Gulf Times 28 Oct 11;
The devastating cyclones Sidr and Aila had destroyed over 1,000mn taka ($13.5mn) plants, animals and infrastructures in the world’s biggest mangrove Sundarbans located in Bangladesh, State Minister for Land Mustafizur Rahman informed parliament yetserday.
“Natural disasters like cyclone and tidal surge are increasing in the Sundarbans area due to climate change,” he said replying to a question from a lawmaker.
He said the Sundarbans has been able to overcome its losses due to the timely initiatives taken by the present government.
Referring to a survey of Integrated Resources Management Project (IRMP) funded by USAID in 2009, the state Minister said regeneration of Sundari trees in the forest has increased by 70% in comparison with that of 1983.
The resources in the forest including other plants have also been increased, he said.
The state minister expressed his fears that the intensity of natural disaster and salinity might increase in the forest due to climate change in future when habitations of Royal Bengal Tiger and other aquatic animals would be affected.
But, he said, all-out efforts at the national and international levels are on to protect the world heritage.
Improving the management of the Sundarbans is the first step at the national level to this effect, the minister said, adding that the other measures are inclusion of the adjoining villagers in the forest management, provision of compensation to the victims of animal attack for reducing the rate of tiger killings and improving the skills of foresters.
Besides, the projects including Integrated Protected Area Co-Management (IPAC), Sundarbans Livelihoods Security Project, Strengthening of Regional Co-operation of Wildlife Project, and Biodiversity Conservation and Ecotourism Development in Bangladesh- are being implemented with the assistance of World Bank, European Union and USAID, he added.
