Shield against cyclones: Odisha to have more mangrove forests in coastal belts

The rich mangrove forest (hental bana) in Bhitarkanika National Park played a crucial role in limiting the devastation caused by Cyclone Dana which recently hit the coast of Odisha.

Though efforts by the government played a great role, the mangrove forest acted as a barrier against the storm, by obstructing the water flow with their roots, husks, and leaves. 

Had these mangroves been combined with better infrastructure, they could have played a greater role in further reducing the impact of cyclones hitting Odisha, said an environmentalist.

For instance, planting mangroves in front of an embankment can decrease water flow velocity. Keeping this in mind, the Odisha government has announced the creation of more mangrove forests and casuarinas plantations in the coastal belts.

With an aim to erect a strong, natural barrier against the strong winds during cyclones, the government aims to raise the coastal belt plantation, informed Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari.

“Hental bana is the best and true friend of us human beings. It acted as a shield to protect us from the cyclone. It just did not shield but also won, which helped reduce the impact of the cyclone. This was a great lesson for us all,” said Minister Pujari.

“So, we have already buckled up and started work to create more ‘hental bana’ in the coastal belts to protect us from tsunamis and cyclones. I have also had a talk with the Irrigation Department in this regard,” he added.

Currently, Odisha has a reserve of a mangrove forest area of 231 sqkm with a major chunk in Bhitarkanika. It stands second only to Sundarbans in West Bengal.