Welcome

Website counter
website hit counter
website hit counters

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

15% of Sunderbans will be submerged: UNDP report

An estimated 15% of the Sunderbans delta will go under the sea by 2020, the UN Development Programme has warned. 

A UNDP report while describing the Sunderbans delta, which has the world's largest mangrove forest, as highly vulnerable to climate change, said, "Neglecting the Sunderbans can have global implications." 

The report of a district-wise human development survey was released by the UNDP's chief of South and West Asia division and Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific, Fadzai Gwaradzimba, here today. 

It says 54 of the 102 islands are inhabited and characterised by poor infrastructure which leaves the local poor with few alternative livelihood options. 

Alarm bells sounded for Sunderbans ecology

KOLKATA: The West Bengal government needs to be careful. Even as chief minister Mamata Banerjee speaks of developing the Sunderbansinto a major tourist attraction, biologists across the globe are concerned about the damage being caused to the fragile ecosystem of the region due to the constant movement of vessels through it. 

Research carried out by scientists - including those belonging to the Harvard University - speak of the silent ecological damage that is being caused to the Sunderbans, thanks to the lack of any initiative on the part of the authorities to take firm steps. 

"While all attention is paid to the Sunderbans tiger, which is at the top of the food chain, conservationists till now have made little noise about the silent damage that is being caused due to the release of ballast water, spillage of oil and other waste material from vessels passing through the mangroves. The waves created by these vessels inundate the pneumatophores at odd times, causing an imbalance. Unchecked, this will bring an end to the Sunderbans. Many a species may have already disappeared due to this unchecked pollution," a scientist from the ministry of forests and environment said. 

Under an existing trade agreement between the governments of India and Bangladesh, barges and coastal ships are given unchecked access through the Sunderbans. Several other ships that call on Bangladeshi ports on their way to India also pass through the mangrove forests. According to studies, over 400 vessels of various size sail through the forest every year, releasing waste oil, ballast water and bilge washings. 

"One of the most dangerous pollutants is crude oil and its derivatives. The oil sticks to the leaf surface blocking stomata and affecting photosynthesis, respiration and water metabolism of mangrove plants. Commercial vessels pump sea water into ballast tanks to maintain stability while passing through deep waters. When they approach ports - where the channels are shallow - this ballast water is released. Along with the water, several organisms, foreign to that part of the world, gets introduced to the eco-system. Studies have revealed that several of the organisms released in this fashion are parasitic in nature and destroy indigenous species. Studies in the Bangladeshi part of the Sunderbans have revealed that several new species have been introduced in this manner. These have actually caused immense harm. Unfortunately, no extensive study has been carried out on the Indian side," another biologist noted. 

Most countries have restrictions on the release of ballast by foreign vessels along the coast. Unfortunately, the restrictions are not strictly imposed in India. Experts believe that movement of all vessels, save for indigenous ones, should be restricted through the Sunderbans. A few years ago, a company had proposed to develop tourism in the Sunderbans by sending in a large ship with all modern facilities. While the West Bengal government was in agreement, the proposal was shot down by the Centre. Now that Mamata has been talking of developing tourism in the world's largest mangrove delta, better conservation efforts may be needed to ensure that it doesn't disappear from the face of the earth.

"Over-reliance on natural resources by the delta's inhabitants can harm an already fragile eco system that is critical to maintaining the region's biological balance," the report said. 

No comments:

मैं नास्तिक क्यों हूं# Necessity of Atheism#!Genetics Bharat Teertha

হে মোর চিত্ত, Prey for Humanity!

मनुस्मृति नस्ली राजकाज राजनीति में OBC Trump Card और जयभीम कामरेड

Gorkhaland again?আত্মঘাতী বাঙালি আবার বিভাজন বিপর্যয়ের মুখোমুখি!

हिंदुत्व की राजनीति का मुकाबला हिंदुत्व की राजनीति से नहीं किया जा सकता।

In conversation with Palash Biswas

Palash Biswas On Unique Identity No1.mpg

Save the Universities!

RSS might replace Gandhi with Ambedkar on currency notes!

जैसे जर्मनी में सिर्फ हिटलर को बोलने की आजादी थी,आज सिर्फ मंकी बातों की आजादी है।

#BEEFGATEঅন্ধকার বৃত্তান্তঃ হত্যার রাজনীতি

अलविदा पत्रकारिता,अब कोई प्रतिक्रिया नहीं! पलाश विश्वास

ভালোবাসার মুখ,প্রতিবাদের মুখ মন্দাক্রান্তার পাশে আছি,যে মেয়েটি আজও লিখতে পারছেঃ আমাক ধর্ষণ করবে?

Palash Biswas on BAMCEF UNIFICATION!

THE HIMALAYAN TALK: PALASH BISWAS ON NEPALI SENTIMENT, GORKHALAND, KUMAON AND GARHWAL ETC.and BAMCEF UNIFICATION! Published on Mar 19, 2013 The Himalayan Voice Cambridge, Massachusetts United States of America

BAMCEF UNIFICATION CONFERENCE 7

Published on 10 Mar 2013 ALL INDIA BAMCEF UNIFICATION CONFERENCE HELD AT Dr.B. R. AMBEDKAR BHAVAN,DADAR,MUMBAI ON 2ND AND 3RD MARCH 2013. Mr.PALASH BISWAS (JOURNALIST -KOLKATA) DELIVERING HER SPEECH. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLL-n6MrcoM http://youtu.be/oLL-n6MrcoM

Imminent Massive earthquake in the Himalayas

Palash Biswas on Citizenship Amendment Act

Mr. PALASH BISWAS DELIVERING SPEECH AT BAMCEF PROGRAM AT NAGPUR ON 17 & 18 SEPTEMBER 2003 Sub:- CITIZENSHIP AMENDMENT ACT 2003 http://youtu.be/zGDfsLzxTXo

Tweet Please

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...

THE HIMALAYAN TALK: PALASH BISWAS BLASTS INDIANS THAT CLAIM BUDDHA WAS BORN IN INDIA

THE HIMALAYAN TALK: INDIAN GOVERNMENT FOOD SECURITY PROGRAM RISKIER

http://youtu.be/NrcmNEjaN8c The government of India has announced food security program ahead of elections in 2014. We discussed the issue with Palash Biswas in Kolkata today. http://youtu.be/NrcmNEjaN8c Ahead of Elections, India's Cabinet Approves Food Security Program ______________________________________________________ By JIM YARDLEY http://india.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/07/04/indias-cabinet-passes-food-security-law/

THE HIMALAYAN TALK: PALASH BISWAS TALKS AGAINST CASTEIST HEGEMONY IN SOUTH ASIA

THE HIMALAYAN VOICE: PALASH BISWAS DISCUSSES RAM MANDIR

Published on 10 Apr 2013 Palash Biswas spoke to us from Kolkota and shared his views on Visho Hindu Parashid's programme from tomorrow ( April 11, 2013) to build Ram Mandir in disputed Ayodhya. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77cZuBunAGk

THE HIMALAYAN TALK: PALASH BISWAS LASHES OUT KATHMANDU INT'L 'MULVASI' CONFERENCE

अहिले भर्खर कोलकता भारतमा हामीले पलाश विश्वाससंग काठमाडौँमा आज भै रहेको अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय मूलवासी सम्मेलनको बारेमा कुराकानी गर्यौ । उहाले भन्नु भयो सो सम्मेलन 'नेपालको आदिवासी जनजातिहरुको आन्दोलनलाई कम्जोर बनाउने षडयन्त्र हो।' http://youtu.be/j8GXlmSBbbk

THE HIMALAYAN DISASTER: TRANSNATIONAL DISASTER MANAGEMENT MECHANISM A MUST

We talked with Palash Biswas, an editor for Indian Express in Kolkata today also. He urged that there must a transnational disaster management mechanism to avert such scale disaster in the Himalayas. http://youtu.be/7IzWUpRECJM

THE HIMALAYAN TALK: PALASH BISWAS CRITICAL OF BAMCEF LEADERSHIP

[Palash Biswas, one of the BAMCEF leaders and editors for Indian Express spoke to us from Kolkata today and criticized BAMCEF leadership in New Delhi, which according to him, is messing up with Nepalese indigenous peoples also. He also flayed MP Jay Narayan Prasad Nishad, who recently offered a Puja in his New Delhi home for Narendra Modi's victory in 2014.]

THE HIMALAYAN TALK: PALASH BISWAS CRITICIZES GOVT FOR WORLD`S BIGGEST BLACK OUT

THE HIMALAYAN TALK: PALASH BISWAS CRITICIZES GOVT FOR WORLD`S BIGGEST BLACK OUT

THE HIMALAYAN TALK: PALSH BISWAS FLAYS SOUTH ASIAN GOVERNM

Palash Biswas, lashed out those 1% people in the government in New Delhi for failure of delivery and creating hosts of problems everywhere in South Asia. http://youtu.be/lD2_V7CB2Is

THE HIMALAYAN TALK: PALASH BISWAS LASHES OUT KATHMANDU INT'L 'MULVASI' CONFERENCE

अहिले भर्खर कोलकता भारतमा हामीले पलाश विश्वाससंग काठमाडौँमा आज भै रहेको अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय मूलवासी सम्मेलनको बारेमा कुराकानी गर्यौ । उहाले भन्नु भयो सो सम्मेलन 'नेपालको आदिवासी जनजातिहरुको आन्दोलनलाई कम्जोर बनाउने षडयन्त्र हो।' http://youtu.be/j8GXlmSBbbk