Goa | June 5, 2023

Union Minister of State for Tourism, Ports, Shipping and Waterways Shripad Naik today planted mangrove saplings at Dr Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary, Chorao, as part of the nation-wide launching of Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats and Tangible Incomes (MISHTI) scheme under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India. The program was organized in association with Forest department, government of Goa and Wildlife and Ecotourim, Campal Range, North Goa, to mark Environment Day on June 5.

Speaking  at the function, Union MoS Shripad Naik said that tree plantation and plastic ban need to be implemented by one and all. “The State government and Goa Forest department are working very well on this front. People's participation is also very important for such campaigns. We need to carry forward Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s message for protection of the environment.”

Talking about the mangrove plantation, the minister said that under as part of the launch of MISHTI, mangrove plantation programs were organized at 75 mangrove sites in nine states in the country. “We have experienced how uncomfortable we feel because of the rise in temperature. Hence, we need to organize more and more such programs to protect the environment,” he said.

Maem MLA Premendra Shet, who is also the chairman of Goa State Horticultural Corporation Ltd, said that we need to come up against single-use plastic to ensure a clean environment. “The mangrove plantation drive has been organized today with a motto of protecting the environment in whatever way possible. For the betterment of the future generations, we need to follow Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s message of environment protection.”

Rajiv Kumar Gupta, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Goa, said that more mangrove plantation drives would be conducted across the state under MISHTI scheme.

Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Goa, Umakant; Chief Conservator of Forests (Development) Praveen Kumar Raghav, Chief Conservator of Forests Saurabh Kumar, and other senior officers of Forest department, Goa, were present on the occasion.

The central government had rolled out the MISHTI scheme in budget 2023-24. The scheme envisages to comprehensively explore the possible area for development of Mangroves covering approximately 540 Sq. Kms. spreading across 11 States and 2 Union Territories during five years commencing FY 2023-24 onwards. The sharing of best practices on plantation techniques, conservation measures, management practices and resources mobilization through Public Private Partnership are objectives of the MISHTI scheme.

 

GSK/PM

 

Follow us on social media:@PIBMumbai    /PIBMumbai    /pibmumbai  pibmumbai[at]gmail[dot]com  /PIBMumbai    /pibmumbai

(Release ID: 1929971) Visitor Counter : 1408