A study on the state of the environment of the union territory, conducted by the Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment (KSCSTE), has found that rising sea level and climate change are as much of a threat as human activities to the archipelago comprising corals, lagoons, sea grass, beaches, and sand dunes.

The project team coordinated by Kamalakshan Kokkal, Joint Director, KSCSTE, stresses the need to monitor the impact of climate change on the coral reefs and associated biodiversity. It has recommended community reserves for sustainable management of biodiversity.

Sanctioned by the Ministry of Environment and Forests, the project involved scientists from different research institutes under KSCSTE and the University of Kerala. The report will be released on Tuesday at a function to be organised by the council in connection with the World Environment Day.

The study notes that the population density in the inhabited islands is over 2,000 persons a square km, much above the national average of 324. Amini has the highest density of 2,839 persons a sq km. Most of the 10 inhabited islands are urbanised or showing signs of urbanisation.

The study has identified coral mining as a major threat to the marine ecosystem, along with destructive fishing activities, coastal development and potential pollution from oil tankers plying the key route between the Middle East and southeast Asia.

As many as 103 corals have been identified in the area, a diversity second only to that of the Andaman and Nicobar islands. Over 695 species of fish were recorded in Lakshadweep waters, including 300 varieties of marine ornamental fishes. The study observes that bait fishes, sea horses, molluscs, turtles, and marine mammals are under pressure from human activities.

As many as 138 flowering plants, 29 medicinal plants and a total of 80 bird species have also been recorded.

The project team highlights the need for a strong database on biodiversity of the islands. It also calls for an assessment of the impact of exotic species in the Lakshadweep waters. The study report stresses the need for a master plan to assess the status of the coral reef ecosystem, its biodiversity, and conservation management.

Sewage and salinity

The survey revealed that the scarce fresh water resources in the islands are threatened by salinity intrusion and sewage contamination. Around 50 per cent of the island's population was found to suffer from stomach disorders and dental and skin diseases due to biological contamination of water.

In the absence of a treatment plant, about 50,000 to 1,00,000 litres of sewage waste is let into septic tanks or cess pools.