Kolkata: A total of 193 hectares of land in nine blocks of South 24-Parganas has been identified as fit for mangrove plantation which will act as a bio-shield against the catastrophic effect of cyclones that have been hitting the archipelago almost every year resulting in massive erosion.
The district administration has surveyed 860 hectares of land, out of which 69.65 hectares were found suitable for mangrove plantation. Similarly, the Irrigation and Waterways department surveyed over 117225-metre of land, of which 123.12 hectares were found fit for the purpose The coastal blocks that will be covered under this plantation are Namkhana, Kakdwip, Sagar, Patharpratima, Kultali, Mathurapur II, Basanti, Jaynagar II and Diamond Harbour I.
A special eco-restoration initiative, the “Massive Mangrove Plantation” programme, took place at Sagar block in the presence of senior officials of the state Forest department and district administration, among others. “Erosion has been affecting the Sagar Islands. Plantation of mangroves which acts as a bio-shield is of utmost importance in saving Sunderbans from natural calamities,” said District Magistrate Sumit Gupta. “The present Kapil Muni Ashram is also facing erosion due to tidal action. So, we are trying to save the ashram through the plantation of mangroves,” said Bankim Hazra, Minister in Charge of Sunderbans Affairs. The Kapil Muni Ashram has shifted its location three times earlier due to the devastating effect of erosion.
Sunderbans mangrove ecosystem plays a vital role in climate change mitigation by acting as a net sink (absorber) of such climate-warming greenhouse gases. Its potential to absorb atmospheric carbon and other climate-warming greenhouse gases is much higher than the Amazon rainforest.
Famous for its Royal Bengal Tiger, Sunderbans are also unique in terms of its rich biodiversity and birds.