Review Of Research Vol.1,Issue.IV/Jan; 12pp.1-4 Nabi A. and Brahmaji Rao P. ISSN:-2249-894X

Research Papers RR Studies on Socio-economic aspects of the people at Region and their impact on Mangrove Forests, , .

Brahmaji Rao P. Nabi A. Department of Environmental Science, -Department of Humanities & Sciences, Acharya Nagarjuna University, D.M.S.S.V.H. College of Engineering, Machilipatnam.

Abstract Mangrove Ecosystems play an important role in preventing cyclones and tsunamis at estuaries from entering into interior land and in the economic development of local inhabitants. Mangrove plants have special adaptations such as stilt roots, viviparous germination, salt-excreting leaves, breathing roots, knee roots by which these plants survive in water logged anaerobic saline soils. The study of mangrove ecosystems in the deltaic region of , particularly in Machilipatnam coastal region is very less and hence taken up. The data of the people in the selected field stations are gathered. The socio-economic status of the local inhabitants and their dependance on mangroves for their economic growth have been established.

Key Words: Mangroves, Krishna Mangroves, mangrove patches present in Gilakaladindi and its Socio-economic status, nearby villages Pedapatnam, Polatitippa and 1. Introduction: Pallethummalapalem. The word 'mangrove' is used for salt 2. Study Area: tolerant plants. Mangroves are specialized Machilipatnam is between 16°10'N to ecosystems, capable of living under the influence 16.17°N latitudes and 81°09'E to 81.13°E of salt water, along the estuarine sea coasts and longitudes on the southeast coast of and in river mouths in the tropical and subtropical regions the east corner of Andhra Pradesh. The northern of the world, mainly in the intertidal zone. These distributary of Krishna river drains in this area near plants are specialized to tolerate high salinity, tidal . extremes, high fluctuations in wind, temperature Mangrove vegetation is a fragile and muddy anaerobic soil with the development of ecosystem. Krishna mangroves are changing some adaptive morphological characteristics. No rapidly due to natural calamities, deforestation, other groups of terrestrial plants survive well aquaculture, over-exploitation, absence of proper under such conditions. management, conservation etc. Mangrove The objective of the investigation is to vegetation is a natural protector from natural assess the socio-economic conditions of the people threats like cyclones, tsunamis etc. The cyclone in living in mangrove areas in around 1977, 1990 and the tsunami in 2004, which Machilipatnam. The port at Gilakaladindi near devastated and Machilipatnam regions Machilipatnam is going to be expanded and hence respectively, are examples of natural threats. It is the present study is carried out to identify the proved that mangroves act as natural protectors to

ROR (1), Studies on Socio-economic aspects of the people at Machilipatnam... Review Of Research Vol.1,Issue.IV/Jan; 2012 control the cyclonic winds and tsunami waves, and many other invertebrates, just like in Godavari with densely populated mangrove vegetation mangroves and other deltas.(Brahmaji Rao, 1998). (Banerjee, 1998). Therefore, a detailed study of Socio- Economic status of the people in this Krishna mangroves is very important. region: The Krishna deltaic region is in tropical · There are no people, with an annual humid climate, with hot summers and moderate income of above rupees one lakh. winters. The hottest months are April, May and · Mangrove forests are playing a vital role June, when the average highest temperature is 330 for the socio-economic development of the people C. The coldest month is January, when the highest of this area. temperature is 230 C. Maximum temperature · Molluscan shells are collected from varies from 230 C to 330 C and the minimum value mangrove by fishermen for lime preparation. ranges between 190 C to 230 C during a year. · Mangrove twigs are used as firewood by Machilipatnam gets annual rainfall due to the the local people. southwest monsoon. The average normal rainfall · The mangrove wood with high content of in the district is 110 cm, as obtained from the data tannin is used as timber due to its durability. The collected by the author1 from June 2008 to June pneumatophores of mangrove trees are used by 2011. local fishermen for stopper and float making. Pedapatnam is a mid-sized village located · The fruits of Sonneratia species are used at a distance of 23 km from Machilipatnam, for beverage preparation. mandal head quarter in the district of Krishna. · Mangrove extracts are used as indigenous Gilakaladindi village is about 5 km east to medicines, for example, the extracts of Avicennia Machilipatnam. Polatitippa is a mid-sized village species have tonic effect. Extracts from mangroves located nearly 14 km away from Machilipatnam. seem to have a potential for killing pathogens in Palletummalapalem is a mid- sized village located humans, animals and plants and for the treatment at a distance of 17 km from Machilipatnam. of incurable viral diseases. Similar observations 3. Materials & Methods: were made by Kathiresan in 2000 in The main field stations are in the arena of Sunderbans.(Kathiresan, 2000). Machilipatnam. The starting point of northern · Mangrove forests play an important role in distributary of Krishna river, along with other maintaining healthy coastal environment. criteria like vegetation structure, inundation · Mangroves also provide environmental frequency and the extent of human interference are support for the people community. taken into account while selecting a main field · Mangrove ecosystem serves as a station. The above criteria have also been selected protection for a myriad of juvenile aquatic species, (according to Smith, 1992) to visualize the factors a habitat for a variety of terrestrial fauna and a responsible for the degradation of mangrove belts. source of nutrients in sustaining many complex Several field visits have been made to study the food chains. socio-economic conditions of the people living in Thus the economic, social and cultural the field stations. From the responses of the people lives of people in these regions are closely to the questionnaire, their socio-economic associated with the mangrove flora and fauna. conditions are studied and analyzed. Land Resource Utilization 4. Results & Discussion The land in this region is mostly wetland Socio-economical aspects and Resource and covers mangrove vegetation. The land is used utilization: Mangrove ecosystems are of great for aquaculture and agriculture (mainly for paddy ecological importance and function as a natural growing). Some of the aquaculture ponds set up resource for inhabitants. The high productivity of during the early 1990s are abandoned & mangals is utilized over centuries for livelihood, reconverted into agricultural land in the recent traditional usage and subsistence economy. In the years. Central wetland and upland zones are present study, the data are analysed to know how covered with Prosopis trees and sand. the people in this region utilize the resources for a) Cropping pattern: Paddy is the major their livelihood and practice their agricultural agricultural crop cultivated in coastal villages near works, shrimp farming, plantation etc. mangrove areas. It is irrigated mainly by means of Mangrove forests in the study area also serve as canals of river Krishna. The forest department has diverse habitats for many species, including fish, raised casuarina plantations under its “Shelter-belt bird, reptiles, amphibians, molluscs, crustaceans Programme” along the coast near Pedapatnam and ROR (2), Studies on Socio-economic aspects of the people at Machilipatnam... Review Of Research Vol.1,Issue.IV/Jan; 2012 Gilakaladindi. The returns from these plantations Group Scientific Name Common Name are used to help the villagers. 1 Crustaceans a. Prawns Penaeus indicus White Prawn b) Aquaculture: Aquaculture has been P. monodon Tiger Prawn P.Semisulcatus Flower Prawn practised both in revenue lands and forest areas for P. merguiensis Metapenaeus affinis King Prawn many centuries. The fishermen have been M. monoceros Brown Shrimp M.dobsonii Brown Shrimp following the traditional aquaculture system of Macrobrachium monoceros Freshwater Prawn Integrated Farming, for rice, fish, prawn and crabs. M.rosenberghii Giant freshwater Prawn b. Lobsters Panilurus sp. Deep sea lobsters In some places, paddy fields have been converted Thenus orientalis sand lobsters c. Crabs Scylla serrata Mud crab to prawn farms; in other areas the same farms have S.tranguibarcil Sea crab Charybdis cruciata Sea crab been reconverted to paddy fields. It is mostly tiger 2 Molluscs a. Cephalopods Sepia sp. Cuttle fish prawns that are cultivated in the prawn farms. Loligo sp. Squid b. Bivalves Perna indica Brown mussel Water Resource Utilization: P.viridis Green mussel Water present in the mangrove areas has Vellorita cyprinoides Clam Anadora granosa Clam multifarious utilization. The water resources Crossostrea madrasensis Clam Katelysia opima Oyster facilitate the distribution of fauna and c. Gastropoda Achantina fulica Cerithidea fiuvatilis Giant African sand snail establishment of viviparous seedlings. The water 3 Fishes Rastrelliger kanaguta Mugil cephalus Mackerel resources are extensively utilized for fishing and Lates calcarifer Mullet

Epinephalus sp., Nemipterus sp., Purches other related maritimal activities. Panprus argentius White pamfret P.niger Black pomfret 90% of the fishing activity with an average Sardinella longiceps Sardina fishing area of 20 to 25 km2 is concentrated in the S.fimbricata Sardina

S.gibbosa Sardina mangrove zones, employing dip-nets across the Euthunnus affinis Tuna

Scomberomorus guttatus Seer fisg channels or creeks. The other mode of maritimal Periophthalmus crysocephalus Mud fish activity of the area is collection of Molluscs by shell gatherers, who spend most of their manual Table –2: A List of Vertebrate Fauna of Wild Life Importance in the Study Area Group Name of the Species Common Name Status days for collecting molluscan shells and live in Amphibians Rana hexadactyla Skipper frog Common R. cyanoplyctis Common frog Common boats logged in channels temporarily and shift to Bufo melanostictus Toad Common Microhyla ornate Tree frog Rare Reptiles Lepdochelys olivaceae Olive-ridley Rare other places after rear time. Kachuga tectum tentorica Reed turtles Common Lissemys punctata Terrapin Common Varanus bengalensis Monitor lizard Rare Salt pans: In this region water is utilized Amphiesma stolata Land snake Common Natrix piscator Freshwater snake Common for salt forming since sea water has high salinity. Dryophis pulverulentus Green snake Rare Naja naja Common cobra Vulnerable Bungarus caeruleus Common krait Vulnerable The salt is prepared by preparing salt pans, which Vipera russelli Viper Vulnerable Birds Anihinga rupa Darters Resident are demarcated fields, each of 10 x10 m area, near Phalacrocorax niger Little cormorant Local, Migratory Egretta garzetta Little egret Resident Bubalicus ibis Cattle egret Resident the sea shore. These can be seen near Manginapudi Ardeola grayii Pond heron Resident Larus brunnicephalus Black headed gulls Migratory beach (Near Machilipatnam), Gilakaladindi and Tringo glariola Sand pipers Migratory Numerius arguata Curlew Migratory Ceryle rudis Pied kingfiher Resident Polatitippa and are used for salt manufacturing. Alcedo althis Common kingfisher Resident Anas actua Pintail Migratory A.clypeata Stoveler Migratory Biological Resource Utilization A.crecca Common teal Migratory Tringa nebularia Green shank Migratory The mangrove forests are highly T.totanus Common red shank Migratory Rostradella bengalensis Painted snipe Local, Migratory productive ecosystems of biological importance. Ma mmals Re curvirostra avosetta Avoc et Mi gratory Macaca mullatta Rhesus monkey Vulnerable Lutra perspicillata Watter otter Endangered Local inhabitants utilize the flora and fauna of Felis chanos Fishing cat Endangered Canis auraeus Jackal Vulnerable mangrove vegetation for traditional practices, Vulpes bengalensis Indian fox Vulnerable Herpestres bengalensis Mongoose Common Tupia ellioti Tree shrew Common subsistence economy and for commercial gains. Funambulis pennati Squirrel Common Pteropus giganteus Flying fox Common Lepus nigricornis Here Vulnerable The lists of fishery and vertebrate fauna that are Mus buduga Field mouse Common Rattus rattus Field rat Common commonly found in the study area are given in tables 1 and 2. a) Traditional Practices: Traditional utilization of flora and fauna by local inhabitants Table –1 : A List of Fishery Fauna of fall into different categories. The main resources Commercial Importance in the Study Area are formed from the plant communities of different species (Table 3) for house making, fishing articles, domestic usages, personal consumption, medicinal practice and as cattle fodder. b) Subsistence Utilization: Biological resources of mangrove forests are also used as 'subsistence' to local people for their livelihood. Major source of economy is by selling timber, charcoal, firewood and fodder. The monthly ROR (3), Studies on Socio-economic aspects of the people at Machilipatnam... Review Of Research Vol.1,Issue.IV/Jan; 2012 house-hold consumption either for domestic use or for subsistence has been individually estimated for families own 5 to 10 acres of cultivated land and firewood & charcoal and timber. others 1 to 3 acres. They use the land for paddy growth, which mainly depends the Krishna river Table 3- Importance of Mangrove Species utilization for different species in the study area distributary and rain water. Fishermen go to the

General uses and Medicinal sea for fishing with boats through river S.No Scientific Name Importance Traditional Subsistence Aphrodisiac, asthma, diabetes, distributary. 1 Acanthus ilicifolius rheumatism, snakebite Medicinal Snakebite Timber, wood, for construction, honey Honey 2 Aegialities rotundifolia collection Wood collection The village as a whole has about 100 Furniture making, asthma, diabetes, leaves are used as fish poison, wood fishing boats. The fishermen travel on boats for 3 Aericeras corniculatum for fishing boats fish poisoning Fishing boats Antifertility, skin diseases, ulcers, Fuel wood & 4 Avicennia alba contraceptive, fodder and fuel wood Washing Fodder about 28 kms into the sea for fishing. The fishing is Astringent, small pox, fodder, fuel 5 Avicennia marina wood, timber, honey collection Timber Fire wood done in two directions - one towards Nagayalanka Diuretic, leprosy, relieving ulsers, Roof & Wall 6 Avicennia Officinali aphrodisiac Fuel & Fodder making 7 Bruguiera cylindrical Timber, fuel wood, hepatitis, tannin Timber Tannin in Krishna District and the other towards Hypocotyls eaten as vegetable, fodder, wood for fishing boat, Hypocotyle Narasapuram in . The 8 Bruguiera gymnorrhiza firewood Fishing stakes as vegetable Timber, malaria, fruit paste are used against ulcers, fuel wood, honey Honey average time they spend on sea for fishing ranges 9 Ceriops decandra collection Timber collection Fiber from stem are used against from 4 hours to one week. Their average earning in 10 Clerodendrum inerme stomach pains and also as antiseptic Medicinal Fiber week fish 11 Derris trifoliata Stimulant, anti-spasmodic Medicinal poison a single trip ranges from Rs.30,000 to Rs.70,000 as 12 Excoecaria agallocha Milk latex is used against paralysis Fish poisoning Match wood Leaf decoction is used as dysentery & against their expenditure of Rs.50,000 per trip. laxative, firewood, wood for boat, 13 Hibiscus tiliaceous cabinet & fancy works Fishing boats Fancy works poor fire During the ban period for fishing they do 14 Lumnitzera recemosa Asthma, antifertility, snakebite Snake bite wood Astringent for diarrhea, skin diseases, miscellaneous works like boat repairs etc. fodder, bark is used for tanning, Fishing stakes, Fire wood, 15 Rhizophora apiculata nausea, fuel wood piles, pit forks Charcoal 16 Rhizophora mucronata Hepatitis, diabetes, firewood, tannin Diabetes Tannin About 250 other families exclusively Leaves are used in salads, leaf decoction for asthma, cough, depend on fishing in the mangrove creeks. They 17 Salvadora persica rheumatism Medicinal food additive Fruits are edible, fodder, timber, fuel 18 Sonneratia apetala wood fuel wood Timber travel on small boats into the creeks for fishing in 19 Suaeda maritima Hepatitis, eaten as leafy vegetable Medicinal Leaves 20 Xylocarpus granatum Malaria, timber, firewood, insect bite poor fire wood Furniture the forest area. They do agricultural labour work in

Socio-economic aspects of Pedapatnam: the paddy fields whenever they do not go for Most of the people belong to the backward fishing. community namely “Yadavas”. Their main It has a population of about 4500 living in occupation is hunting for prawn seedling in the about 1400 households. Out of 1400 houses nearly sea, sheep raring and agricultural labour work. 1200 are of RCC roof and the remaining kutcha Some families own 2 to 3 acres of cultivated land houses. The RCC houses are built with the aid and others half-acre to 1 acre. They use the land for given by the State Government under the schemes paddy growth, which mainly depends on rain. In Indiramma pathakam, World Vision of India, the case of scanty rains ground nut (peanut) crop is Social Service Organisations like Reconciliation grown. The fishermen go to the sea for fishing with Christian Ministry (RCM.) boats through Upputeru. Most of the families have more than 4 About 25 families depend on sheep members. Male to female sex ratio is 1.08: 1. growing. Government is lending money for sheep About 32% of the population is literates. growth and getting it repaid. They go to Socio-economic aspects of Polatitippa: agricultural labour work to nearby village during Most of the people are fishermen. They are rainy seasons. dependent on fishing, agricultural labour work and It has a population of 3000 living in 700 collection prawn seedlings from the sea. Most of households. Out of 700 houses 478 are of RCC the families exclusively depend on fishing in the roof and 220 are kutcha houses. The RCC houses mangrove creeks. There are no other practices are built with the aid given by the State like aquaculture, agricultural in this village. Government under the schemes Indiramma Mangrove nursery is present in this village. pathakam, World Vision of India, Social Service Fishermen go to the sea in boats through canals for Organisations like Reconciliation Christian fishing. Ministry (RCM). It has a population of 3000 living in 650 Most of the families have more than 4 house-holds. Out of them, only about 100 are of members. Male to female sex ratio is 1.06: 1. RCC roof and the remaining are kutcha houses. About 45% of the population is literates. The RCC houses are built with the aid given by the Socio-economic aspects of Gilakaladindi: State Government under the schemes Indiramma Most of the people are fishermen. They are pathakam and World Vision of India. dependent on fishing, agricultural labour work and Most of the families have more than 4 members. collection of prawn seedlings from the sea. Some Male to female sex ratio is 1:1. About 31% of the population is literates. ROR (4), Studies on Socio-economic aspects of the people at Machilipatnam... Review Of Research Vol.1,Issue.IV/Jan; 2012 Socio-economic aspects of Pelletummalapalem: Most of the people are fishermen. 5. Conclusions: Bharat Salt Refineries Ltd., which is a salt refinery The socio economic conditions of the local industry, is situated in this village in 5500 acres. inhabitants is not up to the expected level to Most of the people are daily labour in this industry. enhance their conditions developmental activities Nearly 1000 people are working in it. The work in should be taken by the State government. The the industry starts from 3 O' clock in the early proposed industries in this region need morning and closes by 9 a.m. In the rest of the day, conservation and regeneration of mangroves in people go for agricultural labour work and different patches. Planning and Management collecting prawn seedlings from the sea. They go practices to restore the socio-economic conditions to work in nearby village, which is about 5km and dependency of people on mangroves in this distance, to work in paddy fields. Some people go region are essential. to the sea in boats through canals for fishing. 6. Acknowledgements: It has a population of 1650 living in 430 Authors are thankful to the village revenue households. Most of them are of RCC roof. The officers and the people of the four villages for RCC houses are built with the aid given by the providing us the information required for the State Government under the schemes Indiramma study. pathakam and World Vision of India. Most of the families have more than 4 7.References: members. Male to female sex ratio is 1.02:1. 1. Banerjee et al., (l998). Mangroves, About 90% of the population is literates. Associates and Salt Marshes of the `Godavari and The social status of the people in all the four Krishna Delta. Botanical Survey of India, Envis villages and house-hold utilization of plants is Centre, Calcutta. estimated and the details are given in Table 4. 2. Brahmaji Rao, P (1998). Ecological From the data, the living conditions and Studies and Socio economic aspects for the dependency on mangrove forests are analysed and Conservation and Management of the Coringa the relationship between utilization of resources Mangrove Forests of Andhra Pradesh, India and socio-economic conditions in each field (Thesis submitted to Andhra University). station are compared. 3. Kathiresan, K. (2000). A review of studies Along with the present socio-economic on Pichavaram Mangrove of Southeast India. status and utilization of resources, the impact of Hydrobiologia 430 (1), pp.185-205. the proposed developmental activities on 4. Smith, T.J. III (1992). Forest structure. Ln mangrove vegetation and the future socio- “Tropical mangrove ecosystems” (A.I.Robertson economic status of the people, are predicted for and D.M. Alongi, eds), pp. 101-136. American this region. The state Government proposes port Geophysical Union, Washinton DC., USA. construction in Gilakaladindi. In Polatitippa big projects like Thermal Power Project, Unnati Paper Mills etc. are proposed. The land is also allotted for these projects. Bharat Salt Refineries Ltd., is a big project in Pallethummalapalem, existing in a campus of 8000 acres and a Thermal Power Plant of a capacity of 1000 MW is proposed at Kona, a nearby village of Pallethummalapalem.

Table –4: Socio- economical status in Region of the Study area

Socio- economical status in the Study Area

Detail data Pedapatnam Gilakaladindi Polatitippa P.T.Palem House Hold 700 1400 652 430

2862 4245 2767 1650 Total Population

1450 2200 1384 850 Male Sex ratio 1371 2045 1383 800 Female 4 195 382 126 54 Family Size >4 414 692 422 320 Cultivators 173 5 18 101

Major Agriculture 682 700 92 372 Ocupation labour Fishing 250 775 300 100 Salt pans & 100 120 200 800 Salt industry Literate Population 45% 32% 31% 90%

<60000 350 674 330 555 Annual Income 60000 - 100000 1100 725 1054 1381 > 100000 ------

ROR (5),