THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Indian Army is doing its bit to conserve the coral reefs of the picturesque Lakshadweep archipelago.
‘Bison Blue Water Expedition,’ essentially an adventure trip for the men of the Army’s elite 54 Infantry Division, aka, Bison Division, will be addressing a major environmental concern - the endangered coral reefs in the Lakshadweep isles, a defence spokesperson said.
World Wildlife Fund India and National Geographic representatives will join the Army men in the first-of-its-kind expedition, which Major General Rajesh Singh, General-Officer-Commanding of the division, will flag off at Agatti on Sunday.
The archipelago has a fabulous wealth of coral reefs, which stands endangered today. The expedition is meant to enhance the maritime awareness of the Indian Army, and to bring the local population closer to the men in uniform.
The army expedition has two legs. The Island Hopping Leg consists of Para Motoring, Scuba Diving, Powered Rafting, Beach Running and talks by eminent ecologists on the need to protect the coral reefs.
This is to be followed by an ocean sailing leg onboard the ‘Trishna’, a yacht that had circumnavigated the globe with an all-Indian Army crew in 1985.
The ‘Trishna’ will sail from Mumbai to the Lakshadweep Islands and back via Goa and Kochi over a period of three weeks, during which the crew will also interact with the inhabitants of the islands.