Concern over possible bombing on Bhatkal shores during war exercise

Mangalore, December 5: Brushing aside the Indian Navy's claim that Netrani Island (Pigeon Island) in Bhatkal taluk is not being bombarded during the war exercise, a senior environmentalist has said that a catastrophe was awaited in the region.

V. N. Nayak professor of Marine Biology in Karnataka University, said the statement of the Rear Admiral Atul Kumar Jain was far from the truth.

He said that contrary to the claim of the navy, he 16-metre stone, the target of the bombing exercise, was much closer than 1 km. In fact, it was just 100 metres away from the shore.

He insisted that the stone was very much part of the island.

On Monday, Rear Admiral Jain, who is the Flag Officer Commanding, Karnataka Naval Area, had categorically denied the allegation that Navy was conducting the war exercise on the island which was about 5 km off the Bhatkal shore.

The Naval officials had taken presspersons to the control room of INS Makara to explain how the 16-metre rock was being bombarded.

Rear Admiral Jain said that radars could not detect the land and buildings in the vicinity and the 16-metre rock was being used for naval gunfire support and missile-launching training.

The island was situated in Arabian Sea. Netrani is a coral island and suitable for snorkeling and diving activities. Several varieties of coral, butterfly fish, trigger fish, parrot fish, eels and shrimps, along with whale sharks can be seen here.

The Real Admiral had come out with the statement following the recent stay order granted by the Karnataka High Court against the bombing exercise in response to a Public Interest Litigation seeking a halt on the 'destruction of the bio-diversity in the area'.

Prof. Nayak claimed that he had been fighting against the bombing exercise on the Netrani for the last one decade. He said many trees in the island were burnt by dropping of the shells by the Navy.

He said following the recent stay order by the High Court, the Navy was trying to wriggle itself out of the controversy by providing wrong information to the public.

Meanwhile, Anant Hedge Ashisar, Chairman of the Western Ghat Development Force, said he would not comment on the issue as it was sub-judice. But he said the bombing in the area should be immediately stopped.