Rising sea due to global warming is threatening the deltas of Sunderbans. According to reports, several deltas have already been claimed by the rising sea, many are awaiting submergence.
Several deltas have been rendered infertile, the water on the island saline, the people of the island have moved to some other place, devoid of their land, house and their source of livelihood. The people displaced by the natural disaster generally lose their decent livelihoods and are forced to live in makeshift homes and work as casual labourers.
The inhabited deltas in Sunderbans have mud embankments. These embankments had so far saved the human settlements as well protected the fertility from being damaged by saline sea water. With rising sea level, these embankment are turning small to provide protection from the sea which threatens to submerge the deltas in every high tide.
Prof. Pranabes Sanyal of the School of Oceanographic Studies in Jadavpur University said:
There are already 7,000 environmental refugees in the Sunderbans and the numbers can only increase with the sea devouring more islands as a result of global warming and climate change.
According to a United Nations study, a rise of 45 cm in the sea level will destroy 75 per cent of forests in the Sunderbans. Another study done by Jadhavpur University has concluded that the sea is rising at 3.14 mm annually against the global average of 2 mm.
The rising sea does not only have immediate threat to the people living on the island but also threatens the Royal Bengal tigers along with the mangrove forests that keep the land safe from being claimed by the sea. The loss of mangrove trees will have even grave implications as they serve as natural buffers against tropical cyclones.
The people of Sunderbans, both in India and Banagladesh, are facing the consequnces of global warming caused by the greenhouse gases emitted mainly by developed nations and the people living in town and cities. Even though the damage done by poor people and nations is the lowest, they are turning to be the first victims of the catastrophe.
Source: Ipsnews.net
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