Fight goes on: Mangrove cover in Kochi at an all-time low
KOCHI: The total mangrove cover in Ernakulam has now been reduced to hardly 200 hectares. “Reclamation of coastal areas for construction and other development activities, especially around Puthuvypin has proven detrimental. Dumping of non-biodegradable waste along mangrove shorelines and release of chemical pollutants have had a hostile effect on the cover,” says Dr Linoy Libini, head of fisheries station at the Puthuvype research centre of Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies.
Environmentalists have been up in arms against the real estate lobby which has encroached upon most of the wetlands in the district by violating laws. “The government is in cahoots with the real estate lobby, the so-called development projects are destroying mangroves on a large scale. One important case in point is the Puthuvype area which has now been intruded by huge crude oil storage tankers owned by Bharat Petroleum. The proposed LPG terminal will also reduce existing mangrove cover substantially,” says C R Neelakanthan, a prominent environmentalist.
Campaigns focused on protecting mangroves have until now necessitated going against multinational conglomerates or powerful lobbies. “One crucial campaign we lost was against the Bharat Petroleum plant in Puthuvype, we just did not have the resources to resist the project,” says Neelakanthan.
More often than not, conservationists are overpowered but one pivotal achievement has been to bring Mangalvanam Bird Sanctuary under the protected zone. It is currently the only mangrove cover in the district which has been safeguarded under the purview of Social Forestry Department. On the other hand, the region surrounding Maradu, South of Kundannur has been infringed completely by the real estate mafia. Huge construction projects have been launched along the backwaters.
“The authorities were completely apathetic to mangrove protection in Maradu, sadly our protests and campaigns failed to ward off the real estate lobby,” observes Neelakanthan. Kerala Cricket Association's (KCA) proposal to build a stadium in Edakochi proved unsuccessful. “We brought the plan to the notice of Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
Their experts visited the proposed site and determined that the trees in the vicinity were indeed mangroves. The permission to construct the stadium was eventually denied to KCA,” informs Neelakanthan. “Similarly Sobha Limited's proposition to convert Valanthakad into a resort island had to be withdrawn due to our efforts,” he adds.For the small yet determined group of environmentalists fighting for mangrove conservation in the district, these are significant wins.
What are mangroves?
● Mangroves are shrubs or small trees that grow in coastal saline or brackish water
● They are also called halophytes and are adept in thriving in harsh coastal conditions
● Mangroves contain a complex salt filtration system in their roots to cope with saline water immersion
● Mangroves habituate to the low oxygen conditions of waterlogged mud
● Mangroves occur worldwide in tropical and subtropical regions
● As per a study conducted in 2000, the total mangrove cover in the world was 1,37,800 square kilometres, spanning 118 countries and territories
Benefits of mangroves
● Mangroves protect coastal shorelines by preventing soil erosion from natural forces such as winds and floods
● With their complex root system, Mangroves preserve mineral sediments in the land. They hence are a reservoir of soil nutrients
● Mangroves help maintain water quality and clarity by trapping pollutants
● Mangroves also play an important role in mitigating adverse natural disasters like storms and hurricanes
● Mangroves help sustain the biosphere through the preservation of germplasm