New Delhi, February 19 The National Green Tribunal has formed a three-member panel to prepare a comprehensive plan for protecting the coastal erosion of the Sundarbans in West Bengal, while emphasizing that ad-hoc measures would not be sufficient.
The tribunal noted a report by the state's environment department that the "Gangetic alluvial delta is facing acute erosion along the coasts". It also noted that the Geological Survey of India (GSI) has submitted a report revealing that the Sundarbans "collectively lost over 250 sq km of land between 1969 and 2019".
The green body was hearing a matter regarding erosion along the Sundarbans coast, especially on Ghoramara Island, and the issue of protecting the surrounding mangrove forest.
In an order dated February 17, a bench of NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava and expert member A Senthil Vel noted the replies filed by the state government's environment department, GSI and West Bengal Coastal Zone Management Authority.
Highlighting some "ad-hoc measures", the tribunal said that these would not yield fruitful results in the long run, and therefore, a comprehensive approach was required.
It constituted a joint committee comprising the director general of forests, the state's principal chief conservator of forests and a representative from the Bhubaneshwar regional office of the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
"The joint committee will collect all the relevant facts and will prepare a comprehensive plan for the protection of the mangrove forest in the areas under consideration in this original application. It will also suggest steps that can be taken for the protection of the coastal erosion in that area, and further enhancing the mangrove coverage," the tribunal said.
It said that the committee will complete the exercise within six months and submit a report. The report has to mention the agencies responsible for the implementation of the scheme along with timeline.
Regarding the reply submitted by the state's environment department, the tribunal noted that it disclosed that "the Gangetic alluvial delta is facing acute erosion along the coasts" and that Ghoramara Island had been facing "erosion activity".
"Some of the reasons for the same have also been disclosed. This affidavit further refers to the studies revealing that the islands of the Sundarbans are vulnerable and some of them are susceptible to erosion," the NGT said.
It also noted that GSI has submitted a report revealing "Indian Sundarbans have collectively lost over 250 sq km of land between 1969 and 2019, particularly from the sea-facing and southern estuarine zones".
"In Ghoramara Island, there is a reduction in the land area from 8.59 sq km in 1969 to 3.83 sq km in 2019," it said.
The tribunal said that the state’s Coastal Zone Management Authority had filed the affidavit mentioning certain protection measures, but it did not disclose any comprehensive plan to protect the mangroves in that region and to prevent or control the erosion of the islands or coastal areas.
The matter has been posted for further proceedings on May 28.
The NGT is hearing the matter after taking suo motu cognisance of a news report regarding the erosion.