NTPC Ltd and Andhra Pradesh Forest Department have come together for conservation of the endangered Olive Ridley Sea Turtles along the sea coasts of nine districts of the State from extinction under its Corporate Social Responsibility and sustainable development initiative.

PK Bondriya, Group General Manger, NTPC Simhadri, and SBL Misra, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF), Government of AP signed the MoU at Arnaya Bhavan in Hyderabad on Tuesday.

Mapping breeding sites

Under the initiative, NTPC is contributing ₹4.6 crore for this five-year conservation project including inventory mapping of breeding sites of sea turtles, identification of nesting and breeding habitats along the shore line, and their migratory routes, development of guidelines to safeguard and minimise turtle mortality, development of local and national cooperative and collaborative action for sea turtle conservation.

The coastal beaches in Andhra Pradesh are important nesting places for the sea turtles where sporadic nesting is common on these beaches. While three species have been recorded in AP, Olive Ridley is common and Green Turtle occurs occasionally and Hawksbill was also sighted.

The conservation project envisages involving local communities, NGOs, Forest Department and other stake holders in protection and conservation of nests, thus providing livelihoods, construction and repairing of hatcheries.

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