Karnataka to promote growing Mangrove plant

Kundapura (Udupi district), Feb 6 (UNI) The Karnataka government has contemplated to promote and encourage growing of Mangrove plant with the active participation of both public and private agencies, Principal Secretary (Department of Forest and Environment) Abhijit Das Gupta said today.

Speaking to press persons at Jalady, near here after taking round in the boat the Mangrove plantation developed by the Kundapura Forest Division on 100 acres of land on the banks of Varahi river at Vittalavadi backwater near here, he said that the Centre had sanctioned Rs One crore for the development of Mangrove plantation in the four forest divisions in Karnataka-- Mangalore, Kundapura, Honnavar and Karwar division.

He said that the state government had also sent a proposal to the union government to provide incentives to promote and encourage those private parties who wants take up plantation of Mangrove in their land.

Mr M H A Sheik, Additional Chief Conservator of Forest said that as the Karwar division had been saturated, the department was aimed at taking intensive development of Mangrove in the remaining three divisions both on government and private land which was not only a natural bio-fencing against erosion but also had long life duration having other applied benefits and eco-friendly besides shelter for birds and few varieties for breeding.

He said that of the total 8.7 sq.km mangrove plantation in the state, 2.5 sq.km had been developed in coastal region. In the 300 hectares of developed mangrove plantation by the Kundapura division, there are 14 species of Mangroves he said adding that though some more land was covered by mangrove cultivation in the state, according to the satellite pictures, the cultivation of mangrove was shown less due to mud patches and submerge of the developed plantation.

During the function, foundation stone for Karnataka's first + Kandla Information Centre+ was laid by Mr Gupta at Jalady.

UNI MA MSP TS1928