The Andaman and Nicobar Islands have been in the news recently for the killing of American missionary John Allen Chau, at the hands of the reclusive Sentinelese tribe that inhabits the island.
But there are those who wish the island was known for a lot more: its richness of biodiversity and its ecological vulnerability, for instance. Hyderabad-based Pankaj Sekhsaria, who has been engaged with issues related to the islands since the late 1990s, unveiled his book on the subject in the city on Monday. Titled, ‘Islands In Flux — the Andaman and Nicobar Story’, the book is a collection of his work over a period of two decades. “The islands are majorly known for tourism, the cellular jail and the tsunami. Through this, I hope people get to know about the various layers of the place,” he said.
Mr. Sekhsaria said the remoteness of the islands was a huge draw to begin with. “Being a photography enthusiast, the wildlife and location aroused an instant curiosity in me. During the course of my work with activists and conservationists, I observed various issues surrounding the place,” he said.
The book, he said, was a compilation of the many articles he has written on the island over the years. “Through this, I hoped to put across the historical, geological and ecological aspects of the earthquake-prone islands,” said Mr. Sekhsaria.
Geologically, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands are one of the most earthquake-prone zones in the world. The massive earthquake that triggered the tsunami of 2004 caused huge destruction, “the kind of disaster one does not see often or will see soon enough,” he said. But the development projects planned for the islands hardly take into account the islands’ fragility. “Irrespective of who is in power, the development projects for the Islands are always devoid of consideration for the ecology of the place. Be it the rare wildlife, abundant rain forests or the indigenous tribes that have been there for around 50,000 years, the projects leave the entire ecosystem vulnerable.”
His work from years ago on unsustainable development, he said, will always be relevant. “You write something and think the story has been told but it almost always comes back like a bad dream. The issues we think would be resolved, come back to haunt us.”
The idea behind writing the book was to keep the issues alive, said Mr. Sekhsaria. “I have been following the islands consistently since the late 1990s and to keep engaging in debates and the discourse around it was to put the writings from then to this date together. This would in a way complete the circle, making the entire information available to the public.” He also hoped, through the book, to communicate his ideas, so “most people will hopefully stop doing what they have been once they are aware of the realities.”
Bittu Sahgal, editor of wildlife and ecology magazine Sanctuary Asia , said that the book is a good reminder that it is time to save the environment. “It’s not just the islands but the entire country that is influenced. If we don’t start protecting our ecosystems now, none of us will be safe.” He said conservationists and activists need to come together.
“I have never seen more divisions in the world than right now. There are ill-intended and unintelligent people in a position of power. We need more individuals who can tell the truth and without malice,” he said.
