West Bengal government announces a ‘mangrove cell’

Last Updated28/07/2023

West Bengal, which is home to about 40% of mangrove forests in India, recently announced the setting up of a ‘Mangrove Cell’ in the State.

The Cell will have an annual action plan for the plantation of mangroves
It will also look at their maintenance and coordinate with NGOs.
It will generate funds from private and international sectors, as well as publish books and conduct research on the subject.
It will bring certain continuity in the efforts of the State government in mangrove management.

A Mangrove is a small tree or shrub that grows along coastlines, taking root in salty sediments, often underwater.
Mangroves are flowering trees, belonging to the families Rhizophoraceae, Acanthaceae, Lythraceae, Combretaceae and Arecaceae.
They are found only along sheltered coastlines within the tropical or subtropical latitudes because they cannot withstand freezing temperatures.

They can survive under extreme hostile environments such as high salt and low oxygen conditions.
They have special roots called breathing roots or pneumatophores.
- These roots have numerous pores through which oxygen enters the underground tissues.
With their roots submerged in water, mangrove trees thrive in hot, muddy, salty conditions that would have quickly killed most plants.
Mangroves, like desert plants, store fresh water in thick succulent leaves.
- A waxy coating on the leaves seals in water and minimises evaporation.
Their seeds germinate while still attached to the parent tree (Viviparity)
- Once germinated, the seedling grows into a propagule.
- The mature propagule then drops into the water and gets transported to a different spot, eventually taking root in a solid ground.