Mangrove cover rises 30% in Konkan, falls by 4% in MMR
Mangrove cell points to successful awareness campaigns; activists have mixed views
MUMBAI: Mangrove cover across Raigad, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg districts witnessed a 30% net increase this year but a 4% decline was recorded in districts of Palghar and Thane in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR).
Raigad recorded a 33% rise with highest increase across all districts at 35 sq. km. This takes its mangrove cover tally to 141.21 sq. km as compared to the India State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2017 that recorded 106 sq.km. The increase was revealed in a 2018 assessment of mangrove cover across coastal districts of Maharashtra by the Central Institute of Brackishwater Aquaculture (CIBA) under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) submitted to the state mangrove cell last week
Mangrove cover in Mumbai city and suburban areas was not studied.
The mangrove cell said focus on livelihood activities helped boost mangrove cover across three districts and human activities led to decline in remaining districts. “There is better awareness about the legal protection given to mangroves. Efforts by the mangrove cell to spread this awareness led to coastal communities being sensitised and consciously safeguarding these trees,” said N Vasudevan, additional principal chief conservator of forest, state mangrove cell.
Environmentalists had mixed views about the report. “A 33% increase over a span of a year is impossible at Raigad district because maximum number of mangrove destruction cases have happened in Uran, Navi Mumbai, and surrounding mangrove forests. The mangrove cell needs to make the report public to validate the findings,” said Debi Goenka,
executive trustee, Conservation Action Trust. Goenka was also the petitioner in the Bombay high court (HC) whose public interest litigation led to a landmark order in September this year to declare all mangrove areas as protected or reserved forest.
“The mangrove cell has consciously carried out a lot of mangrove plantation activity, and the
survival rate has been good,” said Stalin D, director, non-governmental organisation (NGO) Vanashakti and member of the state mangroves committee.
“However, due to reclamation activity towards the north Konkan region including Mumbai, Thane, Palghar and parts of Raigad district, the mangrove seedlings are moving south along “We don’t perform the mandated activities of mangrove conservation. Our effort is to introduce brackish water technology to these mangrove areas to find a livelihood source for communities living there. In that process we assessed the mangrove cover but the reason for increase can only be analysed by Maharashtra’s mangrove cell,”
nodal officer and scientist, ICAR-CIBA.
with the tide and being deposited in previously unknown areas and due to excess siltation, the trees are thriving.”
“Siltation does play a role but it has always been happening and is a regular process. But if that was the main reason, mangrove cover would not have stagnated between 2000 and 2005, and risen thereafter,” said Vasudevan.