KARWAR : Unidentified islands of Uttara Kannada scattered in the Arabian Sea along the coasts of Karwar and Bhatkal are being named by the district administration to develop tourism in these spaces. This is the first time that these tiny islets are being named.
The process has already begun with a committee, chaired by Uttara Kannada Deputy Commissioner Lakshmi Priya, naming these islands. “Karwar has 24 such islands. They have been identified and surveyed, while six have been named after what the fishermen called them. The remaining will be named by the committee,” said Uttara Kannada Additional Deputy Commissioner Sajid Ahmed Mulla.
These islets were surveyed using drones and new survey numbers given. “They are revenue lands and span 100 hectares all put together. Once the process is complete, they will be recommended for overall development and a report will be submitted to the government to develop tourism,” Mulla said.
The committee has recommended only those names that are commonly mentioned by the local fishermen. Some islands seen only in low tide have been named after the beaches that adjoin them. For instance, the Devgad island and its adjoining islands have been named Devgad 1 and Devgad. Similarly, the rocky islands near Kurmagad (Cintacor Island) have been named Kumragad 1 and Kurmagad 2.
“Some of these islands are extensions of the Western Ghats, submerged in the Holocene period 5,000-10,000 years ago,” said Prof Shivakumar Haragi, Head, Department of Marine Biology, Karnataka University, Dharwad.
Karwar seeks return of 16 islands from Goa
“During that period, the coastline of Gujarat experienced significant sea level changes, which was why earlier coastal settlements submerged,” said Prof Haragi. The names will be sent to the Union Government for further action. The district altogether has 63 islands, while another 16 are with Goa. The administration has written to the Centre seeking the return of these islands to Karwar.
Safe barriers
These islands have stood as barriers against natural disasters, making Karwar safe from calamities like hurricanes, cyclones and even tsunamis. During bad weather, fishing boats involved in deep sea fishing in the Arabian Sea come in hundreds to Karwar and anchor till the calamity subsides.
History
Some islands have been historically important and are significant even today. The Anjediva Island, on which the Portuguese sailor Vasco da Gama set foot, is controlled by the Indian Navy. The Basavaraj Island in Honnavar was controlled by Channabhairadevi, queen of Gerusoppa -- popularly known as ‘The Pepper Queen’. The Sondha rulers used Kurmagad islands to monitor the sea.