DHOLERA'S COASTAL COMEBACK: HOW MANGROVE RESTORATION IS REVIVING MARINE AND BIRD LIFE

Dholera’s green renaissance: Gujarat leads Bharat’s march towards ecological self-reliance.

- SIDDHARTHA DAVE

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Mann Ki Baat has, over the years, become an archive of Bharat’s living transformation — a monthly mirror reflecting not just the nation’s aspirations, but also its civilisational awakening.

From cleanliness drives and Beti Bachao Beti Padhao to Swachb Fal and Vocal for Local, every episode has carried the undercurrent of Jan Bhagidari — people's participation in rebuilding a self-reliant and spiritually conscious nation.

In the 127th episode, the Prime Minister once again turned the nation’s attention to an often-overlooked dimension of Atmanirbbar Bharat — ecological self-reliance. Narrating a story from Gujarat’s Dholera coast, he spoke not as a politician, but as a guardian of Prakriti (Nature), reminding us that true development is that which heals, not harms.

“Five years ago, the Forest Department teams of Gujarat started planting mangroves near Dholera near Ahmedabad, and today, mangroves have spread over 3,500 hectares on the Dholera coast. The effect of these mangroves is visible throughout the area today. The number of dolphins in the ecosystem there has risen. Crabs and other aquatic creatures have also increased in number, compared to earlier. Migratory birds are also coming here in large numbers now. A 'Mangrove Learning Cen-

tre' has also been set up in Kutch, Gujarat...”

This brief mention in Mann Ki Baat is not a passing anecdote — it is a testimony to how ecological renewal can emerge from the grassroots when vision meets willpower.

Stretching along Gujarat’s southern coast, the Dholera shoreline once appeared lifeless — saline mudflats, sparse vegetation, and receding biodiversity. But today, it stands transformed into a living tapestry of mangroves, marine species, and migratory birds.