Climate change initiative launched in Sunderbans

Express news service Posted: Feb 11, 2008 at 0054 hrs
Sunderbans, February 10 To raise awareness about the climate change and the benefit of mangroves the Climate Change Initiative in Sunderbans was launched at Mathurakhand village in Bali Islands of the delta on Sunday by British High Commissioner to India Richard Stag.

Kolkata-based NGO, Nature Environment and Wild Life Society, is carrying out the initiative which include plantation of mangrove along a six-km stretch of the river bank encompassing Mathurakhand and Amlamethi villages. The plantations will begin from April. A local mangrove nursery has also been opened up in the area.

"Mangroves helped bring down the wind speed of Cidr Cyclone from 240 km per hour to 100 km recently. We are happy that such an initiative is being undertaken in the Sunderbans," said Stag.

A scientific study of mangroves and their role in the ecology of Sunderbans will also be a part of the initiative.

The initiative will also run campaigns in which they will educate the locals about the methods to prevent soil erosion, apart from teaching them about the need for the rejuvenation of the ecological balance of Sunderbans, which is a World Heritage site.

Audio-visual presentations, including film shows, will be part of the awareness campaign.