From CK Nayak
SUNDARBANS, Feb 22: The Green India Challenge (GIC) planted 10,000 mangrove saplings in the Gosaba block of the Sundarbans on February 17 to mark the 72nd birthday of former Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao.
The initiative aims to restore the world’s largest mangrove forest, which has shrunk to nearly half its original size due to the loss of endemic plant species and the devastating impact of climate change. The drive was supported by local tribal women, youth volunteers, the Purbasha Eco-Helpline Society (PEHS), and the Hyderabad-based NGO Igniting Minds.
Joginipally Santosh Kumar, GIC founder and former Rajya Sabha MP, told media representatives that the plantation efforts focus on creating a “bio-shield” against frequent cyclones, such as Amphan and Yaas, while curbing severe coastal erosion.
“Millions of mangroves have been lost to tsunamis and super cyclones over the years,” Mr. Kumar said. “Our goal is to compensate for this natural damage by planting mangroves along suitable coastal areas to protect the residents of the Gangetic delta and enhance carbon sequestration.”
To ensure the survival of the new plantations, the GIC is moving beyond symbolic gestures toward scientific restoration. M. Karunakar Reddy and Sanjivalla Raghavendar, founders of Igniting Minds, explained that all saplings are geo-tagged for long-term monitoring. Additionally, the project utilizes micro-climate sensors and AI-driven tools to track salinity, tidal patterns, and humidity. “We are not just planting and leaving,” Mr. Kumar added, noting that unprotected saplings are often washed away or destroyed by grazing cattle. “AI tools are being used for predictive erosion modelling and ecosystem stress detection, transforming restoration into applied climate science.”
The movement, which originated from the “Haritha Haram” philosophy in Telangana, has grown into one of India’s largest voluntary environmental initiatives. Mr. Kumar claimed the movement has planted nearly 195 million trees and restored over 20,000 water bodies nationwide.
The Sundarbans campaign has also drawn support from prominent environmentalists, including Padma Shri awardee Jadav “Molai” Payeng, known as the “Forest Man of India,” and water conservationist Rajendra Singh. Local researchers highlighted that the involvement of indigenous tribes, particularly women, remains central to the project’s success in safeguarding the region’s biodiversity.
