Ecological diversity, Literacy and Employment Generation at Hingalgange in Sundarbans

Now a days, environmental changes are the prime discourse among the Environmentalists, Scientists and Intellectuals. Mankind has come to accept that environmental changes affect not only the individuals but it could also bring disastrous consequences to all the species in this world. Pollution of water, air and the entire atmosphere have brought entire human civilization to the brink of disaster.

Sundarban is a large delta area, formed at the confluence, where three very large rivers the Ganges, Meghna and Brahmaputra, flowing through India and Bangladesh, finally converge into the Bay of Bengal. The total area of the Delta is around 10,000 sq. km. The mangroves, seagrass, meadows, salt marshes, forests, all combine to make Sundarban, one of the most valuable and productive coastal ecosystems,

Unfortunately we have not been able to utilize the true potential of this highly productive asset. Apparently we are also not able to appreciate the great ecological balance being maintained by this area and are not able to envisage the gravity of Nature’s wrath that might come down upon us in case we fail to take urgent action to develop this area through scientific approaches for maintenance of its natural ecosystem and by enhancing proper awareness among the local people.

To meet these basic and urgent needs, what is required most is to spread education and to invent and implement scientific methods for utilization of the natural wealth of Sundarban, increasing thereby avenues for financial growth for the local people. Another most important factor is to improve the medical facilities, particularly in these far flung areas of Sunderban, where even the minimum concern for health is almost not there.

The Samsernagar village is one of the areas in Sundarban r which may be termed as very rich in biodiversity. It is situated in North 24 Parganas District, Block Hingalgange, Panchayat Kalitala West Bengal. The literacy rate among the local people is less than 60 %. The village has nearly 7500 inhabitants and the number is increasing quite rapidly. Samsernagar island is surrounded by the rivers Raimangal and Kalindi. The people are directly dependent on collection of forest resources like timbers, honey etc., fishing of crab, fish, prawn etc. and animal husbandry. Agricultural production is far from satisfactory due to salinity of the soil and water. The people often venture deep into the forests for hunting and for collection of other items needed for their own consumption and for the purpose of trading. This, it is needless to mention, is very dangerous in view of their frequent confrontation with wild animals like tigers, wild pigs, snakes, crocodiles etc.

The scope of generation of local employment is limited, and the situation is getting even more and more difficult, due to increase in population, many people are now going out of the village in search of better prospects.

Thus for binging any betterment to this area, the code words could be summarized as betterment in education, awareness among the people and improvement in ecological balance.