Sundarbans as a Barrier against Cyclones

Sundarban is nature's disaster-prevention system. It's a swampy forest with numerous river systems and creeks running through it. The world's largest mangrove forest can be found along the coast of the Bay of Bengal. Both India and Bangladesh are affected. It earned its name from the Sundari tree, which covers around 70% of the land. It's in the delta region of several rivers, including the Padma, Meghna, and Brahmaputra.

Sundarban is regarded as one of the world's natural marvels. It has formed over millennia as a result of natural upstream sediment deposition and intertidal segregation. The Sundarbans, a mangrove forest, protected thousands of people on the coast and the environment from storms.

Floods, cyclones, hurricanes, and tornadoes are only a few examples of climate-related natural catastrophes that have struck West Bengal and other parts of the world. Natural disasters cause increasing amounts of damage each year. Natural calamities kill a large number of people each year; some years have very few deaths before a major disaster event kills a large number of people. 60,000 individuals have lost their lives each year over the past few decades due to natural calamities taking place.

Natural catastrophes are being protected in a variety of ways. In many situations, experts discovered that huge forests and tree plantations provided an efficient physical barrier against natural disasters, saving both lives and the environment. Sunderbans with no doubt is the largest forest with the most number of mangrove trees. The Sundarbans, which are located between Bangladesh and India, cover a total area of around 10,000 square kilometres.

The mangroves of the Sundarbans are not only gorgeous to look at, but they are also rich with natural resources. It is one of the greatest forests in the world and serves as a green shield for the coast. It is critical in preventing land salinity and guaranteeing environmental safety. It might also act as a watchdog to keep the people residing nearby safe from natural disasters. When Cyclone Bulbul hit Khulna in 2019, the largest forest in the world reduced its tremendous wind speed and made it weaker, saving the coastal area from several losses.

Role of Sundarbans as an Environmental protector

Sundarbans mangrove forests serve as natural shields in a variety of ways.

• By decreasing the effects of waves, storm surges, and high winds, the Sundarbans and Mangroves help to reduce the loss of lives and property caused by storms and cyclones. By lowering the capacity of wind to exhaust sediments and reducing the damage caused by removing trees, mangrove forests can help to reduce the loss of life and property caused by natural catastrophes such as cyclones, storms, and tornadoes.
• Mangrove forests have a deep root system that traps sediments as they move down rivers and off the coast. 
• This aids in the stabilization of the coastline and the prevention of erosion caused by waves and storms. The woods safeguard coral reefs and seagrass meadows from being suffocated by sediment by filtering it out.
• Sundarbans' mangroves help fight global warming by absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and storing it mostly in wood. When the mangroves die, their roots and branches get mixed with the soil and later immerse with the water waves. This slows down the decomposition and increases carbon storage (SLR). Mangroves accumulate soil over time, which increases the height of the mangrove soil surface, which may become more important with the development of the SLR. On the other hand, healthy mangrove plants are essential for all aspects of coastal protection. To survive, mangroves require sufficient sediment and fresh water, as well as connections to other ecosystems. Mangroves, on the other hand, are threatened by pollution, subsidence, and unsustainable exploitation.

Sunderbans: Lungs of West Bengal 

Sunderbans themselves have been ravaged by humans, though. The remaining 102 islands feature forests with national parks, reserve forests, and sanctuaries that are home to the world's only mangrove tigers. Mangroves have suffered the greatest decline in these human habitats over time. The mangroves have suffered greatly as a result of illegal tree chopping for timber outside of the forest area, infrastructural development, hotel, and resort construction, and farming. Over time, the mangrove habitat has shrunk. As a result, the national green tribunal and courts are taking action. Several construction projects have also been suspended due to violations of the coastal management zone laws.

The Sunderbans, on the other hand, have been ravaged by humans. Only 54 of the 102 islands have human settlements; the rest are covered in forests with national parks, reserve forests, and sanctuaries where the world's only mangrove tigers can be found. The mangroves have experienced the most destruction in these human ecosystems over the years. The mangroves have suffered greatly as a result of illegal tree chopping outside of the forest area for timber, infrastructural development, hotel, and resort construction, and farming. The mangrove cover has dwindled over time. Due to the participation of the national green tribunal and the courts, this has recently lessened. Several construction projects have also been halted due to legislation governing coastal management zones.

The forest department, gram panchayats, and the Sundarban affairs department have planted thousands of mangrove trees on the island and along the river's embankments. Sunderban affairs minister Manturam Pakhira observed, "The mangrove (cover) is now expanding."

Managing Mangroves

According to studies, the Sundarbans act as dike systems that safeguard coastal areas from major natural disasters such as tsunamis and cyclones. As a result, protecting and expanding the Sundarbans' capacity is a pressing concern. Under the noses of the government, the mangrove has been methodically deforested. Around 8.3% of the total area of this forest was deforested by people and firms. The proliferation of shrimp and salt farms has resulted in the deforestation of the Chakaria Sundarbans. To protect the Sundarbans, deforestation must be prevented.

The Sundarbans' overall area is constantly changing due to coastal erosion and accretion. The average erosion rates in the eastern and western portions are 14 and 15 metres per year, respectively. Wetland revegetation and offshore breakwater are two 'soft' and 'hard' structural/engineering alternatives for reducing coastal erosion.

It is critical to make a long-term investment in mangrove plantations for coastal protection. Mangroves planted along riverbanks prevent riverbank erosion and safeguard residents living along the river from various natural disasters. Understanding the science behind the Sundarbans and natural disasters is critical to the long-term planning and management of this forest. Immediate action is required to implement the Delta Plan's three techniques for expanding the Sundarbans: (a) planting trees in all areas together (b) cooperating rather than competing with Nature, and (c) maintaining perennial tidal flow.

Furthermore, three challenges must be addressed while maintaining mangroves for coastal defense. First, because mangroves do not always provide a stand-alone answer, they must be integrated into coastal security systems. To reach the necessary level of protection, they may need to be paired with other risk reduction techniques.

Second, mangroves must be included in the management of coastal zones. Mangrove conservation must be integrated into broader coastal zone management policy tools, such as the Coastal Zone Policy, for them to contribute effectively to risk reduction.

Finally, investments are required to restore the mangroves. Where proper ecological and social circumstances are available or restored, mangroves and their coastal risk reduction role can regenerate.

There is convincing evidence that the Sundarbans are critical to the people and property of coastal communities. As a result, strict mangrove governance measures are a must for reducing the effects of natural disasters and preserving the neighbouring states as a whole.