KOCHI: The Greater Cochin Development Authority (GCDA) has planted 100 mangrove saplings at the aqua-tourism project site in Mundamveli that ran into controversy after environmentalists cried foul over the destruction of mangrove cover in the area for the project.
The GCDA is planning to create a green cover around the project site with mangroves and bamboo, said an official press release. The formal inauguration of the greening mission was held at Mundamveli here on Sunday morning. Dominic Presentation MLA, PSC Chairman Dr K S Radhakrishnan, Kerala University of Fisheries and Oceanic Sciences Vice-Chancellor Dr Madhusoodana Kurup, environmentalists Prof K Aravindakshan and Prof M K Prasad, GCDA Chairman N Venugopal and people’s representatives took the lead to plant the saplings.
The GCDA is converting the five acres of land at Mundamveli into a farm tourism spot with children’s park, restaurant and caged aquaculture. As many as 35,000 seabass (Kalanchi) seeds have been brought from Tamil Nadu for the aquaculture project. Walkways would be built at the site allowing visitors to reach near the cages and watch the fish. The GCDA hopes that the site would be covered with 500 mangrove trees within two months. It is also planning to plant bamboo around.
Some environmentalists and the National Alliance for People’s Movement had raised an alarm over the GCDA project at Mundamveli alleging that it had destroyed mangroves in the area in the name of the project. The organisation had also complained to the Forest officials regarding the issue.