Human Rights and the Environment

Case Study: Mangrove Destruction

Country: India

Region: Asia

Issues: Fisheries/Marine Ecology

Destruction of mangrove forests in the Kanyakumari district of Tamil Nadu on the southern tip of India directly contributed to loss of human life during the tsunami of December 2004.[1] As of January 10, 2005, more than 800 bodies had been recovered in the small district as a result of the natural disaster.[2] Environmental groups cite previous tsunamis in the area during 1881 and 1941 that were far less devastating due to the buffer that the mangroves provided.[3] Other communities in Tamil Nadu reported minimal loss of life due to mangrove forest protection.[4]

In India, the aquaculture and tourism industries have reduced the country's mangrove forest areas to less than one-third their original size.[5] Mangrove forest destruction has also increased salinity in the surrounding environment creating problems for subsistence farmers.[6] Through loss of a protective natural mangrove barrier, the people of Kanyakumari have been deprived of their right to life.

[1] See P.K. Surendran, CRZ violations led to high casualty, Times India (Dec, 31, 2004), on file with Earthjustice.

[2] See M.G. Radhakrishnan et al., The Waves That Devoured, India Today 36 (Jan. 10, 2005), on file with Earthjustice.

[3] See The Hindu, NGOs favour natural protective barriers (Feb. 1, 2005), on file with Earthjustice.

[4] See Janaki Kremmer, The coastal trees and shrubs saved hundreds of lives in India by protecting villages from the waves, The Christian Science Monitor (Jan. 10, 2005), available at http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0110/p07s01-wosc.html (last visited Mar. 3, 2005).

[5] See Devinder Sharma, Outside View: Tsunami, Mangroves & Economy, UPI, at http://www.washtimes.com/upi-breaking/20050109-105932-8248r.htm (last visited Mar. 3, 2005).

[6] See Mari Marcel Thekaekara, Society: Environment: Corrupted defence[sic] reports from Tamil Nadu, The Guardian (Jan. 5, 2005), on file with Earthjustice.

Last Updated: 09/09/05