Hopes of conserving over 40 lakh mangroves that are in the possession of CIDCO and the revenue department have soared as the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) has responded to environmentalists’ complaints against the delay in transferring them to the forest department, which was a violation of a Bombay High Court order.

NatConnect Foundation in July last year drew the PMO’s attention to mangrove destruction and coastal erosion despite Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s proclaimed love for mangroves, and the PMO has referred the issue to the state government.