At least 15 percent of the sunderbeans – the world’s largest mangrove forests will be submerged by 2020 and neglecting the area further can have global implications as it is highly venerable to climate change, says a UNDP report. The District Human Development Report (DHDR) of North 24 Parganas, South 24 Parganas and Utter Dinajpur, was released on July 12 in partnership with the West Bengal Government’s Development and Planning Department and the Planning Commission. 
“Sunderbans in South 24 Pargans is highly vulnerable to climate change and it is estimated that 15 percent of the region will be submerged by 2020,” says the report. “Neglecting the Sinderbans can have global implications.” The report says the island blocks of Basanti, Gosaba, Kultai, Patharpatima and Sagar needs special attention as there are vulnerable to natural disaster. Livelihood opportunities are very less in most of the islands due to poor infrastructure.
“Action at local level is critical if National Development and the globally agreed Millennium Development Goals are to be achieved,” said Fadzai Gwaradzimba, chief, South and West Asia division, Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific, UNDP. Nirupam Sen, West Bengal Minister of development and planning said, “It is hoped that the DHDR will serve as a primary Document for building a district vision and for assessing and re-addressing disparities within the district.”
The Sunderbans is the largest single block of tidal mangrove forest in the world and is a World Heritage site. The Sunderbans is intersected by a complex network of tidal water ways, mud flats and small islands of salt tolerant mangrove forests. The area is known as the abode of the Royal Bengal Tigers.
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