“Monoculture of commercially viable trees is destroying the unique natural profile of ............Thoughtless exploitation of timber, deforesting vast tracts for palm cultivation, destruction of mangroves, illegal logging by tribals and poaching only compound the problem. Fresh water pockets are fast drying up due to deforestation and destruction of mangroves.” The place referred to in this quotation is

The description matches the Andaman & Nicobar Islands: the archipelago is forest‑based with extensive mangrove swamps and creeks noted for their ecological sensitivity, which require conservation to protect inland waters and freshwater resources [1]. The Nicobar group in particular has coconut and arecanut as principal cash crops (i.e., palm cultivation), reflecting conversion of landscapes to commercially viable trees and monocultures [2]. Official assessments document substantial mangrove loss in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands driven by timber exploitation, shrimp aquaculture conversion and logging—factors that dry up freshwater pockets and degrade the islands’ unique natural profile, exactly as the quotation states [3].

Sources

1. [1] Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 15: Regional Development and Planning > Strategy for Development > p. 94
2. [2] Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 2: Physiography > Islands of the Bay of Bengal > p. 68
3. [3] https://cwc.gov.in/sites/default/files/paper-research-work.pdf