SOS HELP NEEDED: DISASTER HAS BEEN PLANNED FOR TIGERS AND SUNDARBANS

DISASTER FOR THE TIGERS AND THE SUNDARBANS

DEAR GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS

In a massive expansion drive started by the West Bengal Tourism Department who since many years operate a wooden structured tourist lodge adjacent to the Sajnekhali Range Office complex, a huge concrete construction has been undergoing for a few months now. It is understood from the tourist lodge staffs that this huge building will be air-conditioned run by generators, not to mention the amount of carbon emission that will ensue within a National Park already a threatened Tiger habitat by means of climate change.



This Sajnekhali tourism & foresters’ area is famed for its rich habitat that has a sweet water hole visited by wild animals on a regular basis & most importantly frequented by Tigers every now and then. The embankment of this water hole is separated from the tourist campus by fencing and the two sections were separated by a vast natural space/gap, which tourists & others couldn’t access/overpass till recent times. Wildlife sightings were done from the watchtowers located at safe distances within the complex. Alarmingly it was found that this new concrete construction has been erected at the closest possible proximity to the water hole to ensure that tourists get a clear & comfortable glance of the area from their air-conditioned lodge/resort.



· This nearness to the water hole that is frequented by all major species will unquestionably be disturbed by the huge concrete structure, its residents and chaos that are all natural products of such ‘tourist spots’. Isn’t the absence of a buffer area enough to restrict movements of wild animals?



· Is it not that by disturbing the existing peace at Sajnekhali, Tigers in particular will travel out from the forest area into human settlements just opposite to the island adding anxiety to the already increasing man-animal conflicts in the area?



· It is even more alarming that disobedient, unrestrained tourists will throw articles like bottles, plastics & other disposes into the water hole that may result in contamination of water that the wild animals consume. Consumption of soft plastic items can even cause painful deaths to herbivores. Will a 24x7 strict vigil be ‘practically’ possible to ensure that these can be filtered?



· Is it not possible that in the near future if the West Bengal Tourism Department hands over or leases out the said lucrative project to a private operator, things can even worsen?



With these troublemaking the wilderness of the area will undoubtedly erode permanently. Sajnekhali, as an important Tiger zone will be dead and thousands of visitors who travel to the Sundarbans from allover for a glimpse of its serenity will also be deprived of any wildlife sighting in the near future.



Moreover to add that the ongoing construction operators have excavated soil from the sanctuary area that is outside their designated zone in havoc (also photo-documented). This excavation has been done to use the removed soil to expand their pathways.



This removal or excavations of soil from within a protected area defies both the Indian Forest Act & the Wildlife Protection Act.



· It is evident that this excavation has not only dented the areas biodiversity but has also has severely damaged the mangroves & its roots that are clearly evident in the photo-documents. How can such excavation be initiated defying the wilderness of such a vulnerable & unique Tiger habitat?



· Removal of soil from a protected forest area is equivalent to that of mining and that too without a justifiable need for forest management but for the use of a pure commercial project. What can be the validation behind such severe misdeeds?



This unlawful act has been clear evidences of major biotic interferences in a Protected Area.



The most surprising and frustrating part of the entire abnormalities is the role of the Field Director of the Sundarban Tiger Reserve under whose jurisdiction lays the protection of not only wildlife but their habitat too.



· Under what circumstances can such malfunction and violation of protection norms be allowed/permitted for a commercial venture?



· How can a commercial body be allowed to start such a mammoth developmental job beside a Tiger Reserve’s Range office defying all ethics of wildlife management?



· Is it not forest and wildlife that needs to be the top priorities for a Field Director?



Such unwanted events of unfaithfulness forces one to take in for questioning the situation of present governance and protection of Sundarban Tiger Reserve and Bengal Tigers as a whole or do we expect more such faults allover?



All that we can do is to make a humble appeal before you to take necessary steps immediately before more damages are caused to the wilderness and ensure that the structure is dismantled to restore the little peace that the poor wilderness expects from us all.



We want immediate action with regards to not only a stop to the work but also demolition of the construction and freeing the area of human interference.


Thanks
THE WORLD WIDE COMMUNITY

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