Tk. 382 crores project for conservation
of bio-diversity in the Sundarbans
By
dr.fourkan Ali
The
Sundarbans extends over an area of 6 thousand square kilometers, i.e. more than
half of the reserved forest area of Bangladesh. Stretching along both sides of the bolder the
Sundarbans in the Indian State of West Bengal and in south-western Bangladesh is the largest mangrove forest in the world. These are
about 425 Species of wild animals including the famous Royal Bengal Tiger and
about 334 species of trees and p ants in the Bangladesh portion of the forest. Situated on the shore of the Bay of Bengal the Sundarbans, cross-crossed by innumerable rivers
and canals, has developed a unique and sensitive ecology under the influence of
the daily ebb and flow of tides
The
Sundarbans supplies 45 per cent of the county’s demand for timber and fuel. It
is the direct source of livelihood of about 50 lakh people residing in the neighborhood.
During the last one hundred years the Sundarbans has suffered the ravages of
men's cruel intervention and greed. Widespread damage has been done to the
flora and fauna. The formerly rich forest now faces annihilation due to indiscriminate
hunting and unplanned cutting of trees. The bio-diversity of the area has been
drastically reduced. But an initiative has been taken to restore the Sundarbans
to its former glory through preservation of bio-diversity and proper
supervision. As part of this initiative the Tk, 382 crores 50 lakh Sundarbans
Bio-diversity Preservation Project has been proved. The forest department and
the local government engineering department have been given the joint responsibility
of implementing the project financed by the United Nations Development
Programme (UNDP), the Food and cultural Organization (FAO) and the Asian
Development Bank (ADl3§ll'l’he work on the project taken up in 1998 is
scheduled to end by 2005.
The
Sundarbans, with its extensive natural resources and still rich bio-diversity
has transcended the environmental and socioeconomic system of Bangladesh to earn international importance. The UNESCO has
declared e three sanctuaries in the Sundarbans to be 'World Heritage Sites' in
1997. The Sundarbans Bio-diversity Preservation Project is an initiative to preserve
and enrich the World Heritage Sites.
The
need to formulate an integrated plan to ensure proper management of the
Sundarbans despite ever-increasing population pressure in the neighboring
localities has been considered urgent, All present the forest department is
solely responsible for the management of the Sundarbans, but it does not have
adequate manpower, transport, infrastructure and equipment to take care of such
a vast and dense forest. The Asian Development Bank has completed a detailed
survey of what needs to be done. The project has been drawn up on the basis of
this survey.
The
main aim of the Sundarbans Bio-diversity Preservation Project is the rational
use of resources by ensuring participation of people directly dependent on the resources
of the Sundarbans in the development of a durable management system of the forest
within the project period. That is why priority has been given to the
increasing the institutional capacity of the Sundarbans management authority.
Batiahata,
Dakope, Boira and Paikgachha in Khulna district, Ashashuni, Kaliganj and Shyamnagar
in Satkhira district, Morelganj, Rampal, Shyamkola and Mongla in Bagerhat
district, Bhandaria, Mathbaria and Nasirabad in Pirojpur district and Bamna,
Patharghata and Borguna Sadar in Barguna district stand adjacent to the Sundarbans.
About S0 lakh people of thse areas are totally dependent on the Sundarbans for
their livelihood. An initiative has been taken by the project to create scope
for the well-being of these people through the development of social
infrastructure, increase in the institutional empowerment of users of the
resources of the Sundarbans and their participation in the management of
resources.
Besides,
the project includes development of eco-tourism and adoption of programmes to
create environmental consciousness, building up the basic public infrastructure
and provision for necessary training, In order to reduce population pressure in
areas adjacent to the Sundarbans, arrangement of sweet drinking water in the
LGED (Local Government Engineering Department) areas, building of roads and bridges,
drainage schemes and educational institutions have been initiated. The local
survey department, forest department and some non-governmental organizations
will help the LGED in the task. The Water Development Board will also cooperate
with the LGED in implementing a part of the project.
At
the implementation phase of the project it was hoped that any attempt to damage
the bio-diversity of Sundarbans would be stopped by the year 2001. The initial
work to compensate for the loss of the biodiversity of the Sundarbans may be
completed by the year 2003. The development of the infrastructure of the
reserved Sundarbans forest may be completed by the year 2002. Continuous efforts
will be made to create awareness of the rich heritage of the Sundarbans at the
national and international levels from the beginning of the project to its
completion. The authorities ho to get a positive response in this regard, The
project also includes taking necessary measures for natural regeneration of the
Sundarbans and for removal of impediments to dense planting so that the
Sundarbans can play a vital role in retaining excess carbon dioxide, which is responsible
for the slow climate change now taking place and for the ominous rise in the
sea level.
In
order to reduce the pressure of population depending on the Sundarbans, social
forestry, sustainable resource collection, human resource development and a
social infrastructure will be developed. It is hoped that collectively the
family income will increase due to the economic opportunities created by these
measures.
Researchers
and environmentalists, however, apprehend that infrastructural development
under the Sundarbans Biodiversity Preservation Project will rather accelerate
me destruction of the Sundarbans because the looters of forest resources will,
as at result, get easy and unhindered entry to the now inaccessible areas. It
will then be impossible to protect the Sundarbans. Extensive facilities for tourism
in the Sundarbans envisaged by the project may cause tremendous damage to, and
further reduce the biodiversity of, this beautiful but beleaguered forest.
Dr.Fourkan Ali
Mob: 01711579267
Email- dr.fourkanali@gmail.com
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