Financial Daily from THE HINDU group of publications
Thursday, Jun 06, 2002
Financial Daily from THE HINDU group of publications Thursday, Jun 06, 2002 |
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Industry & Economy
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Environment Call for preservation of AP mangroves forests Our Bureau
KAKINADA, May 5 THE importance of mangrove conservation and restoration cannot be overemphasised in view of the role they play in improving the fish catches and maintaining the eco-balance in the coastal regions, Dr T. Ravishankar, the Associate Director, M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation, has said. He was addressing a gathering from the Corangi and Dindu fishing villages near here on the occasion of the World Environment Day. Earlier, a rally was taken out laying stress on mangrove conservation. The foundation is engaged in mangrove restoration work in all the coastal States on the east coast. Dr Ravishankar, in charge of the project in Andhra Pradesh, Orissa and West Bengal, said till now 300 hectares of mangroves had been restored in the Krishna-Godavari estuarine zones in co-operation with the Andhra Pradesh Forest Department and the response of the coastal villages was encouraging. He said community plantations were raised in all the demonstration villages to reduce pressure on mangroves for fuel and other needs. Smokeless stoves, kerosene and gas stoves were also distributed in the villages. Women in the villages were being trained in coir-rope making, candle manufacture and other income-generating schemes. The foundation had set a target of restoration of mangroves in 600 hectares in Andhra Pradesh and 500 hectares in Orissa, he said. In Orissa, restoration work was going on in the estuaries of the Mahanadi and Devi rivers and until now 200 ha of mangroves had been regenerated. The foundation was assisting the West Bengal Forest Department in the mangrove project, he added. Dr Ravishankar said care was being taken to maintain genetic diversity in restoration work. In another statement issued on the occasion of the World Environment Day, Dr T. Rajyalakshmi, President of the Society for Promotion of Integrated Coastal Areas Management and former director of the Central Institute of Brackish Water Aquaculture, said development of the Kakinada deepwater port and other activities along the coast had adversely affected tidal influx, thereby endangering the Coringa mangroves. She said future development of the port and town should be undertaken with great care so as not to affect the mangroves in particular and the coastal eco-system in general. Otherwise, the future of the fishermen as well as the town would be in danger, she added.
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