Bengaluru, May 18th, 2024: The Flipkart Foundation, the charitable arm of the Flipkart Group, in collaboration with SankalpTaru Foundation, India’s largest IT-enabled environmental NGO, has embarked on a transformative initiative dedicated to the preservation of the mangrove ecosystem in Sundarbans, West Bengal. Over a period of 36 months, the ‘Community-Based Mangrove Plantation and Restoration’ project aims to establish a continuous mangrove restoration ecosystem spanning an area of 6 acres. It endeavors to enhance coastal protection, water quality, and biodiversity by planting 35,000 saplings. With a focus on sapling plantation, its maintenance, and community engagement, the initiative seeks to ensure the long-term health and resilience of these mangroves. This will in turn generate employment opportunities among local communities, and enable small farmers’ access to a wider economy.

This initiative which covers 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, to ensure the long-term sustainability of the mangrove restoration efforts. It is expected to positively impact both the environment and local communities, reaching over 5000 marginalized individuals i.e. 1000+ families, which include both direct and indirect beneficiaries.

Commenting on the collaboration, Puja Trisal, Director, Flipkart Foundation, said, “At the Flipkart Foundation, we are deeply committed to driving positive change and fostering sustainable development. Our collaboration with the SankalpTaru Foundation reflects our dedication to preserving biodiversity and underscores our shared vision of creating a greener, more resilient future for all. By restoring the mangrove ecosystems in the Sundarbans we are not only working towards mitigating the impact of climate change but are also empowering local communities with economic opportunities and environmental resilience. This initiative embodies our ethos of leveraging innovation and partnerships to drive meaningful change.”

Mr. Apurva Bhandari, Founder, SankalpTaru Foundation, commented  “We are immensely grateful for the generous support of the Flipkart Foundation in our Mangrove restoration program, which has made a profound impact on the ecological health of the Sundarbans, West Bengal. Through their commitment, we have been able to create a thriving green wall that not only protects the delicate ecosystem and biodiversity but also provides invaluable benefits such as carbon sequestration, shoreline stabilization, and safeguarding local communities from natural disasters. This partnership exemplifies the power of collaboration in creating sustainable solutions for our planet’s future.”

This visionary partnership aims to enhance biodiversity through the addition of various plant and animal species, while also improving the livelihoods of local communities, underscoring a mutual dedication to environmental conservation and sustainable community development.

In the past year, Flipkart Foundation has worked with underserved communities on various developmental issues across Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Haryana, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal to serve, support, and empower unskilled and underprivileged sections of society to ensure maximum reach and sustainable impact.