RAMANATHAPURAM: In view of World Environment Day celebrations, the forest department in Ramanathapuram hosted special programmes at two Ramsar sites (Chitirangudi and Kanjirankulam) and at Kunthakal shores in Rameswaram on Monday. District collector Vishnu Chandran inaugurated mangrove plantation works at Kundhakal under the MISHTI (Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats & Tangible Incomes).
According to the forest department, Avicennia marina is the only dominant mangrove species existing in the district, spread over 600 hectares along the coastal areas. The forest department has been organising an exclusive boat ride in the Karangadu area for tourists to explore the mangrove habitat.
More than 70 saplings were planted by the district collector at the shores. "Remaining plantation works will be carried out in coming days. There is more than 300 acres of potential land that can be used for mangrove forest in the coming days. Proposals have been sent to the union government. Following fund allocation, plantation works will be carried out under MISHTI in the district," said Vishnu Chandran.
In Madurai, Madurai green environmental NGO distributed 15 types of 3,000 tree saplings to people emphasising the need of increasing the green cover (one tree per house).
