: Forest Minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan has said that a proposal for setting up a mangrove research institution in Kannur district that accounts for the lion’s share of the area under mangrove vegetation in the State is under consideration of the government.
Inaugurating the Mission Mangrove project for conserving mangrove areas in the district at a function at Vellikkeel here on Tuesday, the Minister said that 100 acres of mangroves being notified as reserve forest under the project is first such notification in the State. The Minister released a detailed project report of the mission covering the survey of 1,873.85 acre mangrove areas in the district. The extent of 100 acres at Vellikkeel has been notified in the first phase.
The mission has been launched by the district administration in association with the Forest and Revenue Departments.
Local MLA James Mathew, who presided over the function, said that the proposed research institution be started at Vellikkeel. He also called on the authorities to acquire mangrove areas in private holdings by giving adequate compensation. P.K. Sreemathy, MP, was also present. District panchayat vice-president P.P. Divya came.
