2020 has not been a kind year for travelers. A global pandemic has formatted our travel itinerary and confined us inside our homes. And if you happen to live in the eastern side of India & Bangladesh, chances are that you have just survived one of the strongest super cyclones ever recorded in the Bay of Bengal.
Climate change, deforestation and rising pollution levels are all a part of our collective reality now. And yet, so little time is spent contemplating and figuring out solutions for it. Hence, natural calamities have now become nature’s weapon of choice for giving humanity frequent reality checks.
The mangroves of Sundarbans have traditionally guarded the rest of West Bengal from any serious weather systems developing in the Bay of Bengal. But, rising sea levels along with illegal, unregulated logging has steadily weakened this, once formidable line of defense.
With a vulnerable and damaged coastline/green cover, storms from the bay can move with devastating force further inland. And that’s exactly what happened on the 20th of May, 2020. Super Cyclone Amphan almost wiped South Bengal off the map in a matter of hours.
Ecosystems destroyed
The coastal town of Digha and its surroundings are the traditional weekend destination for millions of Bengalis. Beautiful sandy beaches, epic sunsets and delicious sea food all add up for a perfect, short escapade. Other, more recent locations like Mandarmani and Tajpur, have further added to the charm of this coastal paradise.
But, being at the very edge of the mainland means it is completely exposed to the Bay of Bengal. The biggest attraction to this area is also its biggest threat- the sea. Cyclone Amphan made landfall halfway between Digha and Hatiya Island in Bangladesh. The eye of the storm passed right over the Sundarbans.
As the storm of the century marched inland, it devastated these fragile ecosystems; affecting life from societal all the way down to cellular level. Both Sundarbans and the southern coast, depend heavily on tourism for their revenues and with most of it destroyed, locals are looking at a bleak future.
After the storm
The effect of any significant natural disaster can be bucketed into short term and long term categories. Short term, meaning the immediate loss from direct contact with danger and long term is how the damages impact life, long after the disaster.
Cyclone Amphan’s direct impact was devastating to say the least. People of Kolkata could not have imagined their city being systematically dismantled at such a scale. Within a few hours of the cyclone hitting the State capital, water supply and power went out, plunging the city into complete darkness.
The relentless winds started toppling ancient trees, foliages; which resulted in the closure of roads. Streets were completely cut off from communication and resources. Waterlogged alleys became deadly as severed power lines electrocuted any unfortunate soul passing through.
Tourist attraction and historical landmarks like Kolkata’s botanical garden were significantly damaged by the storm; in some cases, the damages are irreparable. The lush green Rabindra Sarovar lost a large chunk of its trees; broken branches, majestic barks strewn everywhere.
The ensuing days, saw public authorities crumbling under the sheer pressure of attending emergency calls. There were power lines to be fixed, exposed wires that needed to be removed, roads were blocked by massive trees, water and power supply disrupted.
At the time of writing this, most of the above predicaments have been dealt with by the joint effort of the Indian Army, Kolkata Corporation, thousands of brave volunteers and the NDRF. But the long term effect of this damage will definitely be felt by Kolkata and the Southern part of Bengal.
Loss of vital green cover
The sheer loss of greenery in Kolkata is staggering. And one can only guess to the magnitude of damage done to Sundarbans and the surrounding coastal terrain of both India and Bangladesh. With such a drastic drop in trees, forests and plants, we are looking at a warmer, drier and certainly more polluted future.
Thousands of endangered species of palm civets, foxes, not to mention the fora and fauna of Sundarbans have been left without any shelter. On top of that, the wrath of urbanization and commercial tourism will make sure this problem is magnified a thousand fold.
In my locality alone, except for a sturdy, veteran banyan tree, almost all the other older trees have fallen. They were the silent sentinels of history who stood tall for more than half a century, only to be struck down together, in a matter of hours.
The way forward
Judging by recent weather trends, it is evident that frequency of potent cyclones is on the ascendency. So, it is safe to say Cyclone Amphan is not the end but a signal for things to come. Now, we can’t control a storm, but we can surely mitigate its effects on fragile ecosystems.
The Sundarbans have been neglected for ages and if people don’t act now, we might not have South Bengal by the end of this century. Stricter, more stringent laws should be passed against illegal logging. Tourism should be regulated or else the sheer volume of steamers, ships and trawlers plying the rivers and tributaries dump pollutants of alarming proportion.
Proper dams should be built in order to protect the people of Sundarbans from the frequent and deadly flooding. Progress in these areas have been so regressive that they haven’t yet been able to repair earthen dams that were destroyed by Cyclone Aila (which happened more than a decade ago).
Coming to our own city, an effective, citywide re-plantation drive must be implemented ASAP. The worst affected green corridors like the Rabindra Sarovar, Salt Lake, and Botanical garden should be prioritized first. We as citizens should take ownership of the fact that we need to plant trees.
Don’t throw away seeds that are left over from your veggie or fruit salad. Keep them wrapped in a piece of paper and if you chance upon an open patch of field, while on your travels outside, sprinkle the seeds over it. Even if one of your seeds survived and became a sapling next season, it’s a huge win. If every single one of us did this, who is to say that we can’t reverse our own undoing.
Concluding
Global climate change, industrial exploitation and rising pollution are all a byproduct of human activities. It is up to us to act with intention so that we can secure a better world for our future selves. An honest and effective dialogue must be brought about on these issues.
Only when our existential safety is met, can we think of benefiting from economic, financial and technological growth. And our existence is tied in to the environment and how we interact with it. So, a better relationship with nature is a harbinger for a better future.
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