The Maharashtra Mangrove Cell has commissioned a new satellite-based assessment of the state's sea forests. This goal is to get a better understanding of the spread and devastation of mangroves. The Maharashtra Remote Sensing Application Centre (MRSAC) has been tasked with conducting the survey.
The study is expected to take two years to complete. It will cover the seven coastal districts of Sindhudurg, Raigad, Ratnagiri, Thane, Mumbai city and suburbs, and Palghar. The Mangrove Cell has planned to allocate INR 4.36 crore for this project.
MRSAC is a state-run organization. It was established to manage and monitor the state's natural resources using space technology. It is recognised as one of the leading centres for GIS-assisted natural resource monitoring and management.
Earlier, there had been strict directives from the high court regarding the state's mangrove monitoring program. Despite a five and a half-year-old order from the Bombay High Court to preserve them, large portions of the sea forests have not yet been transferred to the mangrove cell by various authorities.
In technical terms, MRSAC will conduct a new satellite-based mapping of the current status of all the state's mangroves. Palghar district tops the list of districts with non-transferred mangroves, with 1,277.58 hectares. Other districts with pending transfers include Raigad - 70ha, Thane - 3ha, Sindhudurg - 58ha, Ratnagiri - 579ha, and Mumbai City - 24ha.
The remaining 2,011.36 hectares mangroves will soon be transferred to the forest department. In recent years, the state's mangroves have faced many threats. This is particularly about the areas that have not been given to the forest department.
Share
Tweet
