Bids invited for setting up International Dugong Conservation Centre at Manora

The Forest Department has invited bids for the construction of the International Dugong Conservation Centre at Manora, a popular picnic spot and a coastal town in Thanjavur district. As the IDCC is to be established within the Coastal Regulation Zone III A zone adjoining the mangrove areas and the Dugong habitats along the Manora coast, a comprehensive biodiversity conservation plan would be developed to ensure protection and sustainable management of these ecosystems throughout the project life cycle, the officials added. As per the plan, the centre will feature a Dugong shaped main building, a museum, Dugong monitoring lab, a seagrass ecology lab, a state-of-the-art tunnel aquarium, interactive displays training centre. The threats could be mitigated by effective conservation strategies such as establishing marine protected areas and raising awareness about the importance of Dugong conservation to ensure their long-term survival.