High salinity in groundwater forces folks in Sundarbans to purchase consuming water, go away farming
By PTI
HASNABAD: Bibhas Mondal, a farmer of West Bengal’s Hasnabad gram panchayat, stopped agricultural work two years in the past as Cyclone Aamphan of 2020 inundated the realm within the Sundarban Biosphere Reserve with saline water making land unfit for cultivation.
Shikha Mondal, one other resident of Khapukur village, purchases consuming water from an area remedy plant as tube wells solely carry saline water for a similar motive.
The salinity of the underground water they get from tube wells is 5 PSU (Practical Salinity Unit) whereas the best ought to be zero PSU, marine scientist Prof Abhijit Mitra instructed PTI.
Many folks like Bibhas Mondal and Shikha Mondal who’re going through the issues have raised these points with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee when she visited their village in North 24 Parganas district final week.
Banerjee directed the district authorities to handle their issues. Her authorities additionally has plans to create a brand new district, Sundarbans, and the affected space might be included in it.
“We have no drinking water. There is also no (proper) water to cultivate our land. All land has been damaged by the saline water following Cyclone Aamphan in 2020. We want Mamata Banerjee to solve these problems. We do not want anything else,” Sikha Mondal instructed PTI.
The cyclone barrelled by the coastal districts of the state on May 21 two years in the past, killing at the least 12 folks, uprooting hundreds of timber, blowing up shanties and swamping low-lying areas.
ALSO READ | Rajasthan: One extra dies after consuming contaminated water in Karauli
The villagers even have to purchase 20 litres of water for Rs 10 from the remedy plant and a household has to shell out round Rs 1,500 a month for consuming water.
“The amount is high for us. It is not affordable. We want the administration to address this issue,” Sikha Mondal mentioned.
Some folks within the village are compelled to drink saline water. Consumption of such water for a very long time is prone to convey numerous well being points.
As the land has change into unfit for agriculture in Hasnabad, Bhowanipur and Barunhat blocks underneath Basirhat sub-division, many individuals at the moment are attempting their hand at shrimp farming for a dwelling.
“We have no work now. The land has been spoiled by the saline water and we are now trying to earn by shrimp cultivation,” Bibhas Mondal mentioned.
Villagers acknowledged that they’ve knowledgeable the matter to the native MLA, however there was no assist. Mihir Adhikary, an area chief of the ruling Trinamool Congress, additionally talked about these issues confronted by the folks.
“We have been requesting the leaders to give us some respite, but there has been no response from anybody. The district administration has been doing nothing. Now, we have told Mamata Banerjee, and she has assured us of help,” Bibhas Mondal instructed PTI.
“I’ve heard about your water-related problems. We are trying to solve it. We will connect all households in West Bengal with tap water by 2024,” the chief minister mentioned.
Banerjee who distributed saris and blankets among the many villagers additionally mentioned that the state authorities is engaged on a masterplan for the general improvement of Sunderbans. Some of the ladies even expressed unhappiness with Banerjee’s present of saris.
“What will I do with this sari? We need proper water to drink and cultivate the land. These are affecting our lives,” a homemaker who didn’t want to be recognized instructed PTI.
Expressing concern over the difficulty, marine scientist Dr Abhijit Mitra mentioned that the salinity within the water of the realm is rising because the early Nineteen Eighties, particularly within the central a part of the Indian Sundarbans area. The central sector of the Indian Sundarban biosphere reserve is hyper-saline.
No freshwater discharge is coming from the upstream space and this half is receiving solely the tidal water of the Bay of Bengal, the Calcutta University instructor mentioned.
“The salinity in water in this zone has been increasing but the rise gained momentum since 2009 after Cyclone Aila hit West Bengal. Now, there is around 20gm of salt in one litre of water which is unthinkable for agriculture,” he mentioned.
However, the scenario within the jap sector of the biosphere, during which the village falls, will not be so dangerous. Talking on situation of anonymity, a senior state authorities official mentioned that the administration is working exhausting to handle each problem in that space.
“Things are not that bad as it has been said. We are working very hard for the overall development of the Sundarbans and its surrounding area,” the bureaucrat mentioned. Septuagenarian villager Sushil Mondal is holding his fingers crossed.
“The chief minister has assured us of ending our water problems. Something will definitely happen,” he mentioned.
HASNABAD: Bibhas Mondal, a farmer of West Bengal’s Hasnabad gram panchayat, stopped agricultural work two years in the past as Cyclone Aamphan of 2020 inundated the realm within the Sundarban Biosphere Reserve with saline water making land unfit for cultivation.
Shikha Mondal, one other resident of Khapukur village, purchases consuming water from an area remedy plant as tube wells solely carry saline water for a similar motive.
The salinity of the underground water they get from tube wells is 5 PSU (Practical Salinity Unit) whereas the best ought to be zero PSU, marine scientist Prof Abhijit Mitra instructed PTI.
Many folks like Bibhas Mondal and Shikha Mondal who’re going through the issues have raised these points with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee when she visited their village in North 24 Parganas district final week.
Banerjee directed the district authorities to handle their issues. Her authorities additionally has plans to create a brand new district, Sundarbans, and the affected space might be included in it.
“We have no drinking water. There is also no (proper) water to cultivate our land. All land has been damaged by the saline water following Cyclone Aamphan in 2020. We want Mamata Banerjee to solve these problems. We do not want anything else,” Sikha Mondal instructed PTI.
The cyclone barrelled by the coastal districts of the state on May 21 two years in the past, killing at the least 12 folks, uprooting hundreds of timber, blowing up shanties and swamping low-lying areas.
ALSO READ | Rajasthan: One extra dies after consuming contaminated water in Karauli
The villagers even have to purchase 20 litres of water for Rs 10 from the remedy plant and a household has to shell out round Rs 1,500 a month for consuming water.
“The amount is high for us. It is not affordable. We want the administration to address this issue,” Sikha Mondal mentioned.
Some folks within the village are compelled to drink saline water. Consumption of such water for a very long time is prone to convey numerous well being points.
As the land has change into unfit for agriculture in Hasnabad, Bhowanipur and Barunhat blocks underneath Basirhat sub-division, many individuals at the moment are attempting their hand at shrimp farming for a dwelling.
“We have no work now. The land has been spoiled by the saline water and we are now trying to earn by shrimp cultivation,” Bibhas Mondal mentioned.
Villagers acknowledged that they’ve knowledgeable the matter to the native MLA, however there was no assist. Mihir Adhikary, an area chief of the ruling Trinamool Congress, additionally talked about these issues confronted by the folks.
“We have been requesting the leaders to give us some respite, but there has been no response from anybody. The district administration has been doing nothing. Now, we have told Mamata Banerjee, and she has assured us of help,” Bibhas Mondal instructed PTI.
“I’ve heard about your water-related problems. We are trying to solve it. We will connect all households in West Bengal with tap water by 2024,” the chief minister mentioned.
Banerjee who distributed saris and blankets among the many villagers additionally mentioned that the state authorities is engaged on a masterplan for the general improvement of Sunderbans. Some of the ladies even expressed unhappiness with Banerjee’s present of saris.
“What will I do with this sari? We need proper water to drink and cultivate the land. These are affecting our lives,” a homemaker who didn’t want to be recognized instructed PTI.
Expressing concern over the difficulty, marine scientist Dr Abhijit Mitra mentioned that the salinity within the water of the realm is rising because the early Nineteen Eighties, particularly within the central a part of the Indian Sundarbans area. The central sector of the Indian Sundarban biosphere reserve is hyper-saline.
No freshwater discharge is coming from the upstream space and this half is receiving solely the tidal water of the Bay of Bengal, the Calcutta University instructor mentioned.
“The salinity in water in this zone has been increasing but the rise gained momentum since 2009 after Cyclone Aila hit West Bengal. Now, there is around 20gm of salt in one litre of water which is unthinkable for agriculture,” he mentioned.
However, the scenario within the jap sector of the biosphere, during which the village falls, will not be so dangerous. Talking on situation of anonymity, a senior state authorities official mentioned that the administration is working exhausting to handle each problem in that space.
“Things are not that bad as it has been said. We are working very hard for the overall development of the Sundarbans and its surrounding area,” the bureaucrat mentioned. Septuagenarian villager Sushil Mondal is holding his fingers crossed.
“The chief minister has assured us of ending our water problems. Something will definitely happen,” he mentioned.
