KENDRAPARA: More than six lakh endangered Olive Ridley sea turtles have laid eggs on Nasi-1 and Nasi-2 islands near the serene and idyllic Gahiramatha beach in the district.
The delicate marine species which have dug out neat pits on the sandy beach have so far laid over whopping seven crore eggs.
But, the test-firing of a supersonic endo-atmospheric Advanced Area Defence (AAD) interceptor missile from Abdul Kalam Island near Gahiramatha even as the nesting season is on, has raised questions on the return of the turtles to the rookery in future.
Noted environmentalist and president of Marine Turtle and Mangrove Conservation Society (MTMCS) Hemant Rout said, India’s missile development programme has nothing to do with the Olive Ridley sea turtles. But, the missile test from Abdul Kalam Island near Gahiramatha has raised questions on the arrival of turtles for mass nesting on Odisha coast, particularly at Gahiramatha, in the future.
The launching of missiles from Abdul Kalam Island will end the visit of Ridleys because the bright lights and sound will distract their movement in the sea as well as the beach, he added. It is illegal on the part of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) officials to test missiles during mass-nesting of turtles on the island, he added.
Though the former chief of DRDO and President of India Abdul Kalam, after whom the island has been named, has assured in 1997 that defence authorities would take all necessary action to ensure that the turtles were safe the measures seem to be flouted, alleged Rout.
The island was handed over to the DRDO in 1990s with a condition that DRDO will not test any missile from November 1 to May 31 to protect the turtles, added Rout.
A senior forest officer of Gahiramatha Marine Sanctuary said, "From February 22 till today as many as 6,01,907 turtles have laid eggs on Nasi-1 and Nasi-2 islands near Abdul Kalam island.
On Tuesday, the officials of DRDO directed us to leave the two islands for which on Wednesday early morning all the forest officers and other staff, who guard the turtles, have left the rookery, he added.
The DRDO officials often check the identify cards of forest officials and other researchers who work for turtle conservation. The officials of DRDO also banned visit of any tourist to Gahiramatha to witness the mass-nesting of the turtles”.