Chopping a branch you’re sitting on
Humans are primarily to blame for causing an alarming rise in forest fires at the Sundarbans, finds a probe committee
A forest fire being doused with water in the Sundarbans. Frequency of such manmade fires is on the rise in the world’s largest mangrove forest. Photo: Collected
Incidents of ever-increasing manmade forest fires at the Sundarbans are endangering the unique ecology that thrives in the world s largest mangrove forest the shield against natural calamities in the country s south-western coast.
Between March 2002 and February 2021, there have been 24 forest fires in the eastern part of the Sundarbans alone. The fires burned down various trees, grasses and herbs on 71 acres and 70 decimals of land in the forest.