Ghoramara island (Sunderbans) Governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi on Wednesday visited Ghoramara island in the Sunderbans which is shrinking due to the rising sea-level. Gandhi, who had gone to the island to release a documentary made by a Delhi-based environment group, Centre for Science and Environment, on climate change, said that island is an example of the global environmental crisis. “The problem of global warming faced by the Ghoramara inhabitants is not the state’s problem alone, but a global crisis. Climate change is increasing the sea level and shrinking the island. It is our responsibility to check the situation,” said Gandhi. Ghoramara has shrunk from 9 square kilometres to 4.5 square kilometres in the past 30 years as rising sea level and constant erosion of embankment has already uprooted 7,000 inhabitants leaving another 7,000 in a state of constant fear. During his visit, Gandhi met several residents of the island gave a patient hearing to their problem. He urged the residents of the island not to be scared and to have faith in local bodies and the government. He said a joint initiative of the government, specialists and state entities were required to tackle the problem. “Ghoramara is a sign of global threat. You should not think that people from outside can come and teach you the crisis since you are the ones who are actually facing it and know the ground reality,” said the Governor. “I saw that solar energy is being used by some of the households here which should be utilised further. I urge the mothers of Ghoramara to send their kids not only to school but for further studies and not indulge in child marriage,” he added. Thirty-five-year-old Sadhan Haldar has lost 19 bighas of his land to the sea. He lives with his five-member family on one bigha land as Khasimara area in Ghoramara where he earlier resided is now under water. He had to spend more than Rs 1 lakh to relocate like other villagers. “I had 11 bigha land on Lohachara island which in now under water completely. I lost everything. Now I have relocated to Ghoramara,” said Arun Pramanik.
[http://www.expressindia.com, feruary, 2009]
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