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Preliminary assessment of the tsunami-affected regions of India indicates severe damage in some areas of significant ecological resources, which include mangroves, corals, forests, coastal wetlands, geomorphological features (such as sand dunes, rock formations etc.), biodiversity and groundwater. Some of the damage to ecological assets may impact livelihood of the people.
This was indicated in a meeting of experts from concerned institutions under the chairmanship of the Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Forests, Dr Prodipto Ghosh, here today, which was convened to assess the damage to ecological assets in the wake of tsunami.
With a view to develop an action plan for the restoration of the damaged ecological assets, it was decided that the evaluation of ecological damages would be undertaken in two stages. In the first stage, rapid assessment based on pre-tsunami and post-tsunami satellite images of affected regions and available data would be undertaken by the concerned institutions to identify the damage to ecological assets, important for livelihood and habitations, which suffered significant long-term damage, but which are amenable to restoration. On the basis of preliminary assessment, a detailed evaluation of the ecological damage would be made, in the second stage, for the identified ecological resources to develop an action plan for their restoration.
Preliminary assessment report is expected to be submitted within two months.
The institutions which would undertake the assessment in the first stage, include: Institute for Ocean Management (IOM), Anna University, Chennai; Centre for Advanced Studies in Marine Biology (CASMB), Annamalai University, Chidambaram; Space Application Centre (SAC), Ahmedabad; Centre for Earth Science Studies (CESS), Thiruvananthapuram; Forest Survey of India; Zoological Survey of India; Botanical Survey of India; Central Water Commission; Coast Guards; and Central Pollution Control Board.
AKS
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