Authorities yet to wake up to importance of mangroves

TIRUCHY: As the superstructures off the shores were built from the rubbles, the onshore changes including change in marine biodiversity, call for promoting natural coastal resilience. The mangroves are considered a natural barrier against sea erosion. However, green activists claim that despite learning a bitter lesson from the catastrophe 11 years ago, mangroves are yet to receive the attention it deserves.

“Mangroves function as nursery for juvenile fishes to grow. Through the fishermen’s association, mangrove cultivation can be taken up in the unused yet potential coastal vicinity which will also prevent sea erosion. But, it seems, neither the coastal community nor the authorities have realised the potential of mangroves,” said a senior scientist with MS Swaminathan Research Foundation here.

With about 72 river mouths across the 187-km coastal stretch of Nagapattinam, official sources said only a couple of river mouths were found to have grown the mangrove patches. Though the potential to grow mangroves are available across Vedaranyam, Velankanni, Tharangambadi, Sirkazhi, and Kollidam coasts, lack of awareness among the locals are cited by the officials in expanding its cover.

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