BHUBANESWAR: Recognising the significant role mangrove forests play in protection of coastlines from extreme weather events like cyclones, the state government has set a target to take up its plantation on another 632 hectare land by 2025-26.
Forest and Environment minister Ganesh Ram Singhkhuntia informed the Assembly on Tuesday that while steps are being taken to create mangrove forests on 375 hectare area along the coastline this fiscal (2024-25), the government has also proposed to take up its plantation on another 257 hectare area in 2025-26. Replying to a question of MLA Subasini Jena in writing, the minister informed the House that the mangrove plantation will be taken up under different schemes in four wildlife divisions - Rajnagar, Bhadrak, Balasore and Puri.
However, around 325 hectare of this plantation will be taken up in Mangrove Wildlife Division covering parts of Kendrapara and Jagatsinghpur districts. The Forest department also plans to cover 170 hectare under mangrove plantation in Balasore and 95 hectare in Bhadrak in the next two years.
The minister informed the Assembly that Odisha, as per the India State of Forest Report 2021, has around 259 hectare of mangrove forest - an increase of about 37 sq km since 2011. Sources said the new plantation could help the state to increase the mangrove cover by over 6 sq km. The Bhitarkanika mangrove forest had acted as a biological wall for the entire Kendrapara and Bhadrak districts and saved the hinterlands from the impact of cyclone Dana in October this year.
Keeping in view the importance of mangrove forests, the state had earlier this year also submitted a detailed project report (DPR) to the Centre for implementation of Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats & Tangible Incomes (MISHTI) scheme in the state for five years from 2024-25 to 2028-29 with an outlay of around `3.49 crore.