Environmental sustainability for better livelihood and Ecology in Sundarban: West Bengal

Sundarban is world famous for its mangrove vegetation and is approximately of 10,000 sq km in area in the northern Bay of Bengal, which is also designated as world heritage site by UNESCO in the year 1987. It is the home of several animals and plant species, specially the mangrove trees (Sundari) and Royal Bengal tiger of this forest is world famous. Mangroves functions as a buffer against frequently occurring cyclones and helps to protect South Bengal specially Kolkata and southern part of Bangladesh. But now a day due to the climate change and repetitive cyclone occurring every year, Sundarban faces lots of challenges, with rising sea level- island are disappearing, salinity of water increasing day by day in addition of that there have been a major disturbances to hydrological parameters, changing fishing patterns are resulting disastrous consequences for the fisher man. Frequent cyclones and erratic monsoon damaging ecology, humidity, livelihood as well as ecotourism. The objective of this research is to focus the area of Sundarban and its potentials, challenges and probable solution to overcome the situation as well as the impact of mangrove degradation on local people and tourism. Here we use some data and statistics to understand the situation better. In this process researcher collected data from 130 respondents in the study area and further analysis has been taken through percentage method, statistical tools like t test with the help of software like SPSS, MS excel etc to conclude. Study findings suggest that significance difference exists on profile base of residents due to environmental degradation and minimize the negative impacts on same could bring a prosperous livelihood for residents