The Hindu : Kerala / Thiruvananthapuram News : Ordinance to protect mangroves on the anvil

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Jul 29, 2006

Kerala

Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

Ordinance to protect mangroves on the anvil

Special Correspondent

Proposal to develop a belt of mangroves along coastal areas

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Government proposes to develop a belt of mangroves along the coastal areas of the State.

Forest Minister Benoy Viswom and officials told a meeting of environmental organisations and activists, convened to discuss protection of forests and related issues, that consultations were under way with the Fisheries Department on planting and regeneration of mangroves along the coast.

The Government is considering an Ordinance that would enable the Government to declare any stretch of mangrove forest as a protected area.

Locations with mangrove cover of less than 50 ares will be exempted from notifications under the proposed Ordinance.

A project is proposed to be taken up for planting of mangrove species under the tsunami rehabilitation programme. Mangroves have been found to protect the coast from high waves and erosion.

Mr. Viswom told the meeting that the President's assent had been obtained for the Bill passed by the Assembly to protect the sandalwood trees.

The law provides for stringent punishment for those felling sandalwood trees.

Statutory powers

Secretary (Forests) L. Radhakrishnan said the Government proposed to form an environment technology mission with statutory powers.

The State Pollution Control Board too would be under it as far as policy matters are concerned. The forthcoming forest policy would be based on watersheds rather than the forest areas.

He announced that only local species would be planted in areas earmarked for compensatory afforestration.

The Government's policy on cardamom lands was under discussion. Notification on the proposed buffer zone for Silent Valley National Park would be issued soon.

He said the Government had opposed the Scheduled Tribes (Recognition of Forest Rights) Bill as some of its provisions went against forest conservation.

The State could again communicate its objections to the Centre.

Several participants at the meeting pointed out that changes proposed to the Bill by the Joint Parliamentary Committee would allow rights to non-tribals also if they were forest dwellers up to 2005.

The participants invited the attention of the Government to forest encroachments and plundering at Mankulam, Sholayur and other places.

There were demands for resumption of leased lands, encroached backwaters, riverbanks and beaches besides take over of private enclaves in protected areas.

Poetess Sugathakumari called for checking illicit distillation in forest areas and declaration of the kurinji hills as a sanctuary.

Strong views were expressed against planting of forest areas under social forestry scheme and move for conversion of mangalavanam in Kochi.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Kerala