Introduction
The Sundarbans, a huge mangrove forest that sits on the border of India and Bangladesh, grabs the attention of writers, environmentalists, and policymakers. From its depiction in Amitav Ghosh’s popular book “The Hungry Tide” to its current role as a key environmental hotspot, the Sundarbans remains an area of great ecological value and rising worry.
Literary Representation: “The Hungry Tide”
Amitav Ghosh’s 2004 book “The Hungry Tide” put the spotlight on the unique ecosystem and culture of the Sundarbans. The story combines themes of:
- Environmental protection
- Cultural preservation
- The tricky balance between humans and nature
Ghosh’s story shows how tough it is to balance what local people need with keeping the area’s plants and animals safe. This idea connects well with the environmental problems we face today.
Today’s Environmental Problems
How Climate Change Affects the Area
In 2025, the Sundarbans are dealing with big threats from climate change that we’ve never seen before:
- Sea Level Rise: This region sees sea levels climbing more than twice as fast as the global average.
- In the last 20 years, sea levels have gone up about 3 cm yearly.
- The coastline has shrunk by 12% over the past 40 years.
- Land Loss:
- The Sundarbans lost 210 km² of land between 1967 and 2015-16.
- Some islands are losing up to 40 meters of land each year.
- Scientists think some islands might vanish in the next 50 to 100 years.
- More Frequent and Stronger Cyclones: Since May 2020, cyclones have become more common and powerful. Five major cyclones have hit the West Bengal coast during this time.
Human Impact and Vulnerability
The Sundarbans has a population of about 7.2 million people. Many of these residents belong to some of South Asia’s most at-risk groups:
- Around half of the people live in poverty.
- Most depend on small-scale farming, fishing, and resources from the forest to survive.
- The effects of climate change make existing problems worse. These include poverty poor nutrition, and few options to make a living.
Economic Losses
The environment’s destruction comes at a huge financial cost:
- A 2009 study estimated that environmental damage and health issues cost Rs 1290 crore (USD 250 million) , which equaled 10% of the Sundarbans’ GDP then.
- The area provides key ecosystem services, with estimates pointing to its value exceeding US$27.71 billion per year as of 2023.
Conservation Efforts and Challenges
International Recognition
- The government declared the Sundarbans a reserve forest in 1875.
- UNESCO World Heritage Site status:
- Indian part: 1987
- Bangladesh part: 1997
- The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands recognizes the Sundarbans
Bilateral Cooperation
- India and Bangladesh signed an agreement in 2011 to work together on conservation.
- They set up a team to gather info, protect the area, and start new projects.
- Even with these plans, putting them into action is tough because:
- They don’t agree on how big the Sundarbans is
- In India different parts of the government handle different things
- Each country has its own top concerns to deal with
The Problem with Farakka Barrage
The Farakka Barrage built in 1975, has changed the Sundarbans a lot:
- It messed up how sand and soil get spread around
- Less fresh water flows through now
- This causes land to sink and makes the water saltier
Even with many treaties and agreements, countries still can’t agree on how to share water, which makes it harder to protect the environment.
The Way Forward
As the Sundarbans face more and more environmental threats, we need to take several key steps:
- Better Team-up Between Countries: India and Bangladesh need to put their current deals into action more .
- Looking at the Big Picture: We should come up with a plan that takes care of both the forests and the people living in the Sundarbans.
- Getting Ready for Weather Changes: We need to make solid plans to help folks in the area deal with the changing environment.
- Jobs That Don’t Harm Nature: We should find new ways for people to make a living that don’t use up too many natural resources.
- Help from Around the World: We should tell everyone how important the Sundarbans is when it comes to climate change, so we can get support and resources from other countries.
Conclusion
The Sundarbans celebrated in books and known for its importance to nature, faces a turning point. What happens next depends on how well we protect it how tough its people are, and how the world tackles climate change. Looking ahead, the Sundarbans shows us how books, the environment, and people are linked when it comes to worldwide environmental issues.
