PANAJI
On the occasion of ‘World Earth Day’, St Joseph Vaz College at Cortalim in association with Nisarga Nature Club, Chicalim Youth Farmers Club and Goencho Ekvott organised a mangrove plantation drive, as a second restoration cycle of the Mangrove Conservation Initiative at Sancoale between April 22 and April 24.
Locals from Sancoale joined the initiative titled ‘Come, let’s Man-groove’ along with Paulina Azavedo, a member of the Sancoale panchayat. A total of 25 volunteers participated in the initiative.
Dr Fr Bolmax Pereira, coordinator of the initiative, welcomed the volunteers for the second phase of mangrove plantation.
Sandeep Azrenkar of Nisarga Nature Club appreciated the young brigade of volunteers who took time out for the initiative.
Alisha Pereira of CYFC stressed on the need to have more of mangrove plantation drives for shoreline protection amid rampant coastal concretisation in the State.
Mangrove volunteer, Tallulah D’Silva, an architect by profession, expressed happiness in being a part of this initiative along with the local people participating enthusiastically and appreciated the organisers for such an initiative.
Tallulah had a special word of appreciation for Fr Bolmax Pereira for meaningful celebration by conducting a much required mangrove plantation on his birthday.
Angela Serrao, faculty at St Joseph Vaz College reminded the volunteers that this is the second phase of this initiative and called for more dedication from the local people.
A local Miguelina Azavedo proposed the vote of thanks and expressed her gratitude to St Joseph Vaz college and co-organisers for considering restoration of mangroves at their local shoreline, which was damaged when cylone Tauktae hit the Goan coast.
This activity was supported by the forest department, Goa State Biodiversity Board, ICAR-CCARI, Old Goa and Diocesan Commission for Ecology. The first phase of this initiative was held on Goa Statehood Day (May 30).
Around 500 mangrove propagules of Rhizophora mucronata species (the Red mangrove) were planted along the Zuari river bank at Bondebhat, Sancoale.
