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Vanishing green cover on beach
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The vegetation is concentrated on the stretch behind the Lighthouse which is less frequented by visitors.
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The green cover is stil intact in a few stretches which are less frequented by visitors. Photo: C.V. Subrahmanyam
The green cover on the stretch of beach between the Coastal Battery and the YMCA is fast disappearing. The green carpet not only has a pleasing effect on the eyes but also serves as a natural habitat for rare species of birds, besides playing a vital role in prevention of sand drifting.
The horseshoe creepers and the few other salt-tolerant varieties which adorn the beach are fast losing their ground as children and visitors to the beach play and trample upon them, little realising their value. The sanitary workers of the Municipal Corporation are also removing the creepers while cleaning the beach.
The creepers, which survive on the moisture present in the air, grow more in the areas where waste water flows into the sea from the drains in the city. Birds feed on insects which take shelter on the creepers. They also lay eggs among the creepers.
Beach vegetation plays an important role in protecting sand dunes and beach sand by binding the sand together. In the past there were considerable stretches of beach vegetation consisting of different plant species. Now, only a few species are surviving on the beach. The vegetation is mostly concentrated on the stretch behind the old Lighthouse and the adjoining beaches which are less frequented by the holiday crowd.
"The creepers are useful for protection of sand on the beach. When they are removed, quick sand erosion is seen. The sand particles get heated up especially during summer and are carried away by the wind. The creepers do not allow penetration of sunlight and sand erosion due to wind action. They also prevent drifting of sand and its accumulation on the road like in Bheemunipatnam," says a technical officer in the National Institute of Oceanography, N.S.N. Raju.
"These creepers serve as fodder for goats and are being removed by cattle owners of the nearby areas. They also come in handy to spread as a cover prior to the laying of slabs," says the environmentalist, N.A. Varaprasada Reddy. He underlines the need for protection of the few species of plants which can survive in the beach eco-system.
"Birds like cattle egret, common mainahs and pied mainahs, migratory ones like sand piper and avocets feed on the insects which hide among the creepers. Kites take shelter among the creepers. The green cover also serves as a habitat for some other birds and snakes. The sand in between the creepers which is neither too hot nor too cold provides the ideal temperature for hatching of the eggs of some species," he says.
It is high time measures are taken to protect the green cover on the beach.
B. MADHU GOPAL
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Metro Plus
Bangalore
Chennai
Coimbatore
Delhi
Hyderabad
Kochi
Madurai
Mangalore
Thiruvananthapuram
Vijayawada
Visakhapatnam
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