Nature's wrath ruins mangrove plantation, leaves city more vulnerable to cyclones

Kolkata: Experts will urge the state government to impose tax on the people of Kolkata to save the mangrove plantation in Sunderbans for safety and security of the city during heavy cyclone.

There has been constant onslaught on the mangrove plantation since 2009 when Aila had devastated the area. Subsequently two cyclones Bulbul and Phani had also affected the trees. Cyclone Amphan which had hit the 48 islands where Mangrove trees grow exclusively caused extensive damage to the island. Not only, the mangrove trees, thousands of trees that have been uprooted in 54 islands function as a shield that protect Kolkata from the ill effects of cyclone or super cyclone. A mangrove tree takes 5 to 7 years to grow.

Experts said due to the felling of thousands of trees, Kolkata has become vulnerable to cyclones and super cyclones. It may be recalled that in 1737, the cyclone which had hit the city claimed 30,000 lives and most of the mud houses were razed to the ground.

The experts maintained that the frequency of cyclones in Bay of Bengal has gone up due to loss of biodiversity and global warming. If the tree barriers become weak, the wind will hit Kolkata directly. They maintained had the mangrove trees not been there in Sunderbans, the cyclone Amphan would have hit the city with windspeed anything between 180km per hour and 190 km per hour instead of 135 km per hour and 140 km per hour with which it had hit Kolkata.

Preferring anonymity senior architects said time has come when the Kolkata Municipal Corporation should seriously consider that the high rises should be cyclone proof. The wind factor is not considered seriously when building plans are submitted and subsequently cleared. They said because of this, more than 12 highrise buildings including star hotels on Eastern Metropolitan bypass got badly damaged by Amphan. Many flats that are housed 6th floor and above in high rise structures were devastated. The window panes had been smashed and rain water flooded the rooms. Furniture and glass items were broken.

The architects maintained that" instead of copying the Singapore model of buildings, we will have to develop our own indigenous model and we will have to think reintroduction of wooden windows instead of the glass panes."

Senior officials of KMC's building department said once things get settled review meetings will be held where these issues will be discussed at length.