Bhubaneswar, April 21: Odisha government has decided to create 135 hectare new mangrove forests in 2016-17 FY in the coastal belt.
State Chief Secretary AP Padhi directed officials to make the programme in association with the coastal area management project for growth of mangrove forests in the State.
Along with plantation of mangrove trees, he also directed for proper maintenance of the mangrove forests.
According to Chief Forest Conservator Sidhant Das around nine square km new mangrove forest has been created in 2015-16 FY. Currently, there are total 231 square km mangrove forest in the State out of which 190 square km in Kendrapara, 30 square km in Bhadrak, 8 square km in Jagatsinghpur, 2 square km in Balasore and 1 square km in Puri district.
Meanwhile sources said, the State has achieved the target by creating mangrove forest at total cost of Rs 66 lakh in Mahanadi delta area, Bhitarkanika and Debikadua area in 2015-16 FY. Total 3821.66 hectare mangrove forest has been created at investment of Rs 8.19 crore during the year from 2001 to 2016 in State, they added.
A survey will be conducted on marine fungi in the State for which the Director of Dehradun based Wildlife Institute of India has been requested to suggest a particular project in this regard, sources said.
