Turtle village 'Velas' in Maharashtra suffers innumerable loss due to Nisarga cyclone

Velas at the northernmost end of Ratnagiri district found its way onto world map for the existence of the huge number of turtle and it gradually became one of the prominent tourist destinations. The economy of the village depends upon the tourists and students visiting to study the biodiversity including turtle festival, fishery, coconut trees etc. But, in June, the Nisarga cyclone hit the village and ravaged its surroundings.

Ratnagiri: Beaches designated as turtle nesting sites in Maharashtra's Ratnagiri has witnessed severe damages owing to Nisarga cyclone that brushed past the district. Beaches such as Velas, Anjarle, Kelshi, Gaonkhadi, Dabhol, as well as those in Mandangad and Dapoli, have all witnessed tree fall incidents.

The cyclone has deprived the place of its beauty destroying all the special features these villages once had.

Speaking to ETV Bharat, Biodiversity expert, Mohan Upadhye said, "We had been lucky that the entire nesting season was over before the cyclone made landfall north of Ratnagiri. However, each beach has witnessed at least 50 tree fall incidents, and this has damaged most of the sheds and artificial structures we had made to protect the nesting sites."

"Velas beach is world-famous for the existence of the huge number of turtle and the turtle festival. More than 150 species of birds are found here. This is the habitat of innumerable insects and butterflies of different species. Many students, tourists visit here to study biodiversity which is now in danger due to Nisarga cyclone," Upadhye said.

"Many trees which were home to many birds and butterflies were destroyed. The villagers are worried about tourism which will decline now. Velas is at the northernmost end of Ratnagiri district and it is the most ignored area. But, it incarnated on the world map as the village of turtles and tourism started to flourish here. The village economy is entirely dependent upon students and tourists visiting to study turtle, its festival, biodiversity etc. If this biodiversity completely vanishes, unemployment will be a major challenge," he added.

Reportedly, several villages in Ratnagiri district have gone back by a generation due to the cyclone. It will take 20 to 25 years to build the whole village once again. The biodiversity which is the identity of this village is in danger and it has affected the lives of residents.