Scheme (Project) Proposal
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Scheme (Project) Proposal MITIGATIVE MEASURES AGAINST ACTIVITIES (PROPOSED) IN ECO- SENSITIVE ZONE AREA BY GMR ENTERPRIZES PRIVATE LIMITED, NEW DELHI IN CORINGA WILDLIFE SANCTUARY, KAKINAD WILDLIFE RANGE OF WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT DIVISION, RAJAMAHENDRAVARAM. Action Plan INTRODUCTION: The mangrove forests of Godavari delta extend over 32222.17 ha (322.22 Sq.Km.). Out of this, 235.70 Sq. Km. of reserve Forest of Tallarevu and I. Polavaram Mandals have been declared as Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary under the Management control of Wildlife Management Division, Rajahmundry. The Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary with the estuarine and mangrove forest area of Coastal region in the East Godavari District of Andhra Pradesh is located at the confluence of the River Godavari with the Bay of Bengal. The Northern part of the Sanctuary is covered by the back waters of the Kakinada Bay. Kakinada Bay is made up of estuary of river Godavari covers an area of about 29.0 sq. km. The bay is fringed on the southern side by mud flats and thick mangrove swamps. The Kakinada spit present on the eastern side of the bay running north to south in direction acts as artificial embankment. Its shoreline habitats include mangrove swamps, tidal flats, channels and shallow bar built bay towards north. The eastern side is bounded by the Bay of Bengal. It is located at 12 km. south of Kakinada which is a fast developing industrial city and attracts city dwellers for recreation. The Coastal and marine environment of this region plays a vital role in supporting human welfare by virtue of its immense biological and mineral resources and the life-supporting systems it provides. Production operations and economic installations along the coast, such as marine fishing, aquaculture, agriculture, oil and gas exploration, ports and harbours, and tourism, have been contributing significantly to the regional economy. Like elsewhere, Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary and its adjoining Mangrove landscape, plays a crucial role in regional economic and livelihood development besides providing various ecosystem services essential as life supporting system for the East Godavari region. Unfortunately this ecosystem getting whittled away due to high degree of anthropogenic pressures and needs to be addressed immediately through restorative processes. IMPORTANCE OF MANGROVES Ecosystem service provided by Mangroves of East Godavari Coastal region a) Provisioning services: i) Food: Mangroves here are permanent or temporary habitats for many aquatic animals such as fin fish, shell fish, crustaceans and are hatching and nursery grounds for many marine fish. It is estimated that up to 80 percent of regional fish catches are directly or indirectly dependent on mangroves. ii) Timber and fuel wood: The villagers of this region mostly use the timber of Mangrove flora to build houses and make furniture, rafters, fences, bridges, poles, boats and as fuel wood. iii) Medicines: There were a few traditional uses for mangroves and associates like Caesalpinia bonduc (L.) Roxb., Clerodendron inerme, Dalbergia spinosa Roxb. Derris trifoliate Lour. and Hibiscus tiliaceus. The bark of Ceriops decandra is prepared traditionally to enhance the durability of the fishing nets. The barks of many species produce gums and tannins, which are still used for curing leather and strengthening fish nets. iv) Other non-timber forest products (NTFPs): The breathing roots of Sonneratia species are used to make corks and fish floats. Mangrove plants are sources of sodium, and the ash of some species, such as Avicennia, is used as soap. v) Enrichment of Coastal Sea: The coastal vegetation like Algae, sea weeds and mangroves play a significant role in enriching the coastal sea. They transport the dissolved organic matter, nutrients etc., besides serving as a nursery area for the larvae and juvenile marine animals and thus support the benthic population of the sea. vi) Fawning ground for commercially valued fish, crabs etc.: These forests are the home ground for a variety of commercially important fish, prawns, crabs and other species in their early stages, thus providing a big economic source to the country in general and state in particular. b) Relating services: i) Protecting the shoreline: Mangroves in this region acting as physical buffers between the elements and the shore and can absorb 70–90 percent of the energy of the waves, depending on their ecological condition. The mangroves of Coringa serve as a big barrier, safeguarding the Kakinada town. The opportunity cost of saving a life by retaining mangroves and it was assessed to be Rs. 11.7 million per life saved. ii) Carbon sequestration: Mangroves are important carbon sinks. They sequester about millions of tonnes of carbon per year. A 20-year-old plantation of mangroves has a carbon burial rate of 580 grams per square meter per year. iii) Promoting accretion: Mangroves function much like a living grove to build up sediment, stabilizing the ground and fixing mud banks. It is estimated that there is an annual sedimentation rate ranging between 1 and 8 millimeters in mangrove areas that are expanding in land area. Therefore, they prevent erosion. iv) Flood attenuation: Mangrove habitats function as gigantic sponges to trap and slowly release surface water. A one-acre wetland can typically store about three acre-feet of water. v) Trapping pollutants: Mangrove roots that help trap sediments also function as filters to sift out pollutants reaching the sea from inland waters. vi) Support for fauna: The canopy of mangrove trees provides an essential terrestrial habitat for fauna which prefer arboreal life. Mangrove soils are soft; mud mixed with sand and contains fauna which is not found in sandy and rocky shores. These forests are the abode of species like fishing cats, Otters, Wolfs, and Rhesus Monkeys etc., Apart from these residential species a number of birds are attached to these forests since they provide food for them in the form of fish, crabs, micro organisms, mud skippers etc. ACTIONS REQUIRED: 1) Advance operations and raising of mangrove plantation: About an area of 1637 ha have already been regenerated within the sanctuary area. Still small pockets of unplanted areas are available for regeneration and they may be taken up during 2016 to 2022 planting season. A total of 60% area is damaged and needs for rechanneling. The areas outside the sanctuary adjacent to the western border wherever possible should also be taken up for plantation to maintain the cushioning effect for the sanctuary. All the encroached abandoned aquaculture farms shall be brought under the mangrove plantations. The standard method of Fishbone channelling shall be adopted for regeneration. It has been observed in all the planted areas earlier, many of the natural fish nursery ponds have disappeared as they have not been given due importance at the time of designing itself. Simulation or restoration of mangrove ecology shall be based on nature’s design. It is recommended to explore possibilities of restore all disappeared natural breeding ponds of the fish and other invertebrates. Care should be taken while regenerating the areas such that all natural aquatic ponds are protected and the courses of water inflows into them shall be maintained. Table 1: Areas Recommended for Plantation Area Area Available Latitudes and S. Compt. of Nature of RF/Range Beat for Longitudes No No Compt. the Area plantation (around) (ha) (ha) 16° 51´ Coringa 24.6´´ 1 Kakinada Coringa 656 700.85 50 Degraded 82° 17´ WLM 54.4´´ Elevation 5m Encroached, Abandoned 16° 44´ Bhairavapalem aquaculture 44.3´´ farm land 2 Kakinada Bhairavapalem 661 603.29 50 82° 18´ area inside WLM the 41.1´´ Sanctuary Elevation 3m Boundary Degraded land and Buffer Encroached, 16° 41´ Rathikalava; Abandoned 41.8´´ Kakinada (T) 3 Rathikalava 670 615.37 50 aquaculture 82° 17´ (Adjacent farm land 56.9´´ Bhairavalanka area within Elevation 4m Village) and outside the RF Total Area to be planted 150 In the above area, it is proposed for planting over an area of 150 ha in 5 years during 2016 to 2022 in this scheme. Details are enclosed in the statement. METHODOLOGY AND TECHNIQUES: Restoration of the mangroves shall be done only when the salinity of the degraded area is brought down. In order to reduce the salinity, fishbone type canals are to be dug and tidal flushing and draining of stagnant water is facilitated. This results in brining the salinity levels to 60 ppt in summer to fresh water level during monsoon seasons. After a buffer period of three months, the nursery shall be raised, mangrove saplings are planted along the trapezoid shaped canals in the degraded areas. Canals are designed like fishbone in order to facilitate easy inflow and outflow of tidal water. The main canals shall be dug at an angle of 45° to the natural creek, while the side canals are dug at an angle of 30° to the main canal. This needs a preplanning of marking canals using Pegs and chalk powder. The canal dimensions shall be determined as per the contour levels and the tidal amplitude of the degraded area chosen for restoration The canals are to be dug in a trapezoidal shape in order to plant the saplings at the mid level of the canal. This is to ensure that the plants receive tidal water, but at the same time they are not submerged. Geomorphology and hydrology in mangrove restoration based on the contour survey and hydrology study, the canal depths and dimensions shall be fixed, corresponding to the topography and tidal amplitude of the selected restoration site. The topography study reveals whether the areas lying close to the bunds of creeks /rivers or elevated (levee) compared to the areas inside. The levees are formed due to the deposition of silt during floods. Secondly, the soil subsided in the clear felled area due to changes in bulk density, making the topography saucer-shaped.