World Bank to fund mangrove conservation project in TN | Chennai News

Chennai: TN forest dept will create village mangrove councils (VMCs) to strengthen community participation in protecting and restoring mangrove ecosystems across 14 coastal districts.Modelled on the existing village forest councils, the new bodies will implement large-scale mangrove restoration with active involvement of local communities. Coastal trees and shrubs grow in saline, and tidal waters provide habitat for diverse species and act as natural barriers against storm surges, filtering water, and storing significant amounts of blue carbon to combat climate change.For the project, World Bank has approved an initial funding of 38 crore. The fundswill support the restoration of 700 hectares of degraded mangrove areas and planting of new saplings across 300 hectares, including abandoned salt pans identified as suitable sites.VMCs will form committees for purchasing, planting, and monitoring committees. They will also promote awareness of the role mangroves play in biodiversity conservation, shoreline protection, and sustenance of fisheries.Since the initiative is implemented under the World Bank’s ‘community procurement plan’, it does not call for tenders. “Allocations for individual works are capped at 10 lakh. This model ensures transparency, accountability, and direct participation of local communities in protecting their ecosystems,” said a senior official.



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