The largest IT-enabled environmental NGO in India, SankalpTaru Foundation, and the Flipkart Foundation, the charity arm of the Flipkart Group, have joined forces to launch a ground-breaking project aimed at protecting the mangrove ecosystem in West Bengal’s Sundarbans. The goal of the 36-month “Community-Based Mangrove Plantation and Restoration” project is to create a continuous 6-acre mangrove restoration environment. Planting 35,000 saplings aims to improve biodiversity, water quality, and coastline protection. To guarantee the long-term health and resilience of these mangroves, the effort focuses on sapling planting, upkeep, and community involvement. As a result, the local community will have more job prospects, and small farmers will have access to a larger market.

To ensure the long-term sustainability of the mangrove restoration efforts, this initiative, which spans North 24 Parganas district and South 24 Parganas district, along the banks of rivers Raimangal and Chota Kolagachia, focuses on sapling plantation in the first year, followed by two years of maintenance. It is anticipated to have a beneficial effect on the local community and environment, reaching more than 5000 marginalized people, or more than 1000 households, comprising both direct and indirect beneficiaries.

By adding new plant and animal species, this innovative alliance hopes to increase biodiversity and improve the standard of living for nearby communities, demonstrating a shared commitment to environmental preservation and sustainable community development.

To ensure maximum reach and long-lasting impact, the Flipkart Foundation has worked with underprivileged communities on a variety of developmental issues over the past year in Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Haryana, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal.

This collaboration is a perfect example of how teamwork may lead to the development of long-term sustainable solutions for the world.

Priyanka Dutta