Happiest of our project was Mrs Chinnama , old lady who harvest Crabs in lagoon and sell it for living. Those days when we were young officers, we used to buy fresh prawns and crabs from her during weekends.
by Admiral Ravindra C Wijegunaratne
My former Personal Security Officer (PSO), Commander Chatura Gamage, RSP and five Bars, injured Officer from elite Sri Lanka Navy Special Boat Squadron, who has MSc in GIS and Remote Sensing from Peradeniya University gave me a call with much delight. “ Sir, it’s working ! I can see our Jaffna islands growing in size !. I will get you the google pictures soon.
I was very happy. A small project we started in 2011 in Northern islands, Karinagar, Eluvativu, Analativu, Nayanativu (Nagadeepa), Punkudativu,Kytes and Mandativu is giving rich dividends after 10 years.
In 2011, we noticed the mangroves in these islands systematically destroying by few elements of our society, who did not knew value of mangroves in our eco- system, for illegal income, which was very lucrative. As there was a shortage of firewood, specially to bakeries in Jaffna main land, the mangroves were cut for firewood. Mangrove wood is ideal for bakeries as this hard-wood, give lot of charcoal. Those days (2011) we observed large loads of dry mangrove wood carrying in bicycles moving from Islands to mainland through causeways.
With the support of Police, Sri Lanka Navy (who were controlling security of Northern islands) completely stopped this illegal trade. Now the mangroves grow freely and lavishly, increasing the size of the islands and give protection to shell fish breeding grounds. You may aware that Crabs, shrimps and prawns lay their eggs in mangrove areas, which is protected from big fish and other predators. So, the mangroves are natural protection to crabs, shrimps and prawns until they grow bigger.
My deputy in Northern Naval Area in 2011, when I was Commander Northern Naval Area, Admiral Piyal De Silva (former Navy Commander and now our Ambassador in Afghanistan), had. original, fresh and unique idea of re- planting mangrove. We stared the project near Karinagar causeway. Few hundred of mangrove saplings were planted as per instructions given by experts on subject. In three months, it became a failure. We were wrong in some place when we are re- planting. I told Piyal “ let’s try again”. In three months, failed again. Only six out of hundred saplings survived.
It was after careful study, Piyal when he was Northern Commander in 2017, found the mistake and solution. His relentless study gave rich dividends. Due to flooding and ebbing water of lagoon every six hours, the roots of newly planted mangrove saplings were disturbed. This will not allow saplings to grow in muddy waters, eventually saplings die. The solution to the problem also found by Piyal. Four-foot stick was submerged in to mud next each sapling and stick was tied to the sapling, so that sapling will not move due to tide water. This method worked successfully and now Karinagar lagoon has more than 600 fully grown mangrove plants.
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| Mangrove plants |
Happiest of our project was Mrs Chinnama , old lady who harvest Crabs in lagoon and sell it for living. Those days when we were young officers, we used to buy fresh prawns and crabs from her during weekends. These fresh shell fish go down well with Thal palm toddy. We gave her hundred rupees and she used to give her whole catch for that amount. But today she do not required to sell them to us. Crab exporter to Singapore from Jaffna buy her catch Rs 120/= per kilogram.
She is happy !
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| Mrs Chinnama |
Re-planted mangroves by Piyal growing well and Mrs Chinnama’s catch also improving. She has become the strong protector of mangroves in Karinagar lagoon.
Navy had done something good to humble people of Northern Islands. They now protect their mangroves from illegal felling. As Chatura observed from a satellite, Northern islands are growing in size !
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| Mangrove forest distribution in North of Sri Lanka |
In South.........
In my book, “Read between the lines” in page 42, I wrote” When you reach Kubukkan Oya, you will realized why this river is called “Kubukkan Oya”. All you see are Kubuk trees, hundred of them, if not thousands grown either side of the river. It is a beautiful site you will never forget. Thank god ! It’s away from human sight, otherwise, all these trees would disappear soon and the timber will be used for floors of wealthy mansions !
Here I realized nature’s biggest enemy are wealthy human beings.”
That was in December 2018. I do not know, my predictions were correct or not. But I saw a huge Kubukkan tree, may be more than 300 years old fallen due to strong winds, miraculously saving “Kuda Kabillitha “ Murugan temple ( Katharagama temple) being cut into pieces on the Eastern banks of Kubukkan Oya when I did “Pada Yathra last year ( 2020). Who is doing this in most protected jungle of our country.
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| 300 years old Huge Kubukkan tree, fallen due to strong winds |
My guess is as good as yours! It’s time to learn from North !
PS : please read my articles dated 26th May 2020 (Sri Lanka expects every man to do do his duty) and 30th July 2020 (Pada Yathra with a difference) on Island newspaper e- paper archives for more details).
(The writer Retired from Sri Lanka Navy and Former Chief of Defence Staff )
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