Saving mangroves: Chennai student wins UN award

FOR THE ENVIORNMENT: Salim has been travelling along the coastal areas of Tamil Nadu to spread awareness about mangroves.

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Chennai: A young student from Chennai has won a UN award for his outstanding campaign on preserving mangroves.

Twenty four-year-old Salim has been travelling along the coastal areas of Tamil Nadu over the last six months and talking to people about the importance of preserving mangroves.

His efforts have now won him an UN award for Outstanding Youth Campaign, which was chosen from among contestants from over 150 countries.

"I was very disappointed that very few people knew what mangroves were. Only old people said that they have seen mangroves 60-70 years back, which was also reducing," says Salim.

"We decided that we had to throw light on the aspect that mangroves are reducing," he adds.

'Mangroves - a life saving vegetation' was part of Salim's thesis for his masters in Biotechnology. He then decided to travel and put his project to practical use.

Now, he wants the government also to step in and work towards preserving mangrove forests.

"The state government or the central government should come out and investigate what is happening. They should come up with concerned policies after discussing with people and frame a proper network which will benefit the people," he says.

Salim is now working with people along the coasts of Chennai to grow more mangroves. His aim is to create a green belt along the entire coastline of India, to prevent major damages in case of any natural disaster.

The UN award has made Salim believe that hard work is always appreciated. And now he's sure that his dream of making a green belt along the entire coast of India will definitely become a reality even if it takes some time.

And till then, Salim will continue his campaign if creating awareness about mangroves across the different coastal cities of the country.

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