Salt of the earth

Mithapur in Gujarat, in the western part of India, has historically been the 'salt capital of the world'. The very hot and mostly dry coast of this region is ideal for the production of salt through the natural evaporation process in saltpans (as the fields fed with brine from the sea are called).

One of the oldest (in the organised sector) and possibly the largest manufacturer of salt in India, Tata Chemicals, has a huge presence in Mithapur and its surrounding area. It is the second largest producer of soda ash in the world. To give you an idea of its scale of operations: About 110 million litres of fresh seawater is pumped from the Gulf of Kutch into its saltpans every day. Fortunately, Tata Chemicals is committed to environmental conservation and has always upheld its credo not just by being involved in various conservation projects in and around its sites, and supporting environment conservation initiatives by other institutions, but also by providing active volunteers.

The Tata Chemicals Society for Rural Development (TCSRD) has been in active service of the communities near its various production units. The framework of activities adopted by TCSRD considers an integrated approach, working on activities that give direct economic gain to target beneficiaries and those that nurture the environment for sustainable development.

Tata Chemicals partners with other agencies (NGOs as well as governmental
bodies) and the target community itself, to take up programmes that impact lives in a sustainable manner.

Apart from facilitating and implementing the usual development programmes, five 'js' which are very important for life in such areas have been identified — jal, jaan, jamin, jangal and jaanwar (water, life, land, jungles and animals) — and the projects are devised along these lines.

Community development initiatives also focus on natural resource management programmes that target water and land management along with promoting rural energy sources like biogas and windmills for pumping water from community wells.

As Satish Trivedi, who works with Tata Chemicals especially in the area of community development, told us, the biodiversity of Okhamandal, the region in which Tata Chemicals operates, is facing a serious threat due to the rampant spread of an exotic weed called the gando bavalor 'mad weed' (prosopis juliflora). This weed has already invaded most of the croplands and is now spreading into the forest area at the cost of the native vegetation.

Mr Trivedi is concerned that construction activities may result in large-scale
destruction of the last few pockets of indigenous forest and, subsequently, the
biodiversity of Okhamandal. Although it may be possible to reintroduce the
indigenous forest species using germ plasma from other areas, the local strains of the plants that have evolved over the centuries and adapted well to the adverse climatic and physical conditions of Okhamandal, may be lost forever. The need of the hour is to secure a sanctuary for these local strains of indigenous vegetation. This sanctuary would be an assured source of seeds for mass regeneration of the native flora, if and when the need arises.

Keeping this in mind, a biodiversity reserve plantation project has been initiated at Mithapur. This plantation project is spread over an area of 75 acres and shelters 18 species of native plants, and over 107 species of ephemerals (herbs, grasses and other monsoon growth). This project is an ex-situ (outside forest area) effort for the conservation of the native flora. The idea is to expand the plantation by 15 to 20 acres every year, and in the process, try to introduce the entire spectrum of the indigenous vegetation of Okhamandal at this place.

More than half of the world's population is still dependant on plant-based medicines for their healthcare. Plant products are also in high demand for the manufacture of cosmetics. Almost all the plants at the Mithapur biodiversity plantation site possess medicinal properties. Aloe vera is used for multiple applications, including medicines and cosmetics. Kerdro (capparis decidua) is considered useful for the cardiac system. The endangered gugal plant (commiphora wightii) has been mentioned in the Atharvaveda, Charaka Susruta and other tomes of Ayurveda. Ancient Indian literature speaks of drugs manufactured from gugal resin that can be used as antiseptic agents, for treating rheumatism and many other common ailments. The list of the medicinal properties of other plants runs quite long.

The immediate benefit of the biodiversity reserve plantation project has been to the wildlife community around. There has been a steady rise in the number of bird species sighted here. Reptiles, mainly the monitor lizard, saw-scaled viper and cobra, are to be found here. The growth of native vegetation has also started drawing hares, hedgehogs, mongoose, jackals and wild boar to the area.

A herd of nilgai (Indian blue bull) can often be seen grazing in the plantation area. Their number is expected to swell in the coming years.

One of the local tribes — Rabaris, traditionally shepherds, who have great knowledge about local herbs — is helping to identify herbs, grasses and plants and help plant them in the area.

A delegation of 80 forest officers from the Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy, Dehradun, visited the biodiversity reserve plantation site to understand and observe the efforts being made at Mithapur for the conservation of the indigenous plant biodiversity of the Okhamandal region.

A biodiversity awareness programme for the conservation of indigenous medicinal plants was also carried out at Bhimrana village under the National Environmental Awareness Campaign, funded by the Ministry of Environment and Forests.

Being a coastal operation, Tata Chemicals' facilities are intrinsically interlinked with mangroves. Mangroves are an important component of the coastal marine ecosystem. They help in filtering land run-off and controlling coastal erosion. They act as cushions and help mitigate the impact of cyclones and tsunamis. They also regulate flooding, act as a sink, and absorb pollutants brought down by rivers and streams.

Their most important function is to provide critical habitat for many marine species and terrestrial wildlife — the mangrove zones serve as spawning grounds and nurseries for many species of finned-fish and shellfish. Mangroves also provide themuch-needed roosting and nesting sites for waterfowl.

Keeping this in mind, a mangrove plantation project has been initiated for ecologicalimprovement of the coastal areas around Mithapur. Forty thousand seedlings of the avicennia marina species were raised and transplanted at three sites — Mithapur, and nearby Khatumba and Padli. Hopefully, the project will lead to mangroves that will support terrestrial and acquatic species in the future.

Exchange conversion as on November 16, 2009

Sourced from ‘Tata Planet & People Initiatives’ Published by Group Corporate Affairs Copyright Tata Sons Limited, 2009.