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It perhaps needed the tsunami of 2004 to implant in the minds of the public the ability of mangroves to resist storm surges.  But almost 45 years ago, a housewife in Kottayam had understood their ability to act as soil retaining natural structures.  Mariamma of Cheppannakari House, Pallichira, Kumarakom, Kottayam has been a practitioner of growing mangroves on available water edges around the land where she had come as a bride.

Apart from the 10 children that she bore and brought up in life, the mangrove plantation is the other baby that she had taken care to nurture.  Slowly, her love of mangroves became known to the researchers and scientists who have come to her house sometime or other.  Perhaps she complements the effort of Pokkudan, who had been doing a similar effort in North Kerala.

During the fruit-bearing period, she collects the seeds distributes them free to the needy. Years ago, she had once inaugurated a meeting at Kumarakom convened to popularize mangrove cultivation.

45 years ago Mariamma had brought mangrove seeds from Kavanattinkara, situated 2 km from her house.  Later, when that place became bereft of the species, those people used to come to her for seeds. 

Courtesy: Baiju Paul, Sree, Malayala Manorama, May 20, 2007
Contributed by: Administrator

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