The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India today organised a mangrove plantation program at Kovalam Panchayat in Chengalpattu District in Tamil Nadu. Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Shri Bhupender Yadav led the plantation drive as part of the Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats and Tangible Incomes (MISHTI) scheme of Government of India, where in more than 100 people participated including students. The plantation drive is the part of ongoing “Hariyali Mahotsav” with a particular focus of Mangroves.
Shri Yadav said people should participate in the Plantation Drive particularly for Mangrove to empower the local community of Coastal areas. The Minister interacted with the Students, Frontline Workers and Local Communities, and also instructed the Official to use the local language for Names of Mangrove to encourage the local people towards the conservation of Mangroves.
Interacting with the participants during the plantation drive Shri Yadav said that Tamil Nadu is endowed with the second longest coastline of 1076 km in the country. At the same time, the coastline of Tamil Nadu is vulnerable to recurrent natural disasters like cyclones and storms. Mangrove forests have served as bioshield along the coastal areas and have helped to save lives and livelihoods of people particularly of fishers and local community. So, enhancing the ecological health of mangroves is imperative to ensure the sustainability of coast and coastal communities, he added.
The Union Minister also released the book titled “Biodiversity and Importance of Mangrove Ecosystem which was prepared by M. S. Swaminathan Research Foundation, Chennai.
MISHTI program was recently launched by Government of India with an objective to take up mangrove reforestation and afforestation along the coastal districts of India by adopting best practices that already exist in India as well as from other countries including Indonesia. This program is also envisaged to develop mangrove associated ecotourism initiatives and livelihood generation in coastal states. “MISHTI” will contribute to the efforts of ‘Mangrove Alliance for Climate (MAC)’ – an intergovernmental alliance for promotion of Mangrove, of which India became its active member during the (COP27)
Currently, there is approximately 5000 sq kms of area under mangroves and through the MISHTI program an additional area of 540 sq km is proposed to be covered across 9 States and 4 Union Territories. The scheme is planned to be implemented for a period of five years from 2023-2024 to 2027-2028. MISHTI is to be implemented by converging CAMPA Fund, MGNREGS, and other sources. In Tamil Nadu total areas demarcated for mangrove reforestation/afforestation under this program is about 39 sq. km.
Shri. Chandra Prakash Goyal, Director General of Forests and Special Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Smt. Supriya Sahu, IAS., Additional Chief Secretary to Government of Tamil Nadu, Environment, Climate Change & Forests, Shri. Subrat Mohapatra, IFS., Principal Chief Conservator of Forests & Head of Forest Force, Shri. Srinivas R. Reddy, IFS., Principal Chief Conservator of Forests & Chief Wildlife Warden and officials from MoEF&CC, School Students, Local Communities and Stakeholders were present on the Occasion.
Later, the Union Minister visited M. S. Swaminathan Research Foundation in Taramani, Chennai. The Minister interacted with the chief Scientist of MSSRF Dr. Sowmya Swaminathan. The foundation working towards research supporting the conservation of Mangrove coastal areas across the country which is the core of the MISHTI program as envisioned by Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri. Narendra Modi.
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