The most vulnerable in the Sunderban Tiger Reserve

I was lucky to be recommended by the Himalayan Explorers as their representative for the National Tiger census 2021 at the Sunderban Tiger reserve. It was a once in life time experience. Both adventure wise and learning about the hard life of both the animals and men in the Sunderban Tiger reserve. Men include both the forest department personal, and the locals   who depend upon the Sunderban forest and the saline rivers for their resources to earn their livelihood. 

As informed by Rajesh Mandal and other forest personal, I was informed about the steps the forest department is taking to protect the ecology of the Sunderban Tiger reserve. Few to mention are:

1. No tourists are allowed to sail beyond Netidopani. 
2. No mechanized fishing vessels are allowed to fish beyond Netidopani.

Only manual vessels are allowed beyond Netidopani for fishing with limited number of fishermen in each vessel with proper permit issued with the name of the personnel to be sailing for fishing or crab catching.

1. In a vessel meant for fishing only five people are allowed on board.
2.  In a vessel meant for crab catching only three people are allowed on board.
3. If you get Dolphins in your net, you are supposed to set them free in the water.

These classes of people who go for fishing and crab catching in small boats are the most vulnerable ones for the Tiger attack. 

Because:

1. They are moving in small and slow vessel.
2. They are small in number to overpower the Tiger.
3. The most vulnerable ones are the crab catcher because they sail in small creeks along the island.
4. One more vulnerable group is the honey collectors.

Whereas: 

1. The Sunderban Tiger is a good swimmer. 
2. The Mangroves forests are deadly with its sharp roots popping out for respiration. These roots are like a knife which can lacerate the running tiger behind its prey/Kill.
3. Whereas the fishermen and other people venturing into the Sunderban Tiger Reserve for its produce are weak and slow in speed.

While sailing back to the main land from the Chamta Range, I encountered one daily wage labourer who informed me about the 15 tiger attacks on the fisher man of his village/island. He even showed me the pictures and videos of the victims, which was scary.

I was wondering about the hardship for survival of these people, and thought them to be braver then a soldier guarding the border with all the best of amenities, handsome salary and perks, with crores of rupees as exgratia to his kiths and kins, if dies in war or fighting insurgency. My humble appeal to the government of India is that, “these people of lesser god should also be given some privileges and monetary assistance while living and to their dependants after their death, because they too are guarding the sensitive Indo-Bangladesh border and are self employed, without cribbing for government Jobs.   

Dr. Vinod Laxminarayan Thakur