With increasing sea ingress and rising salinity, there is an
urgent need to improve water management and release
increased fresh water into the Sundarbans. However, due to
several domestic compulsions, there has been a lack of
initiative in terms of release and management of the freshwater
into the Sundarbans.
VIII. MITIGATION STRATEGIES
Over the last several years, India has been pursuing a policy
of energy conservation and increased usage of renewable
energy technologies. These measures have found legislative
and regulatory backing. Taking this forward, the Central
Government of India and the State Government of West
Bengal are currently in the process of finalising an action plan,
titled ‘West Bengal State Action Plan on Climate Change’ to
address the problem of climate change and its impact on the
Sundarbans as well as take steps for poverty alleviation. Noting
the biological importance of the Sundarbans as well the
extreme human dependence on it sustenance, we believe that
neither a human-centric nor a pure conservation approach
would help the long term health of the delta. While the local
population recognizes the economic importance of the forests,
extreme poverty has forced many to adopt certain practices that
are harming the Sundarbans, already facing the onslaught of
climate change. While making the entire Sundarbans or
afforestation of all reclaimed areas may invite a sharp reaction
from the millions of people inhabiting the area, we believe that
the Government of India must take a middle ground approach
to balance out conservation needs of the area along with the
human needs of the people. In this regard, in addition to India
continuing to reduce its emissions and liaise with all
governments to collectively reduce emissions at an accelerated
pace, we propose a series of short-term as well as long-term
steps to protect biodiversity of the Sundarbans and also
improve the living conditions of the people living in the area to
help reduce the biotic pressure on the delta and our mitigation
strategies are set out below:
A. Mitigation Strategies that may be implemented
immediately
1) Zoning Sundarbans according to vulnerability: The
Government of West Bengal should demarcate specific areas of
the Sundarbans that are particularly susceptible to cyclonic
storms. Upon completion of such demarcation, people living in
and around the high-risk areas in the Sundarbans should be
strategically relocated to safe inland areas. This is particularly
relevant for those people who live in the critically vulnerable
areas of islands that are submerging or are frequently
devastated by cyclonic storms. Additionally, scientists have
noted that increased human and animal interaction has led to
man-animal conflict. Therefore, protection patrols, surveillance
of non-forest activities in the Sundarbans areas and deployment
of rapid action forces in case of conflict situations should be
deployed at the earliest. Such measures would go a long way in
protecting the endangered animals in the region and building a
relationship of trust between the people, regulators and
forests.ss
2) Regional planning and rehabilitation & relocation:
Relocation of the population would be ineffective if the people
are not given alternative job opportunities. Such alternate job
opportunities could include actively participating in the
conservation of Sundarbans (with individuals being deployed
as forest guards or by generating employment in the tourism
industry) or being provided jobs in cities and settlements close
to Sundarbans. The long term sustenance of the Sundarbans is
based on the people owning an economic stake in its
conservation. Since the Sundarbans are located close to
Kolkata and other urban settlements, the proximity could be
utilised to promote tourism in the delta, which would bring
along with it additional sources of income. tt
3) Creating opportunities that don’t depend on nature:
For successful rehabilitation and relocation, it is imperative
that opportunities be provided that do not depend upon nature.
The State Government will be required to invest in creation of
infrastructual facilities, which while providing employment
opportunities at the short term, will help the Sundarbans be a
more accessible area for dissemination of knowledge. Further,
investments are required to provide education and health to the
local people.
4) Developing efficient disaster management systems: The
State Government must put in place effective early warnings
systems. This must be communicated to the people in real time
and the people must be educated on exactly what to do in such
circumstances. The State Government has to improve its
evacuation systems, put in place rapid action response teams
and be more adept and efficient in providing supplies and first
aid to people and animals caught in such disasters. Further,
there is a pressing requirement to set up animal and human
flood relief centres.
5) Protection & distribution of saline resistant food grains
and seeds: Due to the extinction of certain traditional salineresistant
rice vartieties as well as a marked increase in the
salinity in the region, the State Government must protect
remaining saline-resistant food grains and seeds that are saline
resistant as well as increase distribution of such seeds at a
subsidised rate to the local population.
B. Long Term Mitigation Strategies
1) Bolstering existing livelihood patterns: Bolstering
existing livelihood patterns will require research and
infrastructural support from Central and State Governments.
Since the majority of Sundarbans practices monoculture of
rice, it is imperative that intensification and diversification of
agricultural practices be carried out on a long term basis. uu
Further, research in the field of saline resistance by plants and
production and distribution of such saline-resistant seeds as