1 | P a g e

A REPORT ON ORIENTATION TOUR TO GUJARAT

By

SPMU, West Bengal And

Directorate of Forest, West Bengal

2 | P a g e

A Report on Orientation Tour to Gujarat

Date of exposure: October 03 to 09, 2012

Places visited: ICZMP office in Gandhinagar, and various site located at Bhuj and Jamnagar

region.

People met: ICZMP officials, PIA officials, CBO members, general community members, etc.

The team from West Bengal:

SPMU: Sanjay Pal (Social Development Specialist), Mrinal Kanti Bhattacharyya (Senior

Programme Assistant), Tarun Kumar Debnath (Advisor),SabyasachiSautya (Fisheries Specialist)

and Abhijeet Hazra (Prog. Assistant, Accounts, Placed at Forest Dept).

Directorate of Forest: Leading by N.V Raja Shekar, IFS (Spl CCF, Western Circle, West

Bengal), Prashanta Pal, WBFS (DFO, Purba Medinipur), ChhatradharSoren (Forest Ranger),

BanibrataSamanta (Forest Ranger), Sukumar Jana (Dy Ranger), Prabir Kumar Sen (Dy Ranger),

Gouri Sankar Das (Dy Ranger), BappaNath (Dy Ranger).

Description of the visit:

3rd

October, 2012 (1st Day)

On arrival in Gujarat on October 3rd

afternoon, the team received an initial

briefing from A.K Verma, IFS, Project Director, GEC about the overall project

and D.K. Sharma, IFS, CCF, Kutch Circle, Bhuj about the mangrove plantation

in Bhuj areas at SPMU office, Gandhinagar.

4th

October (2nd

Day)

The team leaves from Gandhinagar to Gandhidham at morning and the journey

took around 5hours to reach the destination. The team visited the mangrove

plantation site located at Tuna village and also interacted with CBOs there.

5th

October (3rd

Day)

The team visited to Ashirawandh village in Bhuj district. All people included

DCF, Bhuj interacted with CBO of Ashirawandh and discussed about their

development. The village is suffering from water problem, otherwise dairy

project and child education is developing there. The team got experience with a

boat journey in the charming blue-green shade of water through the Jakahau-

Sanghi Mangrove areas for around 2:30 hours. It was observed that soil in some

3 | P a g e

of the areas has been restored after mangrove plantation. The team interacted

with CBO and saw their activities at Lukki village under ICZMP, Gujarat. One

big Well with pipe line connected to village, has built up for water harvesting.

The team visited pilgrimage sites, Narayan Sarovar is a different kind of holy

experience. The sarovar is looked at as one of the five holy ponds in India.

6th

October (4th

Day)

The team visited Dhorado village which is the last village of Kutch and located

just tip of the Rann of Kutch. Basically this village is developed as tourism

village. The team visited the Great Rann of Kutch after visit the village. After

visit the Rann of Kutch the Team started to rise up on the top of the Kala

Dungar which is found in Araballi hills range and a highest point of Gujarat. It

was the best panoramic view of the Great Rann of Kutch from the top of the

Kala Dungar.

7th

October (5th

Day)

All people started journey from Bhuj to Jamnagar and

reached at 12:30 P.M. After check in hotel at Jamnagar the

team visited to Dwarka Temple and to interact with local

EDC.

8th

October (6th

Day)

The team guided by Sri Kamboj, IFS, CCF, (MNP) Jamnagar visited the

mangrove region of Narara Marine National Park. They described us

various technique for mangrove plantation such as rise bed technique etc.

at the site. After look out the mangrove plantation the team moved to

Marine National Park area which is country’s first Marine Park filled with

various species of corals, invertebrates and many other organisms. The team

also interacted with SIKKA EDC which is mainly female based community.

The visited to Khijadiya bird sanctuary at Jamnagar at evening.

9th

October (7th

Day)

Leave Jamnagar and reached Kolkata via Mumbai airport.

4 | P a g e

Wonder sharing of knowledge in Gujarat

A.0 INTRODUCTION

he Forest Directorate (FD) is one of the PIAs under ICZM Project being implemented by SPMU

in West Bengal. Primary goal of this component is to safeguarding the ecological security of

Digha-Sankarpur coastal area and providing livelihood opportunities to the fisherman and other

inhabitants living in the coastal area through the initiation of community based programmes too.

Gujarat Ecology Commission (GEC), being the SPMU in Gujarat has been operational in building

a long-term institutional sustainability, aimed at helping the coastal zone management of the

Department of Forest & Environment, as per the state’s medium-term capacity building plan. In

this context GEC started involving such communities that had a big stake in mangroves in its

restoration project, and in the process not only brought communities like fisher folk and

pastoralists on board, but brought private sector operating in coastal regions, with the common

objectives towards restoration of mangroves. So the basic purpose of the orientation tour of Forest

officers and SPMU people from West Bengal to Gujarat is to gain first-hand knowledge about

mangrove plantations, community contracting, and community directed mangrove planting as well

as other aspects of the ICZM Project being implemented in Gujarat.

B.0 SALIENT POINTS of the Programmes as observed by the WB team

B.1 The Mangrove Restoration Project

Gujarat has the second largest mangrove cover in the country. Mangrove regions are concentrated

in the districts of Kutch, Jamnagar, Rajkot and Bharuch, with Surat and Bhavnagar too having

sizeable cover.

This project was launched through public-private partnership (P.P.P). The importance of

mangroves to men has been most acutely felt since the Tsunami of 2004. There was a sudden

awareness of the role mangroves played in protecting the defined shorelines and preventing it from

getting washed and swept away by strong winds. After Tsunami, it had been revealed/noticed

wherever the mangroves had been healthy; the regions were substantially less ravaged by Tsunami.

Specially, in Kutch, due to loss of farm lands nearer to mangroves by strong wave and wind

actions, the Maldharis Community felt great difficulties to feed their cattle, those were their most

support to maintain their livelihood.

Through the innovative public-private partnership project(P.P.P) launched by GEC, in 2007, the

people & the private sectors have come forward, and have partnered with the state in the plantation

and managing the new mangroves areas. More than 20 of Gujarat’s leading industries had joined

T

5 | P a g e

in those innovative programmes even with contribution of fund. The P.P.P. (Public-Private

Partnership Project) has set a new benchmark towards restoration of mangroves in their state as

well as in country for a successful alliance between the government, the communities and the

industries in environment-related initiatives.

The Mangrove Restoration through P.P.P has evolved a resounding success for the communities,

the industry and the society at large.

The Project on Mangrove restoration through PPP by GEC is laudable, because of following:

i) In Natural regeneration

a. Creation of vegetative barrier to check erosion of mangrove areas by violent sea

action,

b. Reduction of fresh water inflow by construction of WHSs in upstream side.

c. Creation of vegetative spurs to check increase of salinity in soil and water.

ii) Reduction of over exploitation by local community caused due to non-availability of fuel

and fodder, non-management of natural resources by villagers, encroachments & lack of

awareness.

iii) Indiscriminate exploitation by Maldharies by free grazing for

camel and inter-conflicts of ownerships in community.

iv) Changes & un-scientific uses of mud flats for progressive

habitations.

v) Fish catching in degraded areas.

vi) Mono culture in forestry especially in mangrove areas.

vii) Influx of migrant labourers around industrial and port activities

& anthropogenic pressure.

viii) Non-availability of fodder for cattle.

ix) Diversion of mangrove lands for other uses like salt pans and

industries.

B.2 EDCs/ CBOs (Community Based Organization)

Selection of target groups: The Community having land with tolerable saline level, lack of

irrigation and having limited source of livelihood and earning.

Formation of committee and its registration, as well as selection of other functionary

members.

Preparation of Micro-Plan by P.R.A, by interaction and field visit with local community

inclusive of unanimous acceptance of appraisal.

Interaction with local EDC at

Tuna village

Interaction with local CBO at

Ashirawand village

6 | P a g e

Prioritization of demands & its scopes of legitimate fulfillments, in time, through

continuous interactions.

B.3 Procedure of Management of EDCs/JMFCs/CBOs in community contracting

1. In case of GEC monitoring of entire works done by engaging village level coordinator

under direct control of GEC, on revenue lands.

a) Engagement of community mobilizer 1(one) number for 1(one) village on Honorarium/

Contract basis for preparation of Micro-plan by PRA.

b) For Bank transactions and keeping accounts done by engaging 1(one) member selected from

community & 1(one) member from GEC.

2. In case of Forest Department monitoring of entire works done departmentally, on forest

lands.

a) 1(one) staff up to the Rank Beat Guard (F.G.) to be entrusted for supervision/ execution of

works, who will be one of the joint signatories, as a member secretary of that community.

b) 2(two) members are to be selected from Community for assistance towards execution of

works. 1(one) of them should be elected member ( Sarpanch) who would be head of the

community and may be other joint signatory, on refusal of another one.

c) For Bank transactions and keeping accounts done by staff of Forest Department on behalf

of community until gaining self-sufficiency to maintain account.

B.4 MANGROVE PLANTATION TECHNIQUES

1. Old technique by Direct Dibbling:-

a) Seeds were directly dibbled in swampy soil/mud in line at 2.00m apart in line and line to line

2.00 m. The success of this method and survival rate of plants primarily depends on soil

conditions and water current. Loose/sludgy mud conditions do not allow the sprouted plants to

get established while high water current wash the dibbled seeds/sprouted seedlings away.

b) Planting by nursery raised seedlings, @ 2500 nos. seedlings/ha, by Dig and Plant method.

These methods require most after care by continuous gap filling by transplanting nursery raised

seedlings/ dibbling for re-stocking.

2. New/ recent technique: - (at Sikka,Jamnagar District along the coast of Gulf of Kachchh)

7 | P a g e

Where there are least chances of survival ability of mangrove plantations due to existence of

sludgy soil with most erodible by tidal action of sea and high

salinity:-

i) Sowing of seeds on raised bed/platform made by local

sludgy soil having size of platform/ bed1m x 1m, 30 cm height,

at an interval of 5m in line& lines are 5m apart@ 400

nos.beds/platforms/ ha. One raised platform/ bed 60-65nos. of

seeds are sown/ dibbled, by assuming the target of survivality at

least1 (one) no. plant raised /bed/platform i.e. 25000 nos. seeds are

dibbled for raising 1ha of plantation.

ii) Sowing of seeds on raised bed/platform made by local sludgy

soil having size of platform/ bed 1m x 1m, 30 cm height, at an

interval of 2m in line & lines are 2m apart @ 2500 nos. beds

/platforms ha one raised platform/ bed 60-65 nos. of seeds are sown/

dibbled, by assuming the target of survivality at least1 (one) no. plant

raised / bed/platform i.e.150000 nos. seeds are dibbled for raising

1ha of plantation.

All these were done for:

1. Protective measures against loss /damage by sweeping action of

tidal flow of water, as general phenomenon.

2. As Avicenia marina, is characteristically dwarf and bushy, can

thrive in most sludgy& erodible soil along the approach of coasts

by tidal action of sea and increased high salinity.

3. A. marina is also a substitute fodder for cattle.

4. Ensure settlement as central stocks (at least1 no. plant, as a target/

raised bed/platform) by way of sacrificing peripheral stocks.

5. Expenditure towards soil works is absolutely less.

6. In initial stage due to congestion sweeping action of sea will be lesser, in compare to open &

flat bed of sludgy and erodible soil.

B.5 Development of Villages

Apart from restoration of mangroves joint venture by GEC and Forest Department following

praiseworthy activities were also made for development to villages:-

Raised bed technique at

Jamnagar mangrove region

Avicenia marina at Jamnagar

mangrove region

Looking to raised bed

technique

8 | P a g e

Construction of WHSS e.g. Earthen Dams, Big masonry

wells, as EPA: In most of the village women used to travel

more than 8-10 hrs per day to fetch drinking water from quite a

distant for her family as well as for livestock. With a view to

giving relief to women for fetching drinking water for their

family as well as livestock, Construction of W.H.S.(Water

Harvesting Structure) e.g. Earthen Dams, Big masonry wells, in

the defined catchments were made for storing rain water and its ultimate uses through overhead

reservoir and its distribution through pipe lines, where water supply was erratic. Especially in

Ashirawand village, Jakhoa villages, as EPA.

Corpus Fund

A corpus fund was also created in each village for upkeep of the

mangroves. All expenses for maintenance of the plantations as well

as the other assets created under the project after the activities had

been completed would be met by this fund. Assets includes

mangrove plantations, fodder resources and godown, community

hall, soil & moisture works or anything else established under the

project. A separate bank account was created by each CBO for

maintaining and using such fund. This type of fund was set up by depositing part of the daily

wages into account. 70% of wages on execution of works were paid to the worker in cash, out of

balance wages 70% to be deposited as corpus fund, to be utilized towards up-keeping of executed

works and the rest amount to be donated as part of community contribution, to be utilized for

urgent need of any individual social ceremonies.

Inclusion of Female Members in Community

Women are most and important stakeholders; they routinely visit

the mangrove plantations for fuel and fodder. Their literacy levels

are low. Most of the time of a day they were only involved in

domestic tasks and never earned any income. In the project they

have been included as a joint member of her family and also

giving training on handicrafts, sewing/tailoring, embroidery, etc. on their desire for income

generation by forming SHG consisting of 10 members per group. These were done to reduce

pressure on older mangrove forests for collection fuel and fodder to maintain their daily needs.

Big masonry well at Jakhoa

village

Women of EDC at Tuna

Women community at

Ashiwand village

9 | P a g e

Sikka community, in Jamnagar is the one EDC, under ICZM PROJECT is fully represented by

women.

Socio-Economic Development

a) Establishment of Day care Centers for children, where there

are no schools, especially in Kachchh. These centers are being

run by Community Mobilizers, in Jakhoa.

b) To grow importance of restoration of mangroves and to

conserve other natural sources from childhood school

children/ students were taken on exposure visit.

c) Installation of low cost toilets (Ring well type) in villages of Jamnagar & Kachchh to

maintain hygiene of the community.

d) Construction of inter connecting village roads for better communication.

e) Creation of pasture lands by raising grass lands to reduce pressure on mangrove forests for

collection of fodder for cattle.

f) Involvement of SHGs in ICZMP.

g) Training to Animal Husbandry, Pisciculture.

h) Coral transplantation at Narara Reef in Marine National Park & Marine Sanctuary.

B.6 Factors of Success

a) Lesser population density per capita.

b) Abundance of vast track of barren lands for forestry.

c) Least political interference to development works.

d) Active co-ordination among communities and private sectors.

e) Development in all respect is main motto.

f) Scientific uses of lands.

g) Restriction towards influx of migration.

h) Experience of tsunami’s effect.

i) Integrated campaigning to develop mass awareness towards restoration in all respects.

Interaction with Sikka EDC at

Jamnagar

10 | P a g e

Thank you

Thank you

Visit us again……..