KENDRAPARA: Even as Bhitarkanika national park is likely to face the brunt of cyclone Dana on Thursday, the denudation of mangrove forests has put areas near it at a greater risk.
Mangrove forests shelter the seaside villages from the worst impact of storms. “But a large number of rich and influential prawn mafia cleared the green cover for their gheris as a result of which around one lakh residents of 45 villages around Bhitarkanika have been spending sleepless nights as the cyclone is nearing the coast,” said an environmentalist.
Harish Chandra Mallick, a teacher from Jagatajora village said two decades back, his village was covered with a green wall of mangrove forest. But many influential persons illegally converted mangrove forests into prawn farms by denuding large tracts of land under forest cover, he said.
The disappearance of the mangrove forest may spell trouble for residents of Rangani, Talachua, Pravati, Gupti, Ajagarapatia, Khola, Baghamari, Krushnanagar, Krushnapriyapur, Praharajpur, Banapada, Benakandha, Suniti, Jamboo, Karandiapatana, Goja, Charigharia , Debendranarayanpur and Chittakhola and other villages around Bhitarkanika. Besides, the saline water of the sea and the tidal waves will affect the villages.
“Mangrove trees provide a formidable natural barrier against cyclones and storm surges and play an important part in stabilising the shoreline but due to denudation of mangrove forest we will face onslaught of the tidal waves,” said Prabir Mandal, a farmer of Rangani.
ACF of the park Manas Das said, “We have been taking action against prawn mafia who illegally chopped mangrove trees . This year we dismantled around 400 acres of prawn farms.”