Tamil Nadu - Tirunelveli   

Bio-shield planned along the coast

Staff Reporter

Casuarina trees to be grown

TIRUNELVELI: The World Bank has released Rs. 10 crores to create a bio-shield along the coastline of the 13 tsunami-affected districts of the State. Casuarina trees would be grown along the sandy coastal areas and mangroves raised on the estuaries.

S. John Joseph, former Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and chairman of Society for Social Forestry Research and Development, said the project would ensure plantation of casuarinas on 2,000 hectares and creation of mangroves on 700 hectares before June 2006. It was started in July last by the Department of Forest with the participation of select NGOs in coastal areas of Tamil Nadu.

"Though Tirunelveli district is not covered under this programme, the Manakkudi backwaters in neighbouring Kanyakumari district, which has a mangrove forest on a sizable area, would see the planting of rhizophora mucronata and rhizophora apiculata to make the existing forest denser and bigger. Since the existing mangroves of Manakkudi were not affected during the tsunami, we have been encouraged to take up this project wherever rivers enter the sea," Dr. Joseph said.

In sandy areas adjoining the coasts, 25 to 50 rows of casuarinas — casurina equisettifolia — would be grown to neutralise the force of giant waves.

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