Thursday, August 17, 2023
Tuesday, August 15, 2023
Sunday, August 13, 2023
Thursday, August 10, 2023
Status of Mangrove Plantations
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has been implementing a project titled ‘Wetlands management for biodiversity and climate protection’, at four Ramsar Sites in India. Under this project, Climate Risk Assessment (CRA) studies have been conducted at four sites namely, Pong Dam Lake and Renuka Lake in Himachal Pradesh, Bhitarkanika Mangroves in Odisha and Point Calimere Wetland Complex in Tamil Nadu. The project has developed an assessment methodology for site-level climate risk assessment and demonstrated how climate risks could be integrated into the wetland management plan at the site level towards capturing climate co- benefits while maintaining the wise use approach of the Ramsar Convention on wetlands. The experience and lessons learnt have been consolidated into a publication ‘Managing Climate Risks in Wetlands – A Practitioner’s Guide’, to serve as an important capacity development tool for Wetland Managers.
MoEFCC provides financial assistance to coastal States to undertake activities related to conservation and management of coastal ecosystems such as mangrove plantation, shelterbelt plantation, coral transplantation, enhancement of livelihood security of coastal communities including capacity building. Management Action Plans (MAP) for conservation and management of mangroves are formulated and implemented in 9 coastal States covering 38 identified mangrove sites. The list is at Annexure.
As per the India State of Forest Report, 2021, the mangrove cover in the country has been estimated at 4992 sq km with net increment of 17 sq.km in the year 2021 as compared to 2019.
To augment India’s efforts in afforestation, the Union budget 2023-24 announced ‘Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats & Tangible Incomes (MISHTI)’ programme. The aim of the MISTHI Scheme is to protect and revive mangrove ecosystems on the Indian coast while enhancing the socio-economic status of coastal communities. The programme is based on convergence of resources from various ongoing and proposed schemes at Central and State level, with an objective to develop and restore the potential sites of mangroves with the help of State Governments.
List of identified sites for conservation and Management of Mangroves
ANNEXURE
Sl. No. | State / UT | Mangrove Site |
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Odisha
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Andhra Pradesh
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Tamil Nadu
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Andaman and Nicobar |
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Kerala
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Karnataka
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Gujarat
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Goa |
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Maharashtra |
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Development of Eco-Parks in the country
The concept of Eco-parks encourages harmony with the nature, society, forests and wildlife. Eco-restoration activities have been taken up cross-sectorally under various programmes/funding sources of other ministries/ organizations and also through State Plan budgets. Though, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change does not have any specific programme for developing Eco-parks, it has taken various initiatives through programmes and schemes that encourages eco-restoration of degraded areas namely Nagar Van Yojana, School Nursery Yojana, National Mission for a Green India etc.
The following steps taken by the Government contribute to eco-restoration, preservation and development of forest areas in the country:
For preservation and protection of forest & wildlife, various laws including the Forest (Conservation) Act 1980, Indian Forest Act, 1927, Wildlife Protection Act 1972, and other central/state laws as applicable to a State/UT, are implemented by the respective State Government /UT Administration.
Nagar Van Yojana envisages creating a Nagar Van / Nagar Vatika in each City having Municipal Corporation/Municipal council/Municipality/Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) for providing wholesome healthy living environment for the residents and thus contributing to growth of clean, green, healthy and sustainable cities.
MoEF&CC, Govt. of India entrusted Indian Council Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE), Dehradun to prepare Detailed Project Report (DPR) for rejuvenation of thirteen major Indian rivers namely Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas, Sutlej, Yamuna, Brahmaputra, Luni, Narmada, Godavari, Mahanadi, Krishna and Cauvery through forestry interventions. These DPRs include rejuvenation measures which inter alia includes Eco-park developments, avenue plantations, riverside plantations, river front development, Biodiversity conservation model, etc. as per site conditions.
National Mission for a Green India (GIM), under which, in addition to other sub-missions, there is a specific sub-mission for enhancing tree cover in urban and peri-urban areas. Urban forestry is a permissible activity under the provisions of Compensatory Fund Act, 2016 and the Rules made thereunder.
Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT), implemented by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs which focuses on development of basic infrastructure in the selected cities and towns, has the provisions for developing green spaces and parks.
Ministry of Coal converts suitable mine areas, after exhaustion of reserves, into eco-parks, sites for water sports, underground mine tourism, golf grounds, adventure, bird watching etc. These sites have good potential for recreation, revenue generation and employment for local people.
Natural calamities in the country
Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) in 2020 has published a Climate Change report titled ‘Assessment of Climate Change over the Indian Region’ which contains a comprehensive assessment of the impact of climate change upon the Indian subcontinent. The highlights of the report are as follows:
1. India’s average temperature has risen by around 0.7oC during 1901-2018.
2. Frequency of daily precipitation extremes (rainfall intensities >150 mm per day) increased by about 75% during 1950-2015.
3. The frequency and spatial extent of droughts over India has increased significantly during 1951-2015.
4. Sea-level rise in the North Indian Ocean occurred at a rate of 3.3 mm per year in the last two and half decades (1993-2017)
5. Frequency of Severe Cyclonic Storms over Arabian sea has increased during the post monsoon seasons of 1998-2018.
IMD has implemented Impact Based Forecast (IBF) in the recent past which gives details of what the weather will do rather than what the weather will be. It contains the details of impacts expected from the severe weather elements and guidelines to general public about do's and don'ts while getting exposed to severe weather. These guidelines are finalised in collaboration with National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and is already implemented successfully for cyclone, heat wave, thunderstorm and heavy rainfall. Work is in progress to implement the same for other severe weather elements.
The forecasts and warnings are disseminated to users including disaster managers by e-mail on regular basis. In addition to this, WhatsApp groups are created including disaster managers and IMD officials and forecast & warnings are disseminated through this facility also. The forecast & Warnings are uploaded in social media & website for reference by all concerned. The nowcasts related to Severe Weathers are disseminated through SMS also to the registered users.
In addition to this, as and when the situation arises, Press Releases are issued by IMD and the same are also disseminated by all the platforms mentioned above.
IMD has taken various initiatives in recent years for improvement in dissemination of weather forecast and warning services based on latest tools and technologies. In 2020, IMD has launched seven of its services (Current Weather, Nowcast, City Forecast, Rainfall Information, Tourism Forecast, Warnings and Cyclone) with ‘UMANG’ mobile App for use by public. Moreover, in 2020, IMD had developed mobile App ‘MAUSAM’ for weather forecasting, ‘Meghdoot’ for Agromet advisory dissemination and ‘Damini’ for lightning alert.
Recently IMD has brought out a web based online “Climate Hazard & Vulnerability Atlas of India” prepared for the thirteen most hazardous meteorological events, which cause extensive damages, economic, human, and animal losses. The climate Hazard and vulnerability atlas will help state government authorities and Disaster Management Agencies for planning and taking appropriate action to tackle various extreme weather events. This atlas also helps IMD to issue impact-based forecast for various extreme weather events.
For modernization, expansion and improvement in Weather & Climate services, various activities are underway in IMD under the umbrella Central Sector Scheme named “Atmosphere & Climate Research-modelling Observing Systems & Services (ACROSS)”. There are 4 sub-schemes of IMD under ACROSS namely, Atmospheric Observation Network (AON), Upgradation of Forecast System (UFS), Weather & Climate Services (WCS) and Commissioning of Polarimetric Doppler Weather Radars (PDWR).
