Scientists at the National Institute of Oceanography (NIO), headquartered here in Panaji, are still assessing the damage caused to the coral reefs in India's seas. However, the preliminary data available with researchers so far is sufficient cause for alarm. ``We have found 100 per cent mortality of corals in some places at Lakshadweep and off Malvan in Maharashtra,'' says Dr Mohideen Wafar, who is researching the subject. He presented a paper on the subject at a meeting in Colombo on January 26 which was organised by the Swedish International Development Agency and the World Bank. Both these agencies are sponsoring a project to study the destruction of coral reefs in theIndian Ocean region.

The NIO has now fielded suggestions to help in the regeneration of coral reefs. This would include treatment of sewage released into the sea, fresh water management, environment education for the people, and so on. However, the scientific community feels it will be another five to 10 years before the coral reefs are restored to their original state.

Explaining the destruction of the reefs, otherwise known as the underwater ecosystem, Wafar noted that as the temperature rises, corals expel symbiotic algae like zooxanthellae and their pigments. Consequently, the corals lose their main source of nutrition. They also become more vulnerable to ultra-violet radiation. In fact the danger is so imminent, that if conditions don't improve in the next couple of months, more coral reefs could die.

Dead corals are identifiable by their bleached look caused by the loss of pigmentation. The problem is that saving them could be a long-drawn-out affair. As Dr Wafar puts it, ``Regeneration of corals,even if carried out manually, is a long process,'' says Dr Wafar. ``The button-mushroom shaped Porites corals grow at the rate of just one centimetre a year.''

India has 18,000 sq km of corals while the global presence of coral reefs is estimated at 1.5 lakh sq km. However, the reefs in India are concentrated in a small area, particularly the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, and regions in the Gulf of Mannar and Kutch. This makes them particularly susceptible to climatic changes and environmental damage.

In a recent statement, the International Society for Reef Studies (ISRS) noted that widespread bleaching (destruction) of corals was reported for the first time in recent history from the Andaman Islands. This has implications for the whole eco-system.

``The destruction of the reefs directly affects nearly 3,000 species of living organisms,'' says Dr Wafar. He fears that some of these could be lost to humankind for all time.

Already, a number of human activities threaten coral reefs in thecountry. The dredging of the seabed, fishing, the construction of jetties and the disposal of untreated effluents into the sea are clearly the prime causes. Moreover, in regions like the Lakshadweep, corals are used as construction material by the local people. The problem of effluent disposal is particularly pronounced in the Gulf of Kutch, while activity in the port of Tuticorin affects the reefs in the Gulf of Mannar.

These forests of the deep are as precious to the ecological system as the forests on land. Thanks to an increase in environmental awareness, earlier practices like the large-scale harvesting and crushing of corals by the cement industry has come to an end. But a great deal more needs to be done if we are to preserve this precious natural heritage.

The underwater ecosystem could prove to be treasure trove for the pharmaceutical industry. The Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, has found that the Goniopora species of coral are a suitable replacement for the metal rods currently used toreplace broken bones. Not only is the coral ultralight, it also allows blood vessels to pass through it.

Similarly, extracts obtained from several organisms are found to contain properties which prevent hypertension. According to researchers at the National Institute of Oceanography, cures for diseases like diabetes and cardiac conditions could one day be extracted from corals.

The NIO is currently in the process of patenting an extract from a species of starfish, which is known to contain anti-fouling properties. Scientists are hopeful of finding a cheap substance capable of preventing barnacles, formed on the hulls of ships, and thereby saving millions for the maritime industry.