Kendrapara: The annual arrival of Olive Ridley turtles at Gahirmatha, their favourite nesting site, may be affected this year due to large scale testing of missiles by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) at Wheeler Island renamed as Dr Abdul Kalam island, a report said.
The environment around Bhitarkanika is gradually getting degraded due to man-made interference. Problems of habitat disturbance have affected the wildlife sanctuary, the report said.
This is because the missile testing at the Wheeler Island near the Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary is directly affecting the movement of wildlife and marine creatures in Gahirmatha which is known as the nursery of the sea turtles.
The turtles are believed to have been distracted by light caused by uranium burning.
Every year Olive Ridley sea turtles arrive at Gahirmatha sanctuary in lakhs from November onwards for mating and mass nesting. The fishermen are warned not to venture into sea for fishing between November 1 and May 31 which is the mating and mass nesting period of these sea turtles.
The nuclear powered missiles during test fire emit a lot of smoke and light which directly affects the survival of the marine creatures. Environmentalists apprehend that this might lead to a decline in the number of sea turtles arriving at Bhitarkanika.
Biswajit Mohanty, President of Wildlife Society of Odisha, said the atmosphere of Bhitarkanika is degrading day by day due to natural calamity and man-made interferences.
He alleged that an eco-retreat fair was held at Pentha beach in 2019 but at the end of the fair, tonnes of polythene were found lying scattered on the beach.
This is condemnable as the polythene is a deterrent for the free movement of the turtles on the beach. While polythene has proved dangerous for the turtles, the missile testing for last two months has dealt a huge blow to their arrival in Gahirmatha. He alleged that testing of missiles would distract the turtles from arriving at Gahiramatha.
Earlier, noted environmentalist Banka Bihari Das had urged then DRDO head Dr Abdul Kalam not to test fire missiles during mating and mass nesting season of the sea turtles.
Later, Dr Kalam presented details on how the light and smoke emitted by the missiles distract the turtles from their way to Gahirmatha. Dr Kalam had assured Das that missile testing will not be carried out starting from the arrival of turtles to the return of the hatchlings into the sea.
However, after Kalam’s death, test fire of missiles is continuing in Wheeler Island. Environmentalist Hemant Kumar Rout alleged that the natural calamity like cyclonic storm Amphan had led to beach erosion of Nasi-2 island where the sea turtles congregated in large numbers.
He also admitted that the test fire of missiles would impact the arrival of sea turtles. Environmentalists Jagannath Das blamed the loss of environment in Gahirmatha and Bhitarkanika sanctuaries on mushrooming of illegal prawn gheries and missile testing. He urged forest officials to discuss the matter with DRDO authorities.
When contacted, Gahirmatha Range Officer Debashis Bhoi said the DRDO authorities have been informed about the arrival period of sea turtles and talks with them will be held soon.
PNN