Mukti Organized a Meeting with the WBFD for Mangrove Forest Restoration

Mukti on 21^st August 2021, Saturday organized a meeting with the West Bengal Forest Department at Kuyemuri Nalgora Forest under Herembogopalpur GP, Patharpratima block from 9 AM to 11 AM. The main subject of the discussion was the planting and protection of mangroves. The project will be the joint venture of Mukti and the Forest Department.

Mr. Sanath Kumar Deb, Officer-in-charge of the forest department, Mr. Tapan Das, forest department office staff with other Mukti staffs Mr. Rajat Mondal, Mangrove project coordinator, Mr. Harisadhan Mondal, Mukti gram project coordinator, and Mukti working committee members Mr. Chitta Ranjan Halder, Mr. Yasim Gazi, Mr. Subarna Kar attended the meeting.

The discussion of the meeting-

1. On the question of plantation Mukti and the forest department, both agreed that for the survival of Sundarban we have to take the help of nature to minimize the effect of natural disasters like cyclones. For this cause lakhs of mangrove, saplings must be planted in the coastal areas of Sundarban. Mukti and the forest department will help each other as it is not possible for an organization to do this huge work alone.

Mukti within its capacity planted 54,000 mangrove saplings beside river Thakuran in Purba Sridharpur on 3 hectors of land, 3,000 saplings in some places of Damkal and 50,000 saplings at Charanrekhali Purandar of Basanti block (junction of Hogol, Matla and Vidyadhari river) on 50 bighas of land. Mukti has a plan to plant more mangrove saplings on all the riversides where mangroves have been destroyed the rest of the places of Damkal, Nagendrapur, Kankandighi, Baradanagar etc. To plant more mangroves in the future, Mukti has created a mangrove nursery at Mukti Gram where Mukti is nurturing 3 lakh of mangrove saplings.

Mangrove saplings will be planted in the remaining blocks including Raidighi, Kultali and Patharpratima of Sundarban by the forest department, excluding the designated mangrove sites of Mukti.

2. For the restoration of the mangrove Mukti conveyed its plan to the forest department. There is an island named Saheb’s delta located at the junction of river Thakuran and Muni covering three blocks – Raidighi, Patharpratima and Kultali. A large part of the three blocks is made up of this island. The mangrove forest of the island must be protected for its survival. Mukti conveyed their plan to the forest department officials that they will build a watchtower on the island where they will appoint a guard to look after the trees and sometimes Mukti volunteers will also guard the trees. If someone cuts down a tree illegally, the guard will immediately notify the Forest Department. Further, the women of the Mukti self-help group will also be engaged in mangrove restoration in their respective areas.

The officials praised the initiative of Mukti and said that the government forest guards would also help them in their needs.

3. Both teams acknowledged that public awareness is needed for the mangrove plantation and protection program. People need to understand that for their own benefit they have to plant and save mangroves.

Mangroves are the natural barrier against all cyclonic storms. It helps to prevent soil erosion and filter the seawater and store it as a freshwater reservoir.

The mangrove forest, the home of thousands of species must be protected otherwise these species will be extinct.

Mangroves cannot be cut for household or livelihood needs, the destruction of forests in the name of development must be stopped. Alternative sources of livelihood should be created for the people living near the mangrove forests.

Apart from that, the plantation of mangroves should be encouraged and legislative measures should be implemented strictly.

Mukti thanked the forest department officials for coming to discuss such an important issue with Mukti. Forest department officials admired the efforts of Mukti and assured their support for the success of the project.