The Sundarbans are undoubtedly one of the most beautiful and charming forests in India and Bangladesh and they are an eye-catching tourist destination as well. The largest mangrove forest in the world, the significance of the Sundarbans extends beyond the unique and attractive forests. It is also an important habitat of a myriad of animals and is home to the iconic Royal Bengal Tiger. However, of late, the Sundarbans have been at the receiving end of the apathetic attitude and mindset of human beings in general. Global Warming which is orchestrated by human beings have had a deep-rooted impact on the Sundarbans. Sundarbans. Be it the increase in carbon dioxide (CO2) emission or the increase in the average global temperature of the earth, things are getting worse for the Sundarbans. Firstly, the increase in temperature results in the de- struction of the mangrove trees and forests present in the region. This inevitably places a multitude of lives at stake as the mangroves essentially protect the people from violent storms. This destruction of the mangroves also results in the coast getting exposed. A lot of people lose their lives because of floods and tropical cyclones and global warming which results in destruction of the mangrove trees and forests is the primary reason. According to certain scientists, the mangrove trees of the Sundarbans played a pivotal role in saving a lot of lives from the wrath of the 1999 cyclone from the Bay of Bengal. The mangrove trees thus are of trees are salt-tolerant and the increasing saline water has affected them largely. Another major impact of the fast-approaching sea because of global warming has been that the tigers in the region have been pushed to the farmlands and the village area. This is essentially because the hunting grounds have been washed away. The tigers have caused the death of a lot of villagers and have destroyed several crops in the farmlands. Unless and until the government intervenes and takes things seriously, the mangrove forests will disappear and most of the area will go underwater because of the adverse effects of global warming. The steps and choices we undertake today will definitely play a pivotal role in the survival of the mangrove forests.
10 Jan 2022
Sayanta Sengupta
