The Karnataka high court on Thursday directed that notices be issued to Indian Navy and Karnataka Biodiversity Board about protecting Nethrani Island—the only remaining island of Western Ghats Archipelago (group of islands).
While hearing a petition spurred by a news story published in these columns, the Karnataka high court on Thursday directed that notices be issued to Indian Navy and Karnataka Biodiversity Board about protecting Nethrani Island—the only remaining island of Western Ghats Archipelago (group of islands).
The Bangalore edition of DNA had, on May 31, 2011, carried a report titled Karnataka takes on Centre to save Nethrani Island, which revealed how the Nethrani Island—19 nautical miles from Bhatkal in Uttara Kannada district—is being bombarded by the Indian Navy for target practice.
Island is a biodiversity heritage site The Karnataka State Biodiversity Board has declared the island, also known as Pigeon Island, as a biodiversity heritage site.
The Navy has been bombarding it and launching torpedoes for more than two decades.
The island houses a few endangered species mentioned in the Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, including flora and fauna endemic to the Western Ghats.
After the article in DNA revealed how the Navy was using the island for target practice, additional director general of police, CID (forests), KSN Chikkerur, visited Nethrani Island with scientists and conservationists.
Navy defends its attack
The Navy’s defence is that the island is ideal for target practice because it is away from human habitation. Further, the Navy argued that the island was not in the territorial waters of Karnataka.
However, deputy commissioner of Uttara Kannada mapped the distance between the district’s coast and the island, which
established that it comes under the geographical jurisdiction of Bhatkal taluk of the district.
BR Deepak, advocate of the petitioners, told DNA that the high court saw merit in their petition, thereby directing that notices be issued.
The high court division bench comprising acting Chief Justice Vikramjit Sen and Justice AS Bopanna directed the court
officials to issue notices to the Chief of Naval Staff, Indian Navy, Flag Commanding Officer of the Western Naval Command and
Karnataka Biodiversity Board. All of them have to appear before the court within 15 days of receiving the notice.
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