NGT sets up committee to address alarming Sundarbans coastal erosion
Tribunal notes severe erosion in Ghoramara Island and directs a joint committee to prepare a comprehensive conservation and mitigation plan within three months
 "NGT sets up committee to address alarming Sundarbans coastal erosion")
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has constituted a joint committee to tackle the ‘alarming’ coastal erosion affecting the Sundarbans region of West Bengal, particularly Ghoramara Island.
The panel will prepare a comprehensive plan to protect and enhance the mangroves, and give suggestions to prevent and mitigate coastal erosion.
Comprising the Director General of Forests, Regional Office, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Bhubaneswar, and Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, West Bengal, the committee has been directed to prepare a report detailing tentative expenditure, funding sources, responsible agencies and implementation timelines.
The tribunal took suo motu cognizance of the issue based on a report highlighting that nearly 40 per cent of Ghoramara Island may shrink by 2042 due to advancing sea erosion. The case was heard by a Bench comprising NGT chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava and Expert Member Afroz Ahmad.
“The ad-hoc measures adopted in this direction will not yield fruitful results in the long run, hence, a comprehensive approach is required,” the tribunal said in the order. It has asked the committee to submit its report within three months and the matter has been listed for hearing on May 28.
The Gangetic alluvial delta is experiencing acute erosion due to climate change, sea-level rise, cyclonic activity and anthropogenic interventions such as upstream dams and reduced sediment flow, the tribunal said in an order. The NGT, citing studies, noted that the Sundarbans collectively lost over 250 square kilometre of land between 1969 and 2019, and Ghoramara Island has shrunk from 8.59 sq km in 1969 to 3.83 sq km in 2019.
It further observed that while certain embankment protection works have been undertaken by the state authorities, no comprehensive long-term ecological protection strategy has been presented for safeguarding the mangrove forests.