TN to restore mangroves with direct World Bank funding to village councils

Chennai, Sep 24 (IANS) In a move to empower coastal communities, the World Bank has decided to bypass the traditional tendering process and directly channel funds to village-run mangrove councils for implementing the Tamil Nadu Strengthening Coastal Resilience and the Economy Project (TN-SHORE).

The initiative, which spans all 14 coastal districts, will focus on restoring mangroves, creating bioshields, and safeguarding vulnerable stretches of the State’s 906 km coastline.

Under the project, Village Mangrove Councils (VMCs) will undertake 300 hectares of new plantations and restore 700 hectares of degraded wetlands. Each council is registered as a society and operates a joint bank account held by the council president and the forest range officer. Payments for activities such as nursery raising, mangrove plantation, wetland restoration, and bioshield creation will be credited directly to these accounts.

Officials said this model mirrors the system already in place with Village Forest Committees.

The TN-SHORE project comes against the backdrop of mounting ecological concerns. A World Bank environmental framework notes that 43 per cent of Tamil Nadu’s coastline is vulnerable to erosion, while the state has lost 17 per cent of its mangroves and nearly 10 per cent of its coral cover historically.

Critical habitats such as Pulicat, Pichavaram, Muthupet, and the Gulf of Mannar are among the focus areas for restoration.

Over the next five years, the mission will also finance shoreline protection measures and bioshields covering 550 hectares, with an allocation of around Rs 100 crore. Coastal tree species, including casuarina, palmyrah, and cashew, will be planted as bioshields to act as natural barriers against cyclones, storm surges, and coastal erosion.

Beyond their protective function, these plantations are expected to improve biodiversity and provide livelihood support for coastal residents.

According to the latest government mangrove report, Tamil Nadu has already achieved an 82 per cent increase in mangrove cover over the past three decades, expanding from 23 sq km in 1987 to 41.91 sq km in 2023.

Officials believe the community-driven procurement system will further accelerate conservation, while ensuring transparency and local ownership of the project.

--IANS

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