The Hindu : Front Page : Checklist of biodiversity to be prepared

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Thursday, Oct 04, 2007
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Checklist of biodiversity to be prepared

R. Vimal Kumar

On an outlay of Rs.3.5 lakh in the Gulf of Mannar
Typescript likely to be ready by June next year

TUTICORIN: The Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve Trust (GoMBRT) has planned to prepare a comprehensive checklist of marine biodiversity in the GoM on an outlay of Rs.3.5 lakh, according to V.K. Melkani, Chief Conservator of Forests.

Speaking to The Hindu here on Wednesday, he said that the document would be prepared with scientific assistance from Suganthi Devadason Marine Research Institute, Tuticorin.

The typescript was expected to be ready by June next year.

The record would carry entire details of flora and fauna and ecological importance of highly endangered and marine rare species such as sea turtles, dugong and sea horses.

“The data will be useful for the scientific community who want to carry out research in the area since scientists now rely on certain vague figures of the number of marine species in the region,” he said.

Management plan

Mr. Melkani said that the Wild Life Institute of India, Dehradun, had prepared a detailed management plan at a cost of Rs.14 lakh to conserve and enhance the marine resources in the Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve.

The document included a monitoring protocol to review the implementation of Wild Life Protection Act and techniques to be followed to restore damaged coral reef eco system.

The project was financed by the GoMBRT from the corpus earmarked to the trust by the United Nations Development Programme-Global Environmental Facility.

“The plan document would be made public once the necessary approval was given by the Chief Wild Life Warden,” he said.

Demonstration plot

Mr. Melkani said that the GoMBRT would establish demonstration plots to promote commercial cultivation of indigenous seaweed and solar fish drying techniques among self-help groups in Tuticorin and Ramanathapuram districts. The plots for seaweed would be set up at Erwadi, Tuticorin, Mandapam and Keelakarai, while the one for fish drying would come up near Vembar in Tuticorin district.

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