Natural situation:
The Sunderbans area of West Bengal in India is situated on the mouth of river Ganges at 22° north of the Equator and 89° east of the prime meridian. The Sunderbans of West Bengal are spread over both North and South 24 Parganas districts. The area consists of low and flat alluvial plains in which the process of land making through the siltation process is still going on. The entire area is intersected by tidal rivers or estuaries from north to south and by innumerable narrow tidal creeks from east to west. The principal rivers are Hooghly, Matla, Bidyadhari, Piyali and Jamuna. The area is composed of 102 islands of which 54 are inhabited. It is about 9630 sq. kms. in size of which 4264 sq. kms. is forest areas largely composed of mangroves. All these islands are physically detached from the mainland where water transport is the only communication mode. All these islands are made out of a combination of carbonate based matter and like Caribbean islands or Queen’s land on the side of Persian Gulf and Red sea. In Sunderbans, due to external natural causes generated from regular high and low tide in innumerous rivers and average rainfall; a huge flow of bio-matters continuously moves onward the coastal areas. This enriches the oceanic eco-system through a comprehensive process of uptake and bio-turbation.
People & their economy:
There are 19 Community Development Blocks in the Sunderbans area spread in the districts of South and North 24 Parganas. The estimated population of these 54 islands is over 3.5 millions by now. Whole area depends upon a single crop, the rain-fed paddy. Situation of agriculture is very poor due to salinity of water and soil. No big industry exists in this area. Most of the small enterprises can only survive if they are subsidized. In this Sunderbans region the main occupation of the people is fishing in rivers or in the sea but presently the supply of tiny spawns of prawns is sharply declining by reason of using ultra-fine nets for fishing destroying fish of many other types that were available in abundance in the past. Another occupation is collection of minor forest products like wood and honey. Consequently death either in cyclone or by attacks of dacoits in water or by attack of beasts like Tiger, Snake or Crocodile in forests is a common phenomenon.
The social status:
Development infrastructure like health, education, transportation, electricity
etc. has not yet been built up in this area due to its detachment from
the mainland. Scarcity of drinking water is another harsh situation
here. It requires digging 800-1200 ft. to get it. Here
people survive by struggling against the adverse natural condition.
Acute illiteracy and lack of awareness and exposure are the main causes
of making their life overwhelmed by self-destructive unscientific taboos,
beliefs and practices. Simultaneously people’s awareness regarding
health and hygiene caused utter sufferings from common ailments, infectious
diseases and poor reproductive health. In the year 1943 a macro study
for the purpose of assessment of health situation was initiated in India
by the British under chairmanship of Sir Joseph Bhore. This committee,
known as Bhore Committee, correctly pointed out in its report published
in 1946 that, about 90% of the diseases are related to poverty, ignorance
and superstition and almost all these 90% of the diseases are preventable.
About 75% are linked up with malnutrition. This observation is relevant
even today. This committee suggested that preventive measures should
get priority. The report also states that, “The maintenance of the
public health requires the fulfillment of certain fundamental conditions,
which include the provision of an environment conducive to healthful living,
adequate nutrition, the availability of health protection to all members
of the community, irrespective of their ability to pay for it, and the
active cooperation in the maintenance of their own health. The large
amount preventable suffering and mortality in the country is mainly the
result of an inadequacy of provision in respect of these fundamental factors.”
But, the Committee’s recommendation for infrastructural expansion became
the refuge of the administrative authorities, ignoring the importance of
socio-economic factors. Therefore, there are few defunct primary health
centres and thereby the Quake doctors have flourished their business with
quick relief giving medicines instead of curing the ailments. In
this situation people opt for amulets etc. for protection owing to its
nearness and availability. Life of these poor people of Sunderbans
become more crucially endangered due to a few moneylenders, antisocial
hooligans and vested interest opinion leaders.
| home | our
story |
current
cases |
old
cases |
we need
your help |
contact
us |
help us to
know you |