IFS officer Jagdish Bakan, the Director of Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve, turned the primary Indian to win UNESCO’s Michel Batisse Award for efficient biosphere reserve administration.
On the intersection of the southward extension of the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean lies a ‘Biologists’ Paradise’. Boasting over 4,223 species of wildlife from the critically endangered Dugong dugon (sea cow) to the hawksbill sea turtles, the land lives as much as its identify and is without doubt one of the world’s richest marine various areas.
However The Gulf of Mannar prides itself on extra than simply this identification.
Within the current previous, it has turn into in style as a benchmark for the native communities’ efforts in direction of defending the indigenous species right here — corals, seahorses, crustaceans, whale sharks, inexperienced sea turtles, and humpback dolphins amongst others. It is very important be aware that this alteration of coronary heart of the locals comes after years of dependency on fishing as the primary livelihood.
What provoked this transformation? How did a land notorious for over-harvesting turn into one main conservation from the entrance? It’s not possible to reply this with out mentioning the identify of Indian Forest Service officer Jagdish Bakan.
“It was by no means an extraordinary position,” he emphasises referring to his posting right here two years in the past.
The strategic location of the bay coupled with its position of being host to endangered species necessitated greater than patrolling the forest. Quickly after being posted right here, Bakan assumed the publish of director of the Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve Belief (GOMBRT) — a Authorities physique that streamlines tasks associated to biodiversity conservation within the space. And since then change has adopted.
“My jurisdiction lies in Ramanathapuram and Thoothukudi. I oversee the the Nationwide Park that contains 21 islands which runs from Rameswaram to Tuticorin Port. There are over 252 villages unfold throughout these areas,” notes Bakan. It’s right here that he has inspired the locals to go for different livelihoods, in flip lowering their dependency on native wildlife. Along with this, he has been instrumental in creating inexperienced jobs, enterprise coral transplantation and mangrove planting in these areas.
Earlier this 12 months Bakan’s efforts had been globally recognised when he gained UNESCO’s Michel Batisse Award 2023. Although his case examine on ‘improvement of sustainable livelihood and community-based biodiversity conservation and setting safety’ was applauded by the world’s specialists, he emphasises that creating change is just not an in a single day job.
Sowing the seeds of a biodiverse dream
The journey has been an unconventional one for Bakan. Throughout his time as a chemical engineer at Hindustan Petroleum, he was launched to the concept of civil providers. Bakan determined to check for the examination whereas pursuing his full-time job and the remaining is historical past.
However because the 2017 batch officer says, in hindsight, his data of chemistry has performed a fantastic position in shaping his conservation efforts within the bay. “Some areas want scientific particulars analysed. For instance, in coral monitoring, we repeatedly take temperature-salinity profiles and verify the air pollution ranges within the space. My chemical background helped me oversee this higher.”
When Bakan first began work within the space, he was laser-focused on averting the harm to indigenous wildlife. But when the native communities needed to be discouraged from over-harvesting, they wanted to have one other livelihood to show to.
This concept compelled Bakan to give you a system of micro-credit. “Every village has an eco-development group (EDC) beneath which there are 10 self-help teams (SHG) every,” he explains. “So in complete, we now have 2,700 of those SHGs which comprise round 36,000 villagers. That being stated, over 93 % of participation is of ladies. Via the micro-credit system, they have interaction in actions resembling shell craft, palm craft, pickle making, tailoring, nursing, and so on.”
One other exercise Bakan began within the space is getting ready containers from the leaves of the palm tree, that are then offered as packaging to native retailers. This can be a thriving mannequin, he provides. “Till final 12 months, we now have generated over 7,788 new jobs for the villagers this fashion.”
He provides that they scaled the mannequin final 12 months and micro-credits distributed had been elevated by 50 %. Nevertheless, altering the mindsets of the group was a problem.
“Overharvesting was recognised a very long time again. Convincing the group that that is unhealthy has been a journey. As a result of what we try to alter isn’t just their mindsets but in addition their sources of livelihood. However we now have been seeing a shift of their perceptions. The locals now take pledges to guard the endangered sea cow, dolphins and extra at each assembly.”
A self-sustaining mannequin
What drives the folks of the world are the eco-tourism tasks.
“We certify the native youth in lifeguard coaching, boat driving, and so on. Via this, we deployed over 58 folks for the six eco-tourism websites we now have created. 60 % of the income by eco-tourism are used for ecological restoration and wildlife safety. The remaining 40 % is given to the native villages. The folks of the village come collectively and determine in direction of which repairs and upkeep they want to channel these funds.”
Whereas the locals are inspired to decide on different livelihoods, Bakan additionally oversees the general well being of the ecosystem within the bay. Elaborating on the mangrove plantation, he says they managed to plant over 70,000 timber. This 12 months we’re enterprise greater than 100 hectares of plantation.”
The impression of this undertaking has been evident, he provides. “We see them as catalysts in stopping pure disasters resembling cyclones, tsunamis and coastal erosion. We’ve got seen the erosion price being much less within the space.”
Nevertheless, out of all of the difficult tasks Bakan has undertaken within the space, the one which’s had essentially the most magnetic maintain for him is coral transplantation.
“This can be a very scientific and really delicate course of. It’s an underwater course of and we now have to pick a particular space and depth. Then we now have to check the sedimentation cycle to see that the solar is just not overlapping the transplantation space. Over time, we now have standardised the strategies.”
He provides that they get an annual development of seven to 10 centimetres. Over 600 sq. metres of coral have been transplanted till 2022.
However what actually gave impetus to Bakan’s work is the Michel Batisse Award. He sees this not simply as a recognition of his service however as a stage for future tasks. The potential is now alive within the bay as Bakan says the scientific group is displaying a eager curiosity of their work. However what he hopes for, is for folks to watch and replicate their mannequin.
“An attention-grabbing undertaking that we now have undertaken is the plastic verify publish for which we now have been awarded the UNEP Atmosphere Enforcement award,” he shares.
Elaborating on that he provides, “This can be a one-year-old verify publish mannequin. The 22 km coastal street resulting in the final level of India in Rameswaram Island was stuffed with plastic thrash. For a 12 months we’ve been checking all vacationer automobiles going alongside the street, seizing the plastic and giving them eco-friendly choices. That is being performed by the eco-development communities. Each 2 km, there may be somebody deployed. All of the plastic collected is given to the agricultural improvement division the place it’s shredded and used for street building. Each month we accumulate 4 tonnes of plastic.”
Because the bay enjoys a revival of its biodiversity, Bakan takes delight in main the group in direction of change. Because the mudflats and coral reefs are bathed within the glow of the setting solar, the efforts of the locals are seen in each sapling planted and in each turning tide.
Edited by Pranita Bhat