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Insular grids are fragile owing to lower inertia and the absence of interconnection with other grids. With the increasing penetration of non-dispatchable renewable energy sources, the vulnerability of such insular grids increases further. The government of India has proposed several projects to improve the photovoltaic systems (PV) penetration in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands' grid. This paper investigates joint stochastic scheduling of energy and reserve generation for insular grids fed from diesel and gas-based generators, PV, and battery energy storage systems (BESS). The proposed stochastic scheduling model considers a wide range of probabilistic forecast scenarios instead of a deterministic model that assumes a single-point forecast. Hence, it provides an optimal solution that is technically feasible for a wide range of PV power forecast scenarios. The striking feature of the model developed in this work is the inclusion of stochastic constraints that represent (i) the coordination between PV and BESS, (ii) reserve constraints, (iii) battery charging/discharging limit constraints, and (iv) non-anticipatory constraints that ensure technical viability of scheduling decisions. The proposed model is validated on the dataset for South Andaman Island. Results reveal the applicability and feasibility of the proposed stochastic dispatch model for different generation mix scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present the Andaman and Nicobar Islands (ANI) as a case to delineate contextual and often paradoxical challenges in implementing centrally sponsored schemes in a small island economy. Government reports cite ANI's record on health outcomes to be impressive when comparing it with other Union Territories (UTs). However, using examples of two public health and nutrition schemes, the paper argues that unless ANI's development indicators are compared over few years, public policy may fail to identity its development challenges and continue its rhetoric while in reality, health outcomes may be regressing. Design/methodology/approach – The paper used case study research design involving mixed method approach. Quantitative data were secondary in nature, collected from local government departments. Two of the three districts of ANI formed the sample of the study. Main tools used for qualitative analysis were observation and informal interviews with government functionaries and other stakeholders. Findings – The findings point to the paradox of superior public spending and infrastructure in ANI in midst of deteriorating public health and child nutrition outcomes. The paper concluded that any policy making on island's trajectory of development is not only incomplete, but also faulty unless its special context is considered as a starting point. Research limitations/implications – Ethnographic studies on the health-seeking behaviour of ANI communities can reveal trends in access to health services and its reasons, but that was beyond the scope of the paper. Originality/value – The paper is arguably the first to identify development paradoxes in implementation of government health and nutrition programmes in ANI. The paper poses further questions on unpacking the paradox of development in the islands. It urges policy makers and administrators to reconsider the efficacy of centrally sponsored schemes that are implemented without being contextualised for a small island economy like ANI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mangroves are one of the most productive coastal ecosystems, which act as natural barriers against natural calamities such as cyclones, tide upsurges and tsunamis. Mangrove ecosystems provide natural habitat for a wide variety of flora and fauna, whilst the economic contribution by mangroves for tourism, fisheries and other natural resources is also of paramount importance. This study focusses on the biodiversity of four major regions of Indian mangroves, namely, Bhitarkanika (Odisha), Pichavaram (Tamil Nadu), Chorao Islands (Goa) and Porlob Jig (Andaman and Nicobar Islands). The study aims to monitor the present status of mangroves in Southern and Eastern coasts of India, with the synergistic use of optical and SAR data. The aerial extents of all the Dominant vegetation spatial maps generated revealed that the Bhitarkanika mangroves had the largest extent (14425 ha) among the four mangrove regions. The second largest area recorded was by the Porlob Jig mangroves of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands (9972 ha), followed by the Pichavaram mangroves (788 ha) and the mangroves of Chorao Islands of Goa (603 ha). Decision makers, for taking the necessary conservation and management actions to protect these fragile, vital habitats can ultimately use this data. This paper provides an insight into the major mangrove species of India. It gives a detailed account of the varying mangrove biodiversity in the Eastern and Western coast of India. The prevalence of various kinds of mangroves from different ecosystems were documented. Among these, Rhizophora annamalayana specious was found indigenously in Tamil Nadu. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Turbidites composed of sandstone-shale alternations on the Kalipur–Shibpur coast, North Andaman Island, classified under the Palaeocene–Eocene Mithakhari Group in several recent papers are identified as and compared with the type section of the Oligocene Andaman Flysch exposed at Corbyn’s Cove, South Andaman Island. The Kalipur turbidites were interpreted as the inner fan and the latter as the distal mid fan facies of a forearc submarine fan. The turbidites of these two locations are separated by ∼250km. Detailed studies concerning the identification and comparison, have however, revealed significant differences, and the turbidite outcrops are not continuous between these two localities. Turbidites at Kalipur–Shibpur and adjacent areas are part of a melange terrane, normally gritty and coarse grained, massive to locally graded bedded, calcareous, intercalated/interstratified with conglomerates and reefoidal limestones and show a framework composition varying from volcanolithic to lithic-poor arkosic sandstones, deposited in several isolated basins, fed by transverse supply of detritus from an accreted and uplifted ophiolite and arc massif. The Kalipur–Shibpur coast exposes marginally deformed, sandstone-dominated turbidites (coherent units) containing abundant ichnotraces, late Palaeocene foraminifera, and rip-up shale clasts, indicating deposition in shallow water accretionary slope basins. South of Kalipur, the Ramnagar coast exposes mud-rich turbidites showing accretion-related deformation. These deformed turbidites are interpreted as offscraped trench deposits. Further south, on the Rampur coast, turbidites intercalated with reefoidal limestones containing late Palaeocene foraminifera indicate deposition on the upper slope or on top of the accretionary slope basin. In contrast classical Bouma sequence-bearing sandstone-shale turbidites at Corbyn’s Cove, are part of a continuous outcrop belt of siliciclastic turbidites, lack fossils, carbonate facies and conglomerates, and consist of compositionally uniform greywackes, deposited in an open deep sea fan, fed by axially transported detritus derived from the continental blocks of western Burma. These key differences together with previous mapping and stratigraphic studies confirm the incorrect identification of Andaman Flysch in North Andaman Island in recent papers. The turbidites of these two locations were neither produced by the same sediment gravity flows nor deposited in the same forearc fan during the Oligocene, instead, they were derived from different palaeographic domains, deposited in different tectonic and sedimentary environments and also at different times. This provides new insights into the Paleogene turbidite deposition in this part of Western Sunda Arc. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The aim of this paper is to describe the activities and observations of the team from National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS) Bangalore, India in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands during the early phase of the Tsunami disaster in January and February 2005. The activities comprised mental health consultation at camps, community sensitization, mental health services to the students and children, teachers orientation sessions and training of non-governmental organization [NGO] functionaries. Initial assessment reveals 5–8% of the population were suffering from significant mental health problems following the early phase of the disaster. This may increase in the aftermath of the early relief phase. Psychiatric morbidity is expected be around 25–30% in the disillusionment phase. High resilience was seen in the joint family system of tribal Nicobarese during early phase of disaster. In developing countries like India, limited availability of mental health professionals and poor knowledge about disaster mental health among the medical and para-medical staff, may lead to poor psychosocial rehabilitation of the survivors. To respond to a high magnitude natural disaster like a tsunami, the disaster mental health team must be able to understand the local culture, traditions, language, belief systems and local livelihood patterns. They also need to integrate with the network of various governmental and non-governmental organizations to cater to the needs of the survivors. Hence the presence of a disaster mental health team is definitely required during the early phase of the disaster in developing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three decades before, the gillnet was the major gear in Andaman and Nicobar Islands(ANI), India, because of the less expensive and simple method of operation with non-motorised small dinghies or without craft. Earlier, the gillnet landing was 39% of the total landings and a further report said 27%, which indicated the decrease in gillnet landings. The present study was carried out from 2014 to 2018 at four main fish landing centers (FLCs) Junglighat, Dignabad, Guptapara and Wandoor of ANI to investigate the present status of major gillnet landings. Altogether 1097 visits were carried out at all FLCs and 63.1% of visits occurred at Junglighat. The total landings of all FLCs were 3880.6 tons, of which 98.6% were recorded at Junglighat. The total gillnet landings were 330.4tons, of which Driftnet covered 82.1%, followed by bottom plastic(9.8%) and bottom nylon(8%) gillnets. Significant landings (P<0.0001) of Scombridae family were recorded through Drift gillnet (182.47tons) compared to other families. The family of Carangidae(7.71tons) and Clupeidae(16.54tons) were recorded dominantly through bottom plastic and bottom nylon gillnets, respectively. The gillnetters explored 31 fishing grounds in the South, Middle, North and Little Andamans sectors. The significant (P<0.0001) fish catch was recorded from the South Andaman sector. A total of 17 validation experiments carried out in each Potential Fishing Zone (PFZ) and Non-PFZ by using PFZ advisories indicated a significant(P<0.0001) catch from PFZ(3.5:1). There was a decline of 18.5% in the landings of gillnet than earlier studies. It is suggested that the fishermen may follow the PFZ forecast for a better catch. The gillnet fishing to be promoted to under-exploited pelagic fishes of these islands will benefit the gillnetters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Variations in the relative composition of constituent gases coming out of the mud volcano near Jarwa Creek in Baratang Island, Middle Andaman, are discussed on the basis of regional tectonic settings and seismo-geochemical features. The most abundant gas is CH4 (55.7vol.%) followed by N2 (32.2%), O2 +Ar (9.9%), CO2 (2.0%) and He (0.2%). Concentration of the radioactive gas 222Rn is relatively high (7500Bq/m3). This paper discusses the experimental methods adopted to continuously monitor He, CH4, CO2 and 222Rn with a view to identify pre-seismic gas concentration anomalies associated with regional seismic occurrences. Results related to this gas-geochemical monitoring are presented with a purpose to develop ability in ascribing a distinct geochemical anomaly to a particular seismic activity in the region. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article presents information on a survey conducted in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in India to find out the number of ant, Formicidae species present in it. It is discussed that number of ant species present in the islands get doubled to 125, from a previous total of 59 and are belong to 41 genera. It further states that the survey revealed five endemic species but no endemic genera.

Abstract: Andaman & Nicobar Islands (Indian Territory) are situated in the Bay of Bengal and endemic for malaria with perennial transmission. Anopheles sundaicus which prefers to breed in brackish water, is known as the main vector for malaria and maintains high endemicity of malaria. Tsunami waves entered the inhabited coastal areas, caused heavy devastation and left large areas inundated causing exceptionally high breeding sources for vector mosquitoes of malaria. The disaster created a new habitat suitable for the proliferation of malaria and other disease-carrying mosquitoes besides making thousands of people homeless. They were living in temporary open shelters, getting more exposed to mosquito bites. The population already had existing high parasite load. Hence, there was a real threat of malaria outbreak in the area. However, malaria was effectively controlled due to strategic planning and timely remedial measures. Malaria situation was monitored closely and epidemiological data of three subsequent years from 2005 to 2007 after tsunami were analysed and compared with pre-tsunami malaria data from 1986 to 2004. In this paper, effect of tsunami on malaria profile in these islands has been discussed along with action taken for its control. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The December 26, 2004 tsunami has caused extensive damage in the Union Territory of Andaman & Nicobar Islands, India, affecting 115.36 km of coastline. In order to identify the impacts of tsunami in South Andaman of the Andaman Islands, the study has been carried out using satellite data for pre-tsunami (Feb. 2003) and post-tsunami (March 2005). This paper provides an assessment of damages caused by tsunami and suitable resettlement places for the people using remote sensing and GIS technology. Assessment of tsunami inflicted damage to island ecosystems assumes greater importance owing to their life-sustaining and livelihood support abilities. Apart from the reparation caused to life and property, significant damage has afflicted the ecosystem, which will have long lasting effects. The tsunami-induced damage to coastal ecosystems was studied based on coastal landuse, geomorphology and coastal critical habitat for South Andaman Island using remote sensing and GIS. An area of 3,366 ha of land area was affected by tsunami. Within the coastal ecosystem, coral reef and mangrove were also severely affected. The study of landforms shows that the land is submerged. The severity of damages and their consequences suggest the need for a definite restoration ecology programme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• First study of modern pollen-vegetation relationship from South Andaman, India. • Pollen and NPP distribution, environmental variables and plant cover are compared. • Pollen of local vegetation predominates and regional vegetation represents poorly. • Modern pollen data is usable to interpret past vegetation and climate. This paper presents the first modern pollen, non-pollen palynomorphs and grain size data from a pristine mangrove tidal creek on the South Andaman Island, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India. The surface sediment samples were collected from different mangrove environments of the Wright Myo Creek, South Andaman to study the relationship between the pollen-spore data and present vegetation cover. Results show that pollen from local vegetation more abundant, whereas regional vegetation surrounding the depositional site is poorly represented. Heritiera littoralis , Ceriops tagal , Excoecaria agallocha and Bruguiera gymnorrhiza are markedly abundant in the landward zone. The transitional and seaward pollen assemblages are characterized by Rhizophora mucronata, Avicennia marina and Bruguiera gymnorrhiza pollen types. Pollen from mangroves are locally restricted and reflect the distributions of the source plants and mangrove types. However, the greatest concentrations of allochthonous taxa of evergreen, deciduous and montane components are derived from the surrounding lands. This area receives high rainfall during monsoon favouring long distribution of palynomorphs i.e. allochthonous species from hinterland to the depositional site through connecting drainage system. Abundance of non-pollen palynomorphs suggest not only humid as well as wet conditions, but also the particular salinity and pH characteristics of mangrove types in the area. Such relationships were evident in the Redundancy Analysis (RDA), which revealed that the first two axes of the RDA with self-values of 0.63 and 0.06 respectively explained 68.4% of data variation and 95.2% of the correlation between pollen and the environment. Additionally, the RDA analysis between Non-Pollen Palynomorph (NPP) data and the environmental variables showed that the first and second axes with self-values of 0.60 and 0.04 respectively, explained 68.4% and 96.1% of NPP data variance, respectively. The granulometric analysis clearly indicates that sand fraction is maximum towards sea, whereas suspended sediments (silt and clay) are significantly higher towards transitional and landward zones. This is well corroborated with pollen preservation in this area. At the mouth of the creek, strong hydrodynamic flow and low pollen percentages is observed, while abundant pollen are noticed in the suspended sediments probably due to weak hydrodynamic forces towards land. Therefore, the effects on pollen assemblages from sediment dynamic conditions must be taken into consideration during the reconstruction of palaeovegetation and palaeoclimate. The presented dataset provides new information on modern pollen assemblages and their relationship to the vegetation types and environmental conditions, which can also be effectively applied to other mangrove ecosystems of South and South East Asian regions to reconstruct palaeovegetation and palaeoclimatic changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mesoscale eddies are important ocean phenomena that enhance biological productivity by mixing of water column and influence fishery catches, especially in stratified seas such as Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea. The current study was conducted around the Andaman and Nicobar Islands (ANI), India located in the Eastern Indian Ocean. The study tested the feasibility of targeted fishing in eddies, by characterizing the mesoscale eddies in the region, towards developing operational altimetry-based fishery advisories for the fishers. We analysed fish catch data from 15,370 commercial fishing trips from the Islands using five fishing gears during 2014–17 spatially vis-à-vis the eddies delineated from Maps of Sea Level Anomaly (M-SLA). We show that 5-24% of the routine commercial catches occurred in eddies, fishery catches are positively influenced by different eddy zones and the fish catch using different fishing gear are significantly higher in some of the eddy zones. We generated experimental advisories showing locations of eddies and their zones, identified using Near Real-Time M-SLA data and guided the commercial fishers for targeted fishing in eddies. The fish Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) from the experimental fishing within the eddy zones was significantly (p < 0.01) higher than that from the traditional fishing grounds in the non-eddy areas. The spatio-temporal analysis of eddies around ANI during 2009–16 showed the occurrence of higher number of anticyclonic eddies, majority of which move westward and have a lifespan of less than 2 weeks and amplitude less than 4 cm. In the current study, the areas around ANI with frequent eddy occurrence and eddy density have been identified, which could aid in increasing the fishing intensity by targeting the pelagic fishes, using longlines, gillnets and ringnets. Thus, we show the possibility of using eddy fishing advisories generated from altimeter data, for augmenting the currently operational Potential Fishing Zone (PFZ) advisories that are generated using optical/thermal remote sensing data and disseminated to the coastal fishers in India. This will be helpful especially for the regions with and during periods of persistent cloud cover. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using PCR and sequencing, we found Plasmodium knowlesi in the malaria vector Anopheles sundaicus mosquito collected from Katchal Island in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India. We cannot rule out natural transmission of this parasite to humans through this mosquito species. An in-depth investigation is needed to prevent disease outbreaks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The human tragedy caused by the Sumatra-Andaman earthquake (momentmagnitude 9.3) on 26 December 2004 and its companion Nias earthquake(moment magnitude 8.7) on 28 March 2005 is difficult to comprehend.These earthquakes, the largest in 40 years, have also left seismologistssearching for the words and tools to describe the enormity of thegeological processes involved. Four papers in this issue discuss aspectsof a rupture process of surprising complexity, the first such event totest the sensitivity and range of many new technologies. A surprisingfeature of the earthquake is that after the initial rapid rupture,subsequent slip of the plate interface occurred with decreasing speedtoward the north. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study identifies the Colletotrichum spp. which cause Morinda anthracnose in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India. A survey of Indian mulberry plantations was carried out to ascertain the identity of isolates associated with Morinda anthracnose. These were identified as C. gloeosporioides based on morphology and sequencing analysis of internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, demonstrating that this species is currently the causal agent of Morinda anthracnose in a tropical ecosystem. The pathogenicity test of C. gloeosporioides isolates on Morinda seedlings for 1 month revealed that the five isolates MC1, MC8, MC2 (1), MC4 and MC12 were pathogenic to the respective host with different levels of anthracnose lesion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Occurrences of extreme events are likely to cause major decline in global biodiversity. In one such event, on December 26, 2004 tsunami caused extensive damage and irreparable losses to the ecology and biodiversity of low-lying areas of the countries located around the Indian Ocean region. Archipelago of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, one of the richest centre of endemism and biodiversity in the Indo-Malayan region, suffered great loss of forests and coastal biodiversity owing to its closeness to the epicenter of tsunami, i.e. just off the coast of Indonesia. There is little insight into the resilience and rate of recovery pattern of tropical coastal habitats consequent to catastrophic impacts of tsunami. It's important to study the impacts of tsunami on the forest and biodiversity in order to suggest mitigation, restoration measures and long-term conservation planning. Here we have assessed the immediate after-effects of December 26, 2004 tsunami on the forests and areas prioritized for biodiversity conservation analyzing pre and post tsunami satellite imageries. The effect of topographic patterns of Island's coastal areas and their distance from the epicenter of tsunami with respect to changes in the forests and different levels of biologically rich areas modeled for prioritization for different groups of Islands in Nicobar has been studied. Great Nicobar accounted for higher proportion of total forest area damaged and submerged in Nicobar, followed by Central Nicobar and Car Nicobar. Mangroves, littoral forest, beach forest and low land swamps and Syzygium swamps were most affected. Study brings out spatially explicit scenario of damaged, submerged and lost forest areas and corresponding area statistics, vital for understanding and mitigating medium and long term effects of tsunami an extreme event. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

India took an unprecedented step 10 years ago by setting up a joint theatre operational command for the Andaman and Nicobar Islands (ANC). This article seeks to examine the following questions: why did India decide to establish its first joint operational command? Why has the creation of this and other unified commands been so incremental in the Indian context? What are the arguments for and against jointness, integration and joint operational commands in the Indian context? The article will firstly discuss the concept of joint operational commands and then theories of organisational military change. Secondly, it will look at the debate in India about jointness and these commands, and how this led to the creation of the ANC. Lastly, it will conclude with observations about the ANC and the future of similar commands in the Indian context. Unless disaster or political events incentivise Indian politicians to force change on the defence establishment, it is unlikely that there will be any further joint operational theatre commands (like the ANC) in the future, but joint operational functional commands (like the strategic forces command, SFC) are more likely. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Throughout the world, the tsunami generation potential of some large under-sea earthquakes significantly contributes to regional seismic hazard, which gives rise to significant risk in the near-shore provinces where human settlements are in sizeable population, often referred to as coastal seismic risk. In this context, we show from the pertinent GPS data that the transient stresses generated by the viscoelastic relaxation process taking place in the mantle is capable of rupturing major faults by stress transfer from the mantle through the lower crust including triggering additional rupture on the other major faults. We also infer that postseismic relaxation at relatively large depths can push some of the fault segments to reactivation causing failure sequences. As an illustration to these effects, we consider in detail the earthquake sequence comprising six events, starting from the main event of Mw =7.5, on 10 August 2009 and tapering off to a small earthquake of Mw =4.5 on 2 February 2011 over a period of eighteen months in the intensely seismic Andaman Islands between India and Myanmar. The persisting transient stresses, spatio-temporal seismic pattern, modeled Coulomb stress changes, and the southward migration of earthquake activity has increased the probability of moderate earthquakes recurring in the northern Andaman region, particularly closer to or somewhat south of Diglipur. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In present study, 10 preferred traditional vegetables from Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India, were analysed for nutritional profiles. Moisture content in their edible parts ranged from 83.43 to 94.78%. Maximum ash content was recorded in Portulaca oleracea, crude protein in Colocasia esculenta, crude fibre in Eryngium foetidum and fat in E. foetidum. Phosphorus was maximum in Ipomea aquatica, potassium in C. esculenta, zinc, calcium and manganese in Centella asiatica, copper in Sauropus androgynous, sodium and iron in P. oleracea, magnesium in Amaranthus viridi and cobalt in C. esculenta. Maximum polyphenol was recorded in Hibiscus sabdariffa, carotenoids in A. viridi, ascorbic acid in Saursops androgynus, anthocyanin in C. esculenta and chlorophyll in S. androgynus. Antioxidant activity was maximum in P. oleracea. Positive correlation was observed between polyphenol and tannin content and also between antioxidant activity and photochemicals. The developed nutritional profiles is being used in health and nutrition related schemes in Islands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the most enigmatic features of the 2004 Sumatra–Andaman earthquake was the slow rupture speed and low slip on the northern part of the rupture under the Andaman region. We propose that the aseismic 90°E Ridge (NER) on the Indian Plate obliquely subducts under the Andaman frontal arc region. Though other possibilities also exist, we hypothesized that this ridge probably acted as a structural barrier influencing rupture characteristics of the earthquake. Here we present several features of the Andaman region that favour NER subduction under the region, which include (i) comparatively shallow bathymetry and trench depth, (ii) low seismicity, (iii) significant variation in the azimuths of coseismic horizontal offsets due to the 2004 Sumatra–Andaman earthquake, (iv) lack of post-seismic afterslip on the coseismic rupture in the Andaman frontal arc region, (v) low P wave with only small decrease in S wave speed from tomographic studies, (vi) gravity anomalies on the Indian Plate indicating continuation of the ridge under the Andaman frontal arc and (vii) lack of back arc volcanoes in the Andaman region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study outlines an approach to classify forest density and to estimate canopy closure of the forest of the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago. The vector layers generated for the study area using satellite data was validated with the field knowledge of the surveyed ground control points. The methodology adopted in this present analysis is three-tiered. First, the density stratification into five zones using visual interpretation for the complete archipelago. In the second step, we identified two island groups from the Andaman to investigate and compare the forest strata density. The third and final step involved more of a localised phytosociological module that focused on the North Andaman Islands. The results based on the analysis of the high-resolution satellite data show that more than 75% of the mangroves are under high- to very high-density canopy class. The framework developed would serve as a significant measure to forest health and evaluate management concerns whilst addressing issues such as gap identification, conservation prioritisation and disaster management—principally to the post-tsunami assessment and analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The legacy of UNESCO World Heritage (WH) designation is renowned and for that reason is subject to increased visitor arrivals. This research-based article examines the issues associated with the selection of WH sites in one among the most remote and sensitive environments of the world, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands of India (ANI). It explores the benefits of sustainable tourism development and conservation measures that the designation could bring to the ANI. The appropriate research methods adopted to consult a wide range of stakeholders are discussed while addressing the challenges facing the potential properties. This article was written from outside of the official WH designation process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we aimed to document the run-up and inundation of recent tsunamis and loss of life in the December 26, 2004, tsunami in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. An estimated 1925 people lost their lives and 5555 were reported missing in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands because of the tsunami. The Nicobar group of Islands—namely Great Nicobar, Katchall, Teressa, Nancowry, Trinkat, Car Nicobar, and others—were severely affected by tsunami because they were close to the epicentre. The effect on the Andaman Islands was less severe because of the island's geometry and topography. Because the settlements in the South Andaman Islands are largely confined to sheltered areas like bays that are far from the coast, and more importantly, in elevated areas (except for certain low-elevation, far inland locations like the Sippighat area) there was almost no loss of life. However, damage to property, especially fishing vessels, was high in most of the area, where seawater inundated the land completely. This field survey was conducted at 26 sites; the Little Andaman passenger jetty area recorded the highest run-up of 17.26 m, and the Chidiyatopu area had the highest inundation at 500 m. Furthermore, this survey also supports the assertion that the low-lying areas of Little Andaman were severely affected by the tsunami waves because of their gradual elevation increase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we aimed to document the run-up and inundation of recent tsunamis and loss of life in the December 26, 2004, tsunami in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. An estimated 1925 people lost their lives and 5555 were reported missing in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands because of the tsunami. The Nicobar group of Islands-namely Great Nicobar, Katchall, Teressa, Nancowry, Trinkat, Car Nicobar, and others-were severely affected by tsunami because they were close to the epicentre. The effect on the Andaman Islands was less severe because of the island's geometry and topography. Because the settlements in the South Andaman Islands are largely confined to sheltered areas like bays that are far from the coast, and more importantly, in elevated areas (except for certain low-elevation, far inland locations like the Sippighat area) there was almost no loss of life. However, damage to property, especially fishing vessels, was high in most of the area, where seawater inundated the land completely. This field survey was conducted at 26 sites; the Little Andaman passenger jetty area recorded the highest run-up of 17.26 m, and the Chidiyatopu area had the highest inundation at 500 m. Furthermore, this survey also supports the assertion that the low-lying areas of Little Andaman were severely affected by the tsunami waves because of their gradual elevation increase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The larval food plants of the butterflies of the Andaman and Nicobar islands have not been studied, although the butterfly fauna per se is fairly well known. For the first time we report the food plants of the larvae of 120 species of butterflies from these islands on the basis of laboratory rearing and field studies. This information is essential for the formulation of management programmes for butterfly conservation on these islands which are known to harbour critical swallowtail and (possibly) danaine faunas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a study conducted by the authors, related to production of Shigella spp. in childhood diarrhea from Andaman Islands by VIM- and IMP-type metallo- β -lactamase. Topics discussed include widening of the spectrum antibiotics to which shigellae acquired resistance, spread of carbapenem resistance as a potential public health challenge and strengthening the surveillance against antibiotic resistance among enteric pathogens.