Sundarbans

NGT directs authorities to demolish hotel constructed in Sundarbans

The National Green Tribunal has directed authorities in West Bengal to demolish a hotel constructed in Sundarbans in violation of environmental norms. The tribunal was hearing a matter pertaining to the permissibility of a hotel construction in Sundarbans, for which the West Bengal State Coastal Zone Management Authority (WBCZMA) had raised objections. A bench of Chairperson Justice A K Goel said Sundarbans was a critically vulnerable coastal area (CVCA) under the coastal regulation zone notifications and no construction was permissible in a CVCA. We uphold the stand of WBCZMA and declare the constructions made by the project proponent to be illegal. A joint committee of WBSCZMA, district magistrate and senior superintendent of police (SSP) may ensure the demolition of illegal constructions and restoration of the area within three months from today, the bench also comprising Justices Sudhir Agarwal and B Amit Sthalekar along with expert member A Senthil Vel said. The bench noted th

MV Ganga Vilas cruise ship to leave Kolkata on Monday for Sundarbans

Touted as the world's longest river cruise, MV Ganga Vilas, has been docked at a Kolkata jetty and will on Monday leave for Sundarbans, a UNESCO heritage site, an official said. The cruise vessel, flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 13, entered West Bengal early this week through Murshidabad and later reached Kolkata, he said. The ship has been docked at the Indenture Memorial (IM) Jetty on the bank of the Hooghly river. "The vessel will leave Kolkata on Monday and then it will be anchored at Sundarbans, one of the largest mangrove forests in the world and a UNESCO world heritage site, for two days," the official said. Taking to Twitter, Union Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said, "The next phase of journey of MV #GangaVilas will be on the Indo-Bangladesh Protocol Route, as it travels through B'desh (Bangladesh) to reach Assam. All infra has been provided at IM Jetty itself for a smooth immigration process for passengers." MV Ganga Vilas began its journey f

Bengal govt making efforts to improve tourism infrastructure in Sundarbans

The West Bengal government is making all efforts to improve the tourism infrastructure in the Sundarbans, state tourism minister Indranil Sen told the Assembly

Amphan destruction highlights Sundarbans need a different development model

Human interference and a flawed development model are making cyclones more destructive for the ecologically fragile region, writes Namrata Acharya

How a women-led initiative are trying to preserve new islands in Sunderbans

For every island that is washed away by rising tides in the Sundarbans, a new one is created somewhere else. A women-led initiative is making sure these newly-formed islands are preserved

Bangladesh Sundarbans won't have Bengal Tigers in 50 yrs over habitat loss

The Sundarbans in south-coastal Bangladesh is the world's largest surviving mangrove ecosystem, spanning over 6,000 sq km

Sundarbans tiger population stable

The latest report estimates the presence of 86 big cats