Kovalam Panchayat in Chengalpattu District, Tamil Nadu, witnessed a significant environmental initiative today as the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India organized a mangrove plantation program. Led by the Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Bhupender Yadav, the event marked the commencement of the Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats and Tangible Incomes (MISHTI) scheme.
With over 100 participants, including students, the plantation drive formed part of the ongoing "Hariyali Mahotsav" with a specific focus on mangroves. Yadav emphasized the importance of community participation in the Mangrove Plantation Drive, particularly in empowering the local communities of coastal areas. During the event, the Minister engaged with students, frontline workers, and local communities, urging the use of the local language for naming mangrove species to encourage the locals' involvement in mangrove conservation efforts.
Addressing the participants, Yadav highlighted the significance of Tamil Nadu's coastline, which spans 1076 km, making it the second longest in the country. However, the region is vulnerable to recurrent natural disasters such as cyclones and storms. Mangrove forests act as a bioshield, protecting the coastal areas and safeguarding the lives and livelihoods of local communities, particularly fishermen. Enhancing the ecological health of mangroves is crucial for ensuring the sustainability of the coast and its communities, the Minister added.
During the event, the Union Minister also unveiled the book titled "Biodiversity and Importance of Mangrove Ecosystem," prepared by the M. S. Swaminathan Research Foundation, Chennai. The MISHTI program, recently launched by the Government of India, aims to undertake mangrove reforestation and afforestation along the coastal districts of the country.
The initiative adopts best practices from India and other countries, including Indonesia, and envisions the development of mangrove-associated ecotourism initiatives and livelihood generation in coastal states. India joined the 'Mangrove Alliance for Climate (MAC),' an intergovernmental alliance for promoting mangrove conservation, during the 27th Conference of Parties (COP27).
Currently, the total area under mangroves in India is approximately 5000 sq km. Under the MISHTI program, an additional area of 540 sq km is proposed to be covered across nine states and four union territories. The scheme is set to be implemented over a five-year period from 2023-2024 to 2027-2028, with the convergence of CAMPA Fund, MGNREGS, and other funding sources.
In Tamil Nadu alone, around 39 sq km of land has been designated for mangrove reforestation and afforestation under this program.
