Sundarbans Newz

15/02/2022

নতুন করে ৩৫টি প্রজননক্ষম কুমির ছাড়া হল ভারতের পশ্চিমবঙ্গের সুন্দরবনে। সুন্দরবনের কলমি নদী, ভাইজোড়া খাল এবং লোথিয়ান দ্বীপের কাছে এই কুমিরগুলিকে ছাড়া হয়েছে। এর মধ্যে তিনটি পুরুষ কুমির এবং ৩২টি স্ত্রী কুমির রয়েছে বলেও পশ্চিমবঙ্গ রাজ্য বন দফতর সূত্রে জানা গিয়েছে।

যে কুমিরগুলি সোমবার ছাড়া হয়েছে তাদের আনুমানিক দৈর্ঘ্য চার ফুট। সোমবার দক্ষিণ ২৪ পরগনার ডিএফও মিলন মণ্ডল, এডিএফও এবং রামগঙ্গার ফরেস্ট রেঞ্জ অফিসার তন্ময় চট্টোপাধ্যায়ের উপস্থিতিতে এই কুমিরগুলি ছাড়া হয়। এই প্রসঙ্গে বিভাগীয় বনাধিকারিক মিলন বলেন, "প্রতিবছর কুমিরের সংখ্যা কমতে থাকায় কুমির প্রতিপালন করে নদীতে ছাড়া শুরু হয়েছিল। এর ফলে কুমিরের সংখ্যা বেড়েছে। গত বছর সুন্দরবনে ৫৫টি কুমির ছাড়া হয়েছিল। এইবার ৩৫টি কুমির ছাড়া হল।"

রাজ্য বন দফতরের সূত্রে খবর, ভগবৎপুর কুমির প্রকল্পে কুমিরের বাচ্চা হওয়ার পর সেগুলিকে প্রতিপালন করা হয়। সাধারণত কুমিরের বাচ্চাগুলির চার থেকে পাঁচ বছর বয়স হওয়ার পরই তাদের নদীতে ছাড়ার সিদ্ধান্ত নেওয়া হয়। একসময় সুন্দরবনের নদী এবং খাঁড়িতে নোনা জলের কুমিরের সংখ্যা উল্লেখযোগ্য ভাবে কমতে শুরু করে। সেই সংখ্যা বাড়াতেই প্রতিবছর সুন্দরবনের নদীগুলিতে কুমির ছাড়া শুরু করে রাজ্য বন দফতর।

১৯৭৬ সালে ভগবৎপুরে প্রথম কুমিরের ডিম ফুটিয়ে বাচ্চা প্রতিপালন করার প্রক্রিয়া শুরু হয়। ১৯৮২ সাল থেকে প্রতিবছরই সুন্দরবনের নদী ও খাঁড়িতে নোনা জলের কুমির ছাড়ছে পশ্চিমবঙ্গ রাজ্য বন দফতর।

(Anandabazar Patrika / Sundarbans Newz Via. Bengal Newz West Bengal)

সাধারণত কুমিরের বাচ্চাগুলির চার থেকে পাঁচ বছর বয়স হওয়ার পরই তাদের নদীতে ছাড়ার সিদ্ধান্ত নেওয়া হয়।

09/02/2022

লুঠ হয়ে যাচ্ছে সুন্দরবন। কিন্তু ছেড়ে কথা বলতে রাজি নন সেখানের মানুষ। ম্যানগ্রোভ বাঁচাতে এক অসম লড়াই লড়ছেন তাঁরা... | সৌজন্যে TV9 Bangla

30/01/2022

Sundarbans in West Bengal's South 24 Parganas District is the Cyclone capital of India, said Meteorological Department (IMD), Pune report.

Around 70% Cyclones in the area from 1961-2020 were severe.

27/10/2021

A 21-year-old man was killed by a tiger in West Bengal's Sundarbans area in South 24 Parganas District, Police said on Tuesday.

Sankar Bhakta, a resident of Paschim Dwarikapur village in Patharpratima Police Station area, went to the forest on Monday night to catch crabs along with a few others, they said.

Around 8.30 pm, a Royal Bengal Tiger jumped at him near the Dhuibhasani 8 area in the Sunderban National Park, and took him away, they said.

His body was found by forest personnel on Tuesday morning, they added.

The body was sent for post-mortem, police said. | Via. Bengal Newz West Bengal

29/07/2021

At the last count, there were 114 tigers in 2018 as per the Bangladesh Forest Department - an increase of eight since the 2015 tiger survey. In India, however, there were 97 tigers in 2019, up from eight in 2017.

The Sundarbans, the world's largest mangrove forest comprising 10,000 square kilometres of Bangladesh and India, is the only place in the world where Royal Bengal tigers can be found.

In comparison to Bangladesh, the Indian Forest Department has been working hard for a long time to enhance the tiger population in the Indian Sundarbans.

Accordingly, its tiger population is growing faster than that in Bangladesh. Indigenous peoples that lived in the Indian Sundarbans have been relocated and CCTV cameras are being installed and public mobility is monitored and restricted at tiger sanctuaries. On the other hand, just a few years ago, shootings and abductions of bandits and law enforcers in the depths of the Sundarbans were an everyday occurrence in Bangladesh (this has now largely declined). Still, the movement of people in Bangladesh's Sundarbans is much greater than in the Indian part. People are free to enter the forest for honey, golpata, fish, forest timber, and firewood. As a result, tigers are becoming insecure in their habitat and conflict between tigers and humans is also on the rise.

To control public mobility in the Sundarbans, CCTV cameras should be placed in strategic locations and forest-dwellers should be rehabilitated outside the forest. Fish farming, cattle rearing, renewable fuels, and artificial honey farming projects and other operations can help to minimise the number of people who rely on the forest. It is possible to also reduce tigers' presence in areas where people live by installing solar panels between the forest and the locality. Bushes in the forest are diminishing due to illegal timber collection, making it more difficult for tigers - who prey mainly on small mammals and deer - to hunt. In addition, the water level and salinity are rising due to unnatural cyclones, storms, and tidal surges. Natural reservoirs need to be created to address this.

Besides the measures stated above, the reintroduction process may protect and increase the tiger population in the Sundarbans. The number of tigers has not grown as expected - if there were 20 adult female tigers out of 114 tigers, they should have raised at least 20-40 tiger cubs per year. But the number of tigers is not increasing that way, which may be due to the lack of genetic diversity in the population. Due to the small number of tigers, there is more likely to be inbreeding - which has the potential to cause morbidity and increase the mortality rate of tiger cubs. Therefore, it is necessary to bring about genetic diversity by increasing heterogeneity; this will help the tiger population by increasing the number of offspring as well as increasing the tigers' immunity and adaptability to different environments.

Reintroduction can be an effective way of increasing genetic diversity. By adopting a long-term project and through the following steps, it is possible to reintroduce a large number of tigers into the wild. First, 10 tigers can be collected from different zoos and safari parks in Bangladesh. The newborn tiger cubs can be raised in a greater area near the Sundarbans after six months of age and trained to hunt. These tiger cubs will then be released into the Sundarbans when they reach adulthood. Next, to avoid conflict with existing tigers, tiger-free regions should be selected for these new tigers. The tigers released into the wild should also be monitored by CCTV cameras. Last, to give them access to food, deer and pigs can also be released at the same site. A separate captive or semi-captive establishment near the forest can be operated for the breeding and rearing of pigs and deer for this purpose.

Management of human and natural factors as well as genetic factors must be taken into consideration in conserving tigers in the Bangladesh Sundarbans. The survival of such a small number of tigers in the face of severe climate change will be very difficult in the future. Therefore, along with other measures, reintroduction work should be started to rapidly increase the number of tigers in the Sundarbans.

(By Md Shahadat Hossain Shuvo / Deputy Curator at the Chittagong Zoo)

04/06/2021

Vitamin A-Plus campaign starts Saturday across Bangladesh. Children aged between six months and 59 months will be fed Vitamin A capsules.

The campaign will continue between 9am to 4pm every day. During the period, the children aged between six to 12 months will be given blue capsules, while the children aged between one to five years will be given red capsules. | 🤱 Read more at Dr. Kamalendu Chakrabarti

28/05/2021

⚡ Exclusive Video: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today undertook aerial survey of North and South 24 Parganas Districts to access the damage by Cyclone Yaas. She held review meetings at Gangasagar and also in Purba Medinipore. She will stay the night at Digha and do field survey tomorrow. | The Bengal Newz

10/12/2020

Leopard Cat (চিতা বেড়াল) at Indian Sundarban. 📸 Soumyajit Nandy

25/11/2020

নজরদারিই সার, সুন্দরবনে নির্বিচারে চলছে ম্যানগ্রোভ ধ্বংস

নজরদারিই সার, পশ্চিমবঙ্গের সুন্দরবনে নির্বিচারে চলছে ম্যানগ্রোভ ধ্বংস

বন দফতর এই গাছ কাটার বিষয়টি মেনে নিচ্ছে। প্রয়োজনীয় পদক্ষেপ করা হচ্ছে বলেও তাদের দাবি।

12/10/2020

Forest Department officials on Sunday night detained three suspected members of a deer poaching gang from Choraputia area in Mongla Upazila of Bagerhat District under Chandpai range of Sundarbans East Department.

The arrestees are- Syed Gazi, 55, Md Faruk Sheikh, 40, residents of Batiaghata upazila in Khulna and Hazrat Ali Sheikh, 40, resident of Baniakhali village in Dacope upazila of Khulna District.

Mohammad Belayet Hossain, divisional forest officer (DFO), said that a patrol team arrested the three poachers from the area around 10:30pm.

The team also seized a boat, traps used for catching deer, sharp weapons and five drums.

The official also said that the poachers intruded the Sundarbans illegally.

A case was filed against them.

According to the sources of the department, around 250kg venison were recovered, around 50 deer poachers were arrested and 25 deer were rescued from the Sundarbans during the last one year. | Bengal Newz Bangladesh

27/08/2020

সুন্দর বন সুন্দরবন_সৈয়দ আসাদুজ্জামান সুহান

সুন্দর বন সুন্দরবন_সৈয়দ আসাদুজ্জামান সুহান

সুন্দরবন হচ্ছে পৃথিবীর বৃহত্তম ম্যানগ্রোভ বন। ১৯৯৭ সালে এটি বিশ্ব ঐতিহ্য হিসেবে স্বীকৃতি লাভ করে। বাংলাদেশের ব.....

26/08/2020

It has been seen a significant improvement in Sundarbans National Park in the last few months amid the pandemic. The production of honey and wax has increased in the Sundarbans due to Coronavirus situation and various reasons. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the authorities concerned have stopped giving the visitors passes and permits to enter the world's largest mangrove forest from 19 May this year. The authorities have also increased vigilance here in the crisis time, decreasing tree looting.

The number of trees like Sundari, Gewya and Garan in the Sundarbans has increased during the time, said Mohammad Belayet Hossain, divisional forest officer (DFO) of the Eastern Sundarbans Division, adding that as a result, honey and wax production has increased this year due to the increase in bee habitat.

The DFO said the beekeepers have collected 1,220 quintals of honey from the Sundarbans in the 2019-20 fiscal year. In the 2018-19 fiscal year, the honey production was 742 quintals. So, 478 quintals of honey have been produced more than last fiscal year. Earlier, 488 quintals of honey was produced in the 2017-18 fiscal year.

The amount of revenue has also increased a lot in the 2019-20 financial year. In this fiscal year, the revenue from honey is nine lakh 15 thousand three hundred and 75 taka. In the financial year 2018-19, the revenue was five lakh 56 thousand eight hundred and 75 taka and in the financial year 2017-18, it was only three lakh 93 thousand four hundred and 80 taka.

The forest officer further said apart from the honey production, wax production has also increased this year. In the 2019-20 financial year, the Sundarbans East Forest Department has produced 366 quintals of wax. The revenue collected from this is three lakh 66 thousand one hundred and 50 taka. In the financial year 2018-19, the production of wax was 229 quintals and the revenue was Tk 2.29 lakh. In 2017-18, the production of wax was only 158 quintals and the revenue collection was one lakh 58 thousand and 453 taka.

Regarding the increase in honey and wax production, the honey collectors said the number of trees in the Sundarbans has increased. As a result, bees have been able to build more hives. Due to this, honey and wax production has increased. Besides, the habitats of monkeys, deer, birds and many other animals have also increased this year.

DFO Mohammad Belayet Hossain of the Eastern Sundarbans Division said the trees in the Sundarbans have increased due to Coronavirus situation and various other reasons. Tree density has increased in many parts of the forest. The Sundarbans has regained its life.

As a result, the habitat of all animals including bees has increased in the Sundarbans, said Belayet, adding that due to this, honey and wax production has increased in the forest in the 2019-20 fiscal year. (Daily Star)

26/07/2020

Raise awareness among the people to save Crocodiles. 🐊

Join Sundarbans Newz on FB doing all you can to help the Crocodiles, Royal Bengal Tiger and other threatened wildlife in Sundarbans. 🇧🇩️🇮🇳️

26/07/2020

Today we celebrate World Mangrove Day to raise awareness globally of the vital role the unique mangrove's ecosystem plays in the wellbeing, food security, and protection of coastal communities worldwide. | Sundarbans Newz Via. The Bengal Newz

19/07/2020

MOTHERS JOINS HAND TO SAVE SUNDARBAN

A group of village women planted 1 lakh Mangrove trees at Amphan devastated Sundarbans in West Bengal on last Saturday (11 July, 2020). 📹 Video Courtesy: Piyali Chakraborty | Via. Bengal Newz West Bengal

16/07/2020

Speakers at an event in capital Dhaka, Bangladesh on Tuesday observed that the projects undertaken for repair of the embankments are yielding little results as too much time is taken in their planning, application, approval and implementation.

They also alleged that massive irregularities took place with the fund allocated for repair of embankments in the aftermaths of cyclonic storms Sidr and Aila.

They expressed resentment over non-implementation of sustainable embankments despite the authorities' plans and budget allocation for their construction.

They made the observations at a national dialogue on 'What to be done on emergency basis to construct sustainable coastal embankments' at Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU).

'Sundarban O Upokul Surokkha Andolon' (Movement for safeguarding Sundarbans and coastal areas) organised the dialogue.

Deputy Minister for Water Resources AKM Enamul Haque Shamim was present as the chief guest.

Coordinator of the movement Nikhil Chandra Bhadra moderated the dialogue while member Aminur Rasul Babu presented the keynote paper.

Enamul Haque Shamim said the government has undertaken four projects to construct sustainable embankments in the Amphan-affected coastal areas at a cost of Tk80 billion. Work on the projects will begin this year and be completed within next three years.

The Bangladesh Government is also actively considering forming a coastal area development board, he added.

Of the total money, more than Tk 9.57 billion was allocated for polder number 14 and Tk 12 billion for polder number 31 of Khulna, about Tk 37 billion for polder number 05 and about Tk 10 billion for polder number 15 of Satkhira, the deputy minister added.

The speakers at the dialogue placed a demand for construction of a permanent and strong embankment, having a height of 30 feet and a width of 100 feet on the ground and 30 feet on the top, considering climate change and natural calamities in the region.

They stressed the need for arranging emergency funds and engaging local Government bodies in maintenance of the embankments.

They urged the Government to enforce a ban immediately on making shrimp or crab enclosures within a 100-meter radius of the embankments and to take effective steps to ensure safe drinking water for the coastal people.

Coastal people's lives and livelihoods largely depend on embankments; so they want sustainable embankments rather than food support, the speakers viewed.

They alleged that massive irregularities took place in implementation of different projects taken to repair the damaged embankments in coastal areas.

Even a project undertaken with financial assistance of the World Bank to the tune of Tk250 billion to re-construct an embankment from Satkhira to Bhola in 1 to 54 polder was not implemented for mysterious reason.

The embankment construction and repair in disaster-prone coastal areas have an important part in the Governments' Delta Plan.

The 27,738 sqkm coastal area is specialised and much bigger than other parts of the country.

It is mentioned in the Delta Plan that saline water intrusion, tidal surge and cyclones will be tackled through effective management of the polders in coastal areas.

The polder management will also reduce the risk of flood and enhance water pumping out capacity. | Bengal Newz Bangladesh Via. The Financial Express)

29/06/2020

The Bangladesh Forest Department has decided to ban the netting of fishes from all rivers and canals in the Sundarbans for the next two months, starting 1 July.

The decision was taken to allow safe breeding of fishes in these two months. Authorities have also stopped giving passes and permits to enter the world's largest mangrove forest from 24 June.

The Sundarbans Forest Department made an agreement in 2019, as per recommendations of the Integrated Resources Management Plans, to protect fishery resources in the Sundarbans, said East Sundarbans Divisional Forest Officer Mohammad Belayet Hossain.

As a part of that, the netting of fishes in all the rivers and canals in the forest remains halted from 1 July to 30 August every year, he added.

Patrolling in the area has been intensified so that poachers do not get a chance to do that, he said.

Those who have been given permits to enter by 23 June must return by 30 June; if anyone defies the instruction, authorities will take stern action against them, the official added.

29/06/2020

Three suspected bandits have been killed in a reported gunfight in the Satkhira Range area of Sundarbans with the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) Bangladesh.

The incident took place in the Firingi area of the Sundarbans in the early hours of Sunday.

The deceased, Faruk Hossain and two other suspected bandits - whose identity have not been confirmed yet were from Khan Bahini, an infamous bandit gang of the area, police confirms.

Seeking anonymity, a source alleged that outlaws from the Khan Bahini gang used to abduct fishermen from the area and after looting their valuables or receiving ransom, they used to flee into the Indian border to avoid Bangladeshi law enforcers.

Satkhira Shyamnagar police station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Nazmul Huda confirmed the matter. However, RAB has not given any details yet about the gunfight. | Bengal Newz Bangladesh

28/06/2020

সুন্দরবন রক্ষার উপযুক্ত সময় এখনই

"সুন্দরবন রক্ষার উপযুক্ত সময় এখনই" ...লিখেছেন অধ্যাপক ড. আহমদ কামরুজ্জমান মজুমদার | ভায়া: Molakat মোলাকাত | বিভাগ: আমাদের সুন্দরবন

সুন্দরবনের প্রত্যেকটি উপাদানেরই রয়েছে অর্থনৈতিক গুরুত্ব। সুন্দরবনের বৃক্ষের মধ্যে সবচেয়ে মূল্যবান হলো পশুর গ.....

27/06/2020

Plant 50 million mangroves in the Sundarbans? Improbable, say experts

The Sundarbans would need an area nearly half the size of Kolkata to plant 50 million mangrove trees as decided by the West Bengal Government recently, which is improbable, experts have said. | Via. Down to Earth

Chief minister Mamata Banerjee had decided on the plantation to compensate for plants lost during Cyclone Amphan

24/06/2020

Bengal Newz West Bengal

Fisherman dragged away by crocodile | Via. Bengal Newz West Bengal

A fisherman was dragged away by a crocodile into a river in West Bengal's South 24 Parganas district on Wednesday, police said.

The incident happened in Patharpratima area around 6.30 am when Bishnupada Santra (68) was fishing at Gobdia river, a police officer said.

Officials of Patharpratima police station started a search operation but the fisherman could not be traced, he said. | Sundarbans Newz

19/06/2020

Bangladesh Coal Plants Threaten World’s Largest Mangrove Forest | Human Rights Watch

Bangladesh Coal Plants Threaten World's Largest Mangrove Forest

Coastal communities in Bangladesh are protected by a natural storm shield: the Sundarbans. But climate change and government plans to build coal plants threaten these life-saving forests and the nearly 2.5 million people who depend on them.

17/06/2020

Cyclone Amphan: Doctor-turned-director works to mend people in Sundarbans

From holding a camera to carrying a stethoscope, Bengali filmmaker Dr Kamaleshwar Mukherjee has come to the aid of the cyclone-ravaged people in the Sundarbans, treating patients at medical camps.

Dr Mukherjee has participated in five medical camps in areas such as Sandeshkhali, Raidighi, Hasnabad, and Bantala in West Bengal. | Read More at The New Indian Express

“The weaker section of the society has been badly affected due to the cyclone. They lost their livelihoods and are in dire straits. Under this circumstance, the youth and student community of the state have done a lot of work for them," said Kamaleshwar Mukherjee.

13/06/2020

Sundarbans Ravaged Post Amphan, Locals Left Without Essentials

Sundarbans ravaged post Amphan, locals left without essentials | Via. The Quint

The women and children were the worse affected, and initial two days, they only survived on water.

03/06/2020

Mamata Banerjee

"A more effective approach is to create the right conditions for mangroves in our Sundarbans areas to grow back naturally. We will plant five crore mangroves saplings this World Environment Day (5th June) onwards. Our goal is to plant one billion trees to help restore our state forests." ~Mamata Banerjee LIVE Via. Bengal Newz West Bengal

Review meeting on relief & reconstruction measures in various districts due to Cyclone Amphan

02/06/2020

Erosion, an important cause of mangrove loss in the Sundarbans

01/06/2020

Bengal Newz Celebrating 13th Struggling Years !

Thank you friends and readers, for your deep-rooted trust and valuable assistance and advice in putting together The Bengal Newz, since 1st June, 2007. We need to be consistent in upholding the current news with great international Bengali values we want our standards. Thanks all for your sincere support, love and appreciation... we feel honoured ! Please enjoy your stay with us.

Warm Regards,
Sundarbans Newz

With, Dr. Kamalendu Chakrabarti | Defence Newz | Bengali Foods | Bengal Connect | Bengal Newz Bangladesh | Bengal Newz India | Bengal Newz West Bengal | Bengal Newz World | Bengal Newz Business | Bengal Newz Life | Bengal Newz Sport | Bengal Newz Tripura | Bengal Newz Barak | Bengal Newz Andaman | Bengal Newz Bangla - বাংলা | Bengal Newz Hindi - हिंदी | Bengal Newz Photo | Bengal Newz Readers Forum Group 🇧🇩 ️🇮🇳 ️

29/05/2020

Amphan in the Sundarbans: How Mangroves Protect the Coast From Tropical Storms - The Wire Science

A 2013 study estimated that a mangrove forest could reduce the effects of a Category 5 storm to the effects of a Category 3 storm. Another set of studies found that mangroves with an average height of 6-10 metres could shorten a cyclone's waves by 60%. | The Wire Science ♻️

A 2013 study estimated that a mangrove forest could reduce the effects of a Category 5 storm to the intensity and effects of a Category 3 storm.

29/05/2020

West Bengal Forest Department's frontiers are back on job after devastating super cyclone Amphan in Sunderbans Tiger Reserve while maintaining these fencing. These nylon fencing plays a crucial role in mitigating Human-Tiger conflict. 📸 Photo Courtesy: Surender Mehra (IFS) | Via. Bengal Newz West Bengal

28/05/2020

Bengal's WILD TALES

🐾 Happy World Otter Day from Sundarbans Newz

আজ বিশ্ব ভোঁদড় দিবস ২০২০

27/05/2020

Cyclone Amphan: Victim feels 'abandoned' by international community | DW | 26.05.2020

SM Shahin Alam, a student in Bangladesh's Patakhali village in southern Satkhira District, has been ravaged by Cyclone Amphan. "Climate change is slowly killing us, yet the international community is not doing anything to save us," he tells DW Deutsche Welle.

S M Shahin Alam's village in southern Bangladesh has been ravaged by Cyclone Amphan. "Climate change is slowly killing us, yet the international community is not doing anything to save us," he tells DW.

27/05/2020

Bengal Newz West Bengal

Cyclone Amphan damages many hotels in coastal West Bengal

The cyclone Amphan has damaged hotels in coastal areas of West Bengal, adding woes to the state's tourism industry, already hit hard by the COVID-19 induced lockdown, officials said on Tuesday.

The cyclone has ravaged properties in popular sea resorts such as Digha, Mandarmoni and Tajpur, besides the Sunderbans.

The West Bengal Government and tour operators now need to promote the state within the country to attract domestic tourists after the lockdown is lifted, as nobody knows when international flight services will be resumed, they said.

"All our properties are closed now due to the CoronaVirus pandemic. Once the hotels and resorts are allowed to re-open, we expect some business to happen. However, the properties in coastal areas have been badly damaged due to the cyclone," a senior official of the West Bengal Tourism Development Corporation (WBTDCL) said on Tuesday.

The WBTDCL owns 30 properties in various tourist destinations of West Bengal.

"Since no international travel will take place in the recent future, we have to count on domestic travellers," the official said.

Nearly five to six per cent of the total footfall registered at the WBTDCLs properties comes from overseas tourists, he said.

The Chairman of The Bengal Chamber of Commerce and Industry's (BCCI) tourism committee, Anil Punjabi, said that it is a double whammy for the tourism industry.

"Last year was better than the previous one and we were expecting this fiscal to improve further," he told PTI.

In the present scenario, he said, the Government and the tour operators will have to promote West Bengal within the country as international travel will be less.

"In the present situation, travel is no more a compulsion. People will prefer to postpone it for a certain period," Punjabi said.

He said the tourism industry needs to capitalise on the Durga Puja and Christmas.

"After Goa, Kolkata is famous for its Christmas carnival," he said, adding that the Government should encourage PPP models to boost tourism in the state.

"We have to start from zero. The idea should be to promote the state within the country," he said adding that infrastructure has been badly affected by the cyclone.

One of the cottages of a private resort in Tajpur has been damaged by the cyclone, said its manager Milan Jana.

Other properties of Tajpur have also suffered damages, he said. (PTI) | Via. The Bengal Newz

26/05/2020

‘Sundarbans is finished’: Super cyclone Amphan leaves a trail of misery in Bengal

'Sundarbans is finished': Super cyclone Amphan leaves a trail of misery in Bengal | Writes Shoaib Daniyal, Assistant Editor, Scroll

Salt water from the sea has backed up into farmlands in the delta, rendering them useless for the next few years.

20/05/2020

Cyclone Amphan badly damages parts of Sundarbans | The Bengal Newz

Super cyclone Amphan battered West Bengal and Bangladesh’s coastal area and badly damaged parts of the Sundarbans, a UNESCO world heritage site.

Sundarbans, the largest mangrove forest in the world, spreads across India and Bangladesh and is known for its unique flora and fauna.

West Bengal's principal chief conservator of forests and wildlife Ravi Kant Sinha told The Bengal Newz over phone that, the cyclone has already started hitting the forest areas. | Sundarbans Newz Via. Bengal Newz West Bengal

20/05/2020

The Bengal Newz

Super Cyclone Amphan is crossing West Bengal coast between Digha and Hatiya across the Sunderban. | Via. Bengal Newz West Bengal

Watch the fury of super Cyclone Amphan at Kachuberia Jetty near Namkhana in South 24 Paraganas district of West Bengal.