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By Dipaneeta Das: The residents of Bengal’s Sundarban are bracing for impact as the weather office on Wednesday predicted the first cyclone of 2023, Mocha, to hit the shores next week. According to the Meteorological Department, a tropical storm is likely to develop in the southeast of the Bay of Bengal in the coming days.
Noting the cyclone landfall trends from 1877 to 2016, the Council on Energy, Environment and Water’s report in 2020, shortly after Amphan, labeled Sunderban as an ‘extreme climate hotspot’.
The region, known as the cyclone capital of India, has reeled under two devastating tandems in 2022: Yaas and Jawad. The people there are no strangers to the devastation that cyclones bring with them, having faced the wrath of Aila in 2009, which displaced many families.
Also Read | IMD predicts Cyclone Mocha to make landfall in Odisha, West Bengal
“We fear the situation will turn to become like Aila. Such cyclones breach embankments and submerge our houses. We live without food for days. We can only hope to be relocated to higher ground,” Lakshmi Mandal, a local, said.
The India Meteorology Department predicted that Mocha could overlap with the spring tide, leading to massive floods in the region. The people of the Sundarbans, particularly the residents of Gosaba, are taking all necessary precautions to minimize the damage caused by cyclones.
The locals are also attempting to mend the eroded embankments with hybrid construction, moving to higher ground, stocking up on food and water, and securing their homes.
Even though the weather department has stopped short of issuing an alert until May 9, the local administration has already taken cognizance of the potential disturbances in their pre-monsoon meeting.
Also Read | Sundarbans devastated by cyclone Amphan, as virus halts migration
“In order to minimize damage, we have discussed several factors that add up to devastate the Sunderban area after a cyclone. We have held meetings at the sub-division and block levels to ensure impactful prevention measures ahead of any cyclone landfall,” Bishwanath Chowdhury, BDO of Gosaba, said.
So far, the irrigation department has enlisted 24 vulnerable areas which need stronger concrete embankments to protect the low-lying areas. This comes after cyclone Aila destroyed nearly a quarter of 3,500 km of mud-based banks, and hit livelihoods hard in the largest mangrove forest of the world.
The Block officials held meetings with the irrigation department and disaster management teams and prescribed mandates to tackle tidal fluctuations. “We have stockpiled materials for sheltering locals away from the low. We have availed some tents to the Gram Panchayats as well,” the BDO said. The Gosaba block has also set up a control room to monitor weather phenomena and other disturbances that may disrupt the regular lives of the Sunderban residents.
Also Read | Five-fold increase in cyclones in Bengal: Study
It is pertinent to mention that the Indian side of the delta is home to at least 45 lakh people. And those living along the banks like Gosaba, Sagar, Namkhana, Pakhiralay suffer from frequent breaches of embankments. The lives and livelihoods of the residents are affected by saltwater ruining farms, freshwater fishes in ponds being killed, and flattened mud huts. Chandan Maiti, Secretary, Sundarban River Dam, and Livelihood Protection Committee noted that the Ganga Delta is still vulnerable. “The areas with mud-embankments are in critical condition. Blocks like Sonagaon, pakhiralay, Goshaba have weak banks. They suffer massive erosion even during regular high tides. People around these areas are still reeling from devastation tailing from Yaas, Amphan, Aila, and more tropical cyclones in the past,” he said.
Maiti is concerned that cyclone Mocha will have a similar impact if it makes landfall along the Bengal coast. He also accused the Bengal government of not undertaking efforts to restore the broken banks. “Since the withdrawal of the 100-day labour, the river banks have remained unattended. High tides have become concerning for us and the news of a rapidly intensifying cyclone will only make things difficult for us,” he highlighted.
While Sundarban, straddling India and Bangladesh, has prevented many strong cyclones from causing widespread damage in the past, because of climate change-triggered factors, rainfall has also intensified over the years, leading to a rapid rise in sea levels. However, the region’s unique mangrove ecosystem has acted as a natural barrier, protecting the coastal areas from the full force of the cyclones.
Also Read | Cyclone Yaas: Breeding centres of croc, rare turtle inundated in Sundarbans
“The mangrove forest-laden areas are as much of a concern as the mud embankments. The area between the Zila Parishad (Gosaba) to Durgadahan does not have this layering. This is worrying us,” explained Prosad Mondal, a local. He added they had apprised the local Irrigation Department officer-in-charge to mend the roads ahead of the upcoming natural disaster but in vain.
Former Irrigation Minister Subhas Naskar also accused the West Bengal Trinamool Government of turning a blind eye to the delta. Noting the developing weather conditions, he recalled the devastation caused during previous tropical storms. “Such disasters cannot be curtailed. We can only show preparedness. However, during my tenure, I approached the cabinet to pay heed to the river banks. After Yaas, some work was done to repair the embankments but that was the end of it,” he added.
While the blame game continues, the residents of Sundarbans waited for Cyclone Mocha to hit, only hoping that their preparations would be enough to minimize the damage caused by the cyclone. “After Yaas, Sunderban residents have remained worried. We only hope that the administration helps us get through this,” a resilient Mondal added.
They know that they cannot stop the cyclone, but they can take steps to protect themselves and their families.
(With input from Prasenjit Saha)
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