental to the economy of the local inhabitants. Similarly clearing of the coastal Mangrove forests being resorted to in andhra, Kutch and Western coastal region may have long term effects on the ecology of the region. ,

Water and adventure sports add new paradigms to the already existing problem. Scuba diving or deep sea diving, if done on a massive scale and at particular spot affect the habitat of many marine organisms. Marine life is also affected by high speed cruising tourist boats. This is particularly true of Andaman and Nicobar islands and Lakshadweep both of which have a sensitive ecosystem. Fishing, or properly speaking overfishing in the form of sports, also affects the marine ecosystem. While talking about sports, golf deserves a special treatment. Golf industry which has a lucrative business proposition, a massive tourist attraction though bringing in million of rupees has a disastrous effect on the regional environment. Golf boosts tourism with it sun-dappled forests and grassy meadows along with their endowments. But Gqlf courses with rolling turf, engaging waterways, sandy stretches, and trimmed trecyimply a severe threat to the biodiversity of the region concerned. Thus plans to set up golf courses at Goa, Puri-Konark region and Andaman and Nicobar islands are not bereft of problems. The 'deceptive greens' wdl have to be planned carefully.

29.9 THE WAY OUT &

These days a lot is being talked about ecotourism, sustainable tourism and controlled tourism. However, in order to put them into practice, a number of steps can be suggested.

First thing is to control the number of tourists visiting any place. Controlled tourism does not imply closing the doorsjo tourists, it is only a healthy way of doing the business of tourism. Seychelles is a glaring examples of controlled yet successful tourism.

0 Strict rules and regulations should be made to deal with the threat to the environment of the islands and beaches. Also the existing rules should be implemented in letter and spirit. Thus the rules regarding distance from the tide line and the heights of the constructions should be followed strictly. An effective planning of tourism potentials and some sort of a masterplan to cope with the over expanding traffic are also the need of the hour. Examples like Miami Beach in Florida, Torremolinos and Costa Br'ava on the mediterranean coast of Spain bear testimony to environmental damage caused due to lack of planning. Unit 11 of Block 4 discusses the relevance of a master plan in developing tourism. Efforts should be made to promote less frequented islands and beaches so as to divert the flow of excessive traffic to the conventional sites. Beaches lieBheemunipatnam in Andhra Pradesh need to bc focussed upon. 8 Finally everything rests upon the tourists themselves. Thus some sort of awareness generation programme for the tourists needs to be carried out.

If all such measures are implemented, perhaps thl& 'smokeless industry' would serve a more fruitful purpose. Then one would also not come across such books as 'The Golden Hordes' on international tourism, which compare present day tourists to barbarians who are descending on old established cultures as the barbarians descended on Rome.

ICheck Your Progress-2 1) Write a note on the Indian beaches at the eastern and western coasts...... EnYironmenhllmpacts- 2) What are the different ways in which the environment of the islands and beaches is effected by tourism......

29.10 LET US. SUM UP

This Unit has looked upon islands and beaches as components of the envj~onmentand discussed howthey are affected by tourism. After reading this Unit you must have understood how island and beaches are formed and where they are located iv India. You learnt, for instance that there are essentially two types of islands - continental and oceanic. Continental islands are further divided into individual islands, archipelagoes and festoons (See chart in this Unit). Andaman and Nicobar and Lakshadweep are continental islands situated around Indian border. Lakshadweep is an archipelago. Similarly Indian beaches are situated at the coast beof Southern Indian peninsulastretching for over 7500 kilometers. The Unit pointed out to you the difference between the beaches on the Indian coast and those on the western coast, and described some of the major Indian beaches, You also learnt the different ways in which tourism affects the environment of the island and beaches. Whereas tourists affect the beaches and island by overcrowding them beyond their capacity and leaving their waste there, tourist industry affects them in a more indirect and long term manner through constructions and infrastructural developments which alter the shape of island and beaches and affect the biodiversity there. Finally, the Unit has recom~gndedways and means through which the adverse effects of tourism on island and beaches can be minimised.

29.11 ANSWERS TO CHECK YOUR PROGRESS EXERCISES

izICheck Your Progress-1 1) Look up the chart in Sec.29.4 2) See Sub-sec.29.5.1

CIICheck Your Progress-2 1) See Sec.29.7

. 2) In your answer you should discuss tourist behaviour and tourist industry 'separately and outline their impact on the environment of the islands and beaches. SeeSec.29.8 .