Sunderbans vulnerable to floods and cyclones, says report

A recent report submitted by the South 24 Parganas district administration to the State government has revealed that at least 8 lakh people in eight blocks in the Sunderbans area are vulnerable to cyclones and floods.

The report titled ‘District Disaster Management Plan, South 24 Parganas, 2015’ paints a sorry picture of the flood and cyclone shelters in these blocks. In the district 13 blocks are in the Sunderbans.

In Namkhana, Patharprotima, Sagar, Gosaba, Mathurapur I, Mathurapur II, Basanti and Kultali blocks the infrastructure to face floods is woefully lacking.

According to the report, of the 23 traditional flood shelters in the district, seven are in a “dilapidated” condition, two are “damaged” and two others are in need of repairs.Interestingly, the flood shelter in the Kantamari area under the Kultali block seems to exist only on paper as the report, a copy of which is with

The Hindu , said: “As per the Block Development Medical Officer report, there is no flood shelter [in the area].”