Undergraduate Architecture Thesis Report

Re

sistance

to

silience

Case of the Sundarbans

By Srishti Dasgupta Roll No. - 1773 (2017-2022) Guided by Prof. Zainul Abedin Biviji BACHELOR OF ARCHITECTURE (B.Arch. Vth YEAR. SEM IX)

Certificate This is to certify that the Report titled “Resistance to Resilience” is the bonafide work of Srishti Dasgupta Roll No: 1773 submitted to the faculty of Rizvi College of Architecture for Design Dissertation Semester IX, B. Arch. of University of Mumbai During the Academic Year 2021-2022.

Prof. Rekha Desai I/C Principal Rizvi College of Architecture

Prof. Zainul Abedin Biviji Guide Rizvi College of Architecture

Declaration I hereby declare that the report entitled “Resistance to Resilience” submitted by me , for the fulfillment of the Bachelors in Architecture at Rizvi College of Architecture, Mumbai is a record of the Design Dissertation carried out by me under the supervision of Prof. Zainul Abedin Biviji. I further declare that this written submission represents my ideas in my own words and where other’s ideas or words have been included, I have adequately cited and referenced the original sources. I affirm that i have adhered to all principles of academic honesty and integrity and have not misrepresented or falsified any idea/data/fact/source to the best of my knowledge.I understand that any violation of the above will cause for disciplinary action by the Institute and can also evoke penal action from the sources which have not been cited properly

Place: Mumbai Date:

Signature of the canddate Srishti Dasgupta

Acknowledgement I would like to acknowledge and thank the following people who have supported me through the following course of project.

Firstly, I would like to thank my parents for always encouraging me and pushing me towards my goals. I would like to express my gratitude to my thesis guide Prof.

Zainul Abedin Biviji for guiding me throughout the dissertation process with great patience and understanding . Thankyou for always believing me and helping me get more confident about my skills.

A big thanks to my friends: Sweety Bhosale and Naqiya Gadliwala for their constant support and suggestion. Without their constant push and critique it would not have been possible to remain positive and motivated throughout the semester. Thanks to my brother, Ishan Dasgupta, for always helping me with valuable inputs. My sincere thanks to the people of Gosaba for guiding me through their villages. Lastly, I would like to thank all the Zen Senpais for their suggestions and support.

Table of Contents Preface Abstract 1.0 Genesis 2.0 Background

2.1Context 2.1.1 Gift from the rivers 2.1.1 Bhatie Desh- Land of Tides 2.1.3 Mud and Mangroves 2.1.4 Wy of life in the land of tides 2.1.5 Disruption of harmony

12 13 14

15 15 16 17 18

3.0 Introduction

3.1 Regeneration 3.1.1 Relevence of concept of Regeneration

3.2 Aims

20 20

3.4 Need 3.5 Scope

21 22 23 23

3.6 Limitations 3.7 Hypothesis 3.8 Methodology

24 24 24

3.3 Objectives

3.9 Location 3.10 Brief Synthesis

4.0 Review of Literature 4.1 Tides

4.2 Understanding the Tidal Activities 4.2.1 Ebb tide and Flood tides 4.3 Ecology of Mangroves 4.4 Embankments 4.4.1 Methods used presently as barriers of tidal waves 4.4.2 Why Hard Infrastructure fails in muddy river edges 4.4.3 Policies Regulating the embankment construction 4.4.4 Anthropogenic causes of breaching of embankment 4.4.5 Management of Embankment breaching 4.5 Resilient landscapes 4.5.1 Case Studies 4.6 Timeline - Human habitation and conservation 4.7 Demographics 4.8 Forest based livelihoods 4.8.1 Fisherfolks( jele) 4.8.2 woodcutters and firewood collection ( Bhawalis) 4.8.3 Honey collectors ( Moulay) 4.8.4 Crab and shell collectors (chunir) 4.8.5 Tiger prawn seed collectors

26 27 29 30 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37-39 40 42 44 44 44 45 45

4.9 Shrimp Farms 4.10 Alternative techniques 4.10.1 Silvofishery 4.10.2 Scope for alternative livelihood 4.10.3 Types of nets 4.11 Tourism 4.11.1 Traditional tourism 4.11.2 Community based tourism 4.12 Festivals

46-47 48 48-49 50 51 52 53

4.12.1 Tale of Bonbibi 4.12.2 Fairs and Festivals

5.0 Case Studies

5.1 Minghu Wetland Park, China 5.2 Mangrove Safari 5.3 Kisama Heritage Village

6.0 Site justification and Selection

54 54-55 56 57

6.1 Location and Geography 6.2 Western Blocks of Indian Sunderbans

59 60-61

6.2.1 Case of Ghoramara Island 6.2.3 Migration as a coping Mechanism 6.3 Eastern Blocks of Indian Sunderbans 6.3.1 Gosaba 6.3..2 Setting up of a cooperative society 6.3.3 Land and Impact on livelihood 6.4 Site Selection 6.4.1 Site Criteria- Gosaba Island 6.4.2 Location - Gosaba Island 6.4.3 Site Context - Gosaba Island 6.4.4 Network and Accessibility - Gosaba Island 6.4.5 Transport Hierarchy - Gosaba Island 6.4.6 Mode of Transport - Gosaba Island 6.4.7 Landuse and settlement layout 6.4.8 River edges 6.4.9 Population Distribution 6.4.10 Tourism Hotspots 6.4.11 Landmarks and Amenities - Gosaba Island 6.5 Village Selection 6.5.1 Landuse - Sonagar Village 6.5.2 Figure Ground - Sonagar Village 6.5.3 Material study of a vernacular house- Local Architecture 6.5.4 Village Topography 6.6 Site Selection ( micro) 6.6.1 Figure Ground of the Site 6.6.2 Landuse- Site 6.6.3 Climate - Site 6.4.4 Site Measurements

62 63 64 64 65 66 67 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86

7.0 Programme Identification 8.0 References

87 88-89

List of Figures Preface Fig P1: Bengali Folktales| Source: tumblr Fig P2: The Hungry Tide| Source: goodreads

Abstract Fig A1: Intertwining of human civilization and forest| Source: Author

1.0 Genesis Fig 1: Vurnerability of the Sunderbans| Source: Author

2.0 Background Fig 2.1: Daily conflicts with rising tides| Source: Author Fig 2.2: Mangroves as a shelter for various flora and fauna| Source: Author Fig 2.3: Thin line of distiction between wilderness and civilization | Source: Author Fig 2.4: Disruption of harmony| Source: Author Fig 2.5: Fishermen in masks venturing into the forest to prevent tiger attack| Source: Author

3.0 Introduction Fig 3.1: Concept of regeneration| Source: Author Fig 3.2: Aim| Source: Author Fig 3.3: Objective| Source: Author Fig 3.4: Location | Source: IndianJPsychiatry_2016 Fig 3.5: Brief Synthesis| Source: Author

4.0 Review of Literature Fig 4: Embankments are lifeline for villages | Source: Author Fig 4.1: Land of Tides| Source: Author Fig 4.2: Diagram Semidiurnal tides | Source: National oceanic services Fig 4.3: Diagram showing ebb anf flood tidal activity Source: National oceanic services Fig 4.4: Diagram showing waTer levels at different times of the year | Source: Author Fig 4.5: Ecology of Mangroves| Source: Author Fig 4.6: In most cases the concrete embankments protect the settlement against the tidal waves | Source: Author Fig 4.7: Waves during super cyclones rises higher than usual and water breaches inland. | Source: Author Fig 4.8: Why hard infrastructure fails in muddy coasts| Source: WetlandsInternational and The Nature Conservancy Fig 4.9: To prevent flooding due to cyclone Amphan, villagers had built bunds using sandbags | Madhuparna Das | ThePrint Fig 4.10: Broken embankments due to cyclone Amphan | Photograph courtesy of Megnaa Mehtta Fig 4.11: Market being set up on the embankments | Source: Scroll Fig 4.12: Embankment was breached by river water at Sandeshkhali in North 24-Parganas district| Source: dna.org Fig 4.13: Porcupine made by bamboo | Source: Geo-historicalappraisalofembankmentbreachinganditsmanagementstrategiesinGosabaIsland.pdf Fig 4.14: Sandbags protected by bamboo piles | Source: Geo-historicalappraisalofembankmentbreachinganditsmanagementstrategiesinGosabaIsland.pdf Fig 4.15: Brick pitching | Source: Geo-historicalappraisalofembankmentbreachinganditsmanagementstrategiesinGosabaIsland. pdf Fig 4.16: Block pitching | Source: Geo-historicalappraisalofembankmentbreachinganditsmanagementstrategiesinGosabaIsland. pdf

Fig 4.17: Reef wall installed in florida coastline | Source: Buckminster Fuller Institute Fig 4.18: Reef wall | Source: Buckminster Fuller Institute Fig 4.19: Caltrope working | Source: en.reset.org Fig 4.20: Caltrope installed | Source: en.reset.org Fig 4.21: Climate tile working | Source: Archdaily Fig 4.22: Climate tileinstallation in copenhagen | Source: Archdaily Fig 4.23 :Pen and ink drawing by Frederic Peter Layard (1818-1891), after an original sketch of 1839, of a village in a clearing in the Sundarbans Fig 4.24 Dampier Hodeges Line| Source: 225225900_Biodiversity_and_its_conservation_in_the_Sundarban_Mangrove_ Ecosystem Fig 4.25: Loss of forest | Source: world bank.org Fig 4.26: Gender demographics | Source: Author Fig 4.27: Livelihhod demographics | Source: Author Fig 4.28: Forest based livelihood | Source: Author Fig 4.29: Fishermen| Source: National Picture Library Fig 4.30: Woodcutter| Source: Youtube RP Fig 4.31: Honey Collector| Source: Getbengal.com Fig 4.32: Crab and shell collectors| Source: Dhaka Tribune Fig 4.33: Prawn seed collector| Source: Dreamstine.org Fig 4.34 : a bheri in damkhali| Source: Stock Images Fig 4.35: Collector using nylon net| source: alamy photos4.

Fig 4.36: Tiger prawn| source: naturepi.org Fig 4.37: Paddy fields act as shrimp farms during | source: ifair.eu Fig 4.38: Salinity map of sunderban during wet period- Saline brackish topography is suitable for shrimp rearing | source: (Sarkar, et al 2013, MoEF 2004, Rashid et al 2011)) Fig 4.39: Typical plan and section of silvofishery | Source: Ahmed faisal Fig 4.41: a silvofishery farm in indonesia | Source: OISCA Fig 4.42: a silvofishery farm in indonesia | Source: OISCA Fig 4.43: Typical geometric patterns of silvofishery farming | Source: Ahmed faisal Fig 4.44: woman collecting crab| source: www.sundarini.organic Fig 4.43: Fish net knitting source: author Fig 4.45: Fierry service for tourism | Source: India and Abroad Fig 4.46: Khepla jaal | Source: TFR-Vol-2-1-1 Fig 4.47: Behindi jaal | Source: TFR-Vol-2-1-1 Fig 4.48: Thela jaal | Source: TFR-Vol-2-1-1 Fig 4.49: Ferry Cruise| source: Thrillophilia Fig 4.50: Honey collection and supply| source: Down to Earth Fig 4.51: Bonbibi Jatra | source: Pari Network Fig 4.52-: Kirtan at a fair in Ramrudrapur | source: Pari Network

5.0 Case Studies Fig 5.1: MInghu Wetland Park | source: Turenscape Fig Fig Fig Fig Fig

5.2: MInghu Wetland Park | source: Turenscape 5.3: MInghu Wetland Park | source: Turenscape 5.4: Location | source: Scroll 5.5: Team of Swamini | source: Scroll 5.6: Hut typology| source: kohima.nic.in

Fig 5.7: Main gate | source: kohima.nic.in Fig 5.8: Arial view| source: kohima.nic.in Fig 5.9: Morung| source: kohima.nic.in

6.0 Site selection and Justification Fig 6.1: Sunderbans | Source: Author Fig 6.2: Indian Sunderbans: Block map ( location) | Recreated by Author Fig 6.3: Erosion vurnerability map of the Sunderbans| source: scape- coastline and channel banks extracted from 37 mosaiced Survey of India 1:63,360 topographical maps of1901–23, belonging to 79B, C, F & G series; Landsat 8 OLI 15-m panfused data of 17 Mar 2015 & 8 Mar 2015 (for Bangladesh part); IRS-R2 LISS-4fx 5.6-m data of 23 Feb 2013 & 1 Jan 2014 (for India part). D–H Line extracted from 1:253,440 Atlas of India Map #121 & 122 of c. 18 Fig 6.4: Area changes in the Sagar and Ghoramara Islands of the West Bengal from 1999 till 2019.| source: www. sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666033421000174 Fig 6.5: Life in the sinking islands| Source: Photograph by swastik paul Fig 6.6: Change of shoreline in Ghoramara island.| source: www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/ S2666033421000174

Fig 6.7: Life in thr Sinking island of ghoramara.| source: Al jazeera Fig 6.8: By 2050 most of the island would be under wate.| source: ek sparsh Fig 6.9: Migration as coping Mechanism| source: ek sparsh Fig 6.10: Gosaba Block - location | Recreate by Author Fig 6.11: Hamilton Bunglow | Source: Wikipedia Fig 6.12: Process of settlement in Gosaba | Source: Author Fig 6.13: Cooperative Society | Source: Author Fig 6.14: Paddy fields converted into agricultural land | Source: Author Fig 6.15: Veryhigh degree of soil salanity in gosaba island | Source: Granthalayah Publication Fig 6.16: Location of gosaba island | Recreated by Author Fig 6.17: Strategic Location of gosaba island | Recreated by Author Fig 6.18: gosaba island | Recreated by Author Fig 6.19: Bidyadhari River at the north of island bustling with activities | source: Author Fig 6.20: Datta river to the south of the island | source: Author Fig 6.21: Sajhnekhali and sudhyannakhali tiger reserve further south of the island | source: Tripadvisor Fig 6.22: accesibility map of gosaba island | Recreated by Author Fig 6.23: Ferry Ghat at Sonagar.| source: Author Fig 6.24: Ferry Ghat at Gosaba.| source: Author Fig 6.25: Ferry Ghat at Rangabeli.| source: Author Fig 6.26: Transport Hierarchy map of gosaba island | Recreated by Author Fig 6.27: Pucca Road.| source: Author Fig 6.28: Kuchha road.| source: Author Fig 6.29: Road Section|Source: Author Fig 6.30: Mode of transport in gosaba island | Recreated by Author Fig 6.31: Ply Planks|Source: Author Fig 6.32: Bamboo Bridge|Source: Author Fig 6.33: Landuse gosaba island | Recreated by Author Fig 6.34: Sonagar.| source: Openstreetmap Fig 6.35: Rangabelia.| source: Openstreetmap Fig 6.36: Mud embankment with sand bag piling in Pkhiralay Fig 6.37: Private concrete embankment at Dulki Fig 6.38: Topographical map of gosaba | Source: topographicmaps.com Fig 6.39: Mud embankment built by villagers in Sonagar Fig 6.40: Mud embankment with brick filling at Rangabelia Fig 6.41: Population distribution | recreated by author Fig 6.42: Touris Hotspots | recreated by author Fig 6.43: Gram Panchayat | Source : Author Fig 6.44: Hamilton Bungalow | Source: Wikipedia Fig 6.45: Tegore Bungalow| Source Author Fig 6.46: Multipurpose cyclone shelte, Pakhiralay | Source: Author Fig 6.47: Multipurpose cyclone shelte, Rangabelia | Source: Author

Fig 6.48: Tegore Foundation, NGO | Source: Author Fig 6.49: Amenities gosaba island | Recreated by Author Fig 6.50: Accesibility map of Sonagar village| Recreated by Author Fig 6.51: Mangroves Buffer.| source: Author Fig 4.52: Ferry Ghat at Sonagar.| source: Author Fig 6.51: River on both sides.| source: Author Fig 6.53: Landuse Sonagar village| Recreated by Author Fig 6.54: Lowlying ares turned into ponds for breeding fish | Source: Author Fig 6.55: Paddy fields destroyed by flood are turned in aquaculture farms | Source: Author Fig 6.56: Figure Ground Sonagar village| Recreated by Author Fig 6.57: Vernacular mud houses | Author Fig 6.58: Hybrid and RCC houses | Author Fig 6.59: Scheatic section and material review of a typical house of Sonagar | Source: Author Fig 6.60: Settlement diagram| Source: Author Fig 6.61: Grain Gola| Source: Gencap Fig 6.62: Topographical map Sonagar village| Recreated by Author Fig 6.63: Coss section of site| Source: Author Fig 6.64: Strategic location of site| Recreated by Author Fig 6.65: Mangrove forest to the west of site | Source: Author Fig 6.66: Site( Mainly constituted of fallow paddy fields converted into fisheries | Source: Google earth Fig 6.67: Landuse site| Recreated by Author Fig 6.68: Manmade canals ( similar to this)to bring in water from Datta River to the aquaculture farms | Source: The Guardian Fig 6.69: Landuse ( Site)| Recreated by Author Fig 6.70: Fallow paddy fields converted to Fish ponds | Source: CNBC Fig 6.71: Sun Path and Wind Direction ( Site)| Recreated by Author Fig 6.72: Average wind speed ( Site)| Source: Weather and climate.com Fig 6.73: Average monthly sun hour ( Site)| Source: Weather and climate.co Fig 6.74: Site Meaurements| Recreated by Author

Preface

Fig P1: Bengali Folktales| Source: tumblr

B.Arch- Design Dissertation Rizvi college of Architecture

This exploration, fascinated me to further discover and learn about the villages in sunderban, their coping mechanisms against ecological catastrophes and possible solutions to intrinsic cris that the people phase on a daily basis.

Fig P2: The Hungry Tide| Source: goodreads

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Srishti Dasgupta

Folktales and fairytales had always intrigued me since my childhood. I had always heard whimsical tales about the delta of Sundarbans from my mother. There were tales about the Hental Bans of Sunderban where the demon tiger Dokhin Rai used to hide and moral folklores about villagers venturing into the forest.

Recently, I read a novel by Mr. Amitav Ghosh, named “ The Hungry Tide”. The novel emphasizes the interdependence of humans and nature and highlights difficult questions that arise when they come into conflict. It mainly includes two conceptual stories, in addition to the multiple interwoven character plots. First, it looks at the condition of displaced peoples (a common Ghosh topic), in this case a group of Bangladeshi refugees who were caught up in a conflict with the Indian state in 1979. The other fundamental concern is how people and animals coexist in a complicated and perilous ecology (here, dolphins and tigers).

Abstract

oG rennacS yB dennacS

Fig A1: Intertwining of human civilization and forest| Source: Author

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Rizvi college of Architecture

Man Maneater & Mangroves

B.Arch- Design Dissertation

There is a intricate web of ecology, cultural practices and human-forest interface in the delta. one would always wonder if it is possible to shift the dynamics towards a resilient co existence of forest, wildlife and human beings.

Srishti Dasgupta

At the basin of Bay of Bengal, there is a land where the river washes the land for six hours a day, while the sea claims the soil for next six hours. Adorned with the mystic Sundari trees, it’s name can be literally, translated into ‘Beautiful Forest’. The land of eighteen tides - ‘Athero Bhatir Desh’ also hosts a humanforest interface for centuries. The region provides an unique ecosystem for habitat of a diverse range of flora and fauna. It is the home to the Royal Bengal tiger, second largest tiger species in the world.

This distinctive interface between human beings and wildlife has given rise to some interesting folklores among the human dwellers. One famous tale of this region is the story of Bon Bibi. Bon Bibi, the goddess of forest resides in the forest protecting those who seek her grace. While Dakshin Rai, the deified Tiger, rules over the beasts and demon.

1.0

Genesis

Global Cities are the material indications of an underlying course of Globalization working generally behind individuals’ backs to change the financial capacities, class composition, urbanscapes, and social structures of urban communities. The urban areas which used to run without an issue are troubled past their abilities with overabundance migrants and urban refugees. The most affected diaspora are the urban poor, who, because of migration, are from rural regions. This Project targets on the improvement of untouched rural communities which are vurnerable against various disasters. The capacity of a settlement to flourish depends on the human resilience through infrastructure and cultural development , despite the challenges posed by climate change, population growth and globalisation.

Srishti Dasgupta B.Arch- Design Dissertation

untouched

Rural communities

Resilience Fig 1: Vurnerability of the Sunderbans| Source: Author

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Migrants urban refugees

Background

2.0 2.1 Context

Sundarbans is a mangrove area in the delta formed by the confluence of the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna Rivers in the Bay of Bengal. It spans from the Hooghly River in India’s state of West Bengal to the Baleswar River in Bangladesh’s division of Khulna.

It comprises closed and open mangrove forests, land used for agricultural purpose, mudflats and barren land, and is intersected by multiple tidal streams and channels.

2.1.1 Gifts From the Rivers

There are no borders to distinguish fresh water from saline water.

The tides reach as far as 300 Kms and thousands of acres of forests submerge under water ony to re-emerge hours laters. The currents are so powerful, that it completely reshapes the islands daily, sometimes developing new sandbars and mud flat.

B.Arch- Design Dissertation

2.1.2 Bhatir desh- The land of tides

Srishti Dasgupta

In between the sea and the Gangetic plains, lies an archipelego of islands along the eastern coastline - collectively called the sunderbans. These islands are restitutions of the rivers. As land merges with these rivers, in the deltaic islands and at the estuaries during the changing tides, huge deposits of silts sometimes creates new islands.

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Fig 2.1: Daily conflicts with rising tides| Source: Author

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2.1.3 Mud and Mangroves

Srishti Dasgupta

In the Delta, where saltwater prevent most plants to survive, Mangroves thrive in high salinity areas and deals with twice a day submergence in tidal waters.

This unique mechanism of many such speices is due to salt secreting glands in their leaves. Viewing the mangroves from the safety of the shore may be alluring.

The mangrove tree top seems like any other regular tree tops - dense, green and comforting. These mangroves provides an unique ecosytem for the survival of many other species of flora and fauna. These trees appears quite different when the tides recede - as their roots provide home to many insects, birds and amphibians.

Apart from that, the mangroves of Sundarbans provide sustainable livelihoods to millions of people and functions as a protective barrier for its inhabitants.

B.Arch- Design Dissertation Rizvi college of Architecture

Fig 2.2: Mangroves as a shelter for various flora and fauna| Source: Author

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2.1.4 Way of life in the land of tides....

The jungles of this delta provides multiple resouces for the survival of the people, only if they respect the creatures of the forest.

Srishti Dasgupta

Fig 2.3: Thin line of distiction between wilderness and civilization | Source: Author

Over time inhabitants of Sundarbans have evolved a unique lifestyle typical to the region.

They are generally poor people working hard from dawn to dusk to earn a living.

The livelihood of the people generally revolve around the forest and rivers. Though, it is largely an agrarian society, due to the unpredictable nature of the tides and unavailability of fresh water many of the inhabitants depend on the forest. Many local depends solely on the forest for their survival via honey collecting, wood gathering and fishing. Women of the region, mostly collect prawn seeds from the rivers or work in the fields.

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Tiger and Tiger Shrimps...

B.Arch- Design Dissertation

Coexist to Resist

2.1.5 Disruption of Harmony

Srishti Dasgupta

The people of Sunderbans have to toil hard preparing for the severe monsoon and then face it’s repurcussions, like cyclones and floods. There is a daily struggle withe rising tidal currents and forest encounters for livelihood.

Human settlements in the past few centuries had led to an environmental inbalance and serious ecological threats such as disturbances in natural food chain, depletion of resources, coastal erosion, decrease in soil fertility and an increase in occurance of storm and cyclones. One such depredation by humans is the extensive cutting down of treess to meet the demands of firewood. Large scale mangroves deforestation had led to soil erosion and weakening of embankments - exposing inhabitants to the wrath of nature like cyclones and tidal currents. This daily struggle inturn leads to outward migration of the people due to loss of livelihood.

Setting up of international waterways, oil refineries and power plants would further diminish the number of flora and fauna, severely affecting the ecosystem of the region.

In the land of tides, poverty, back-wardness and rich biodiversity para-doxically co-exist. Here, the distinction between civilization and wilderness is blurred and there needs to be a balance in this delicate relationship.

B.Arch- Design Dissertation Rizvi college of Architecture

Fig 2.4: Disruption of harmony| Source: Author

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3.0

Introduction

Srishti Dasgupta B.Arch- Design Dissertation Rizvi college of Architecture

Fig 2.5: Fishermen in masks venturing into the forest to prevent tiger attack| Source: Author

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3.1

Regeneration

Regeneration may be defined as a method of revilalizing systems that are lost in existence.

This process goes beyond the approach of sustainability. It is the fundamental to the system of ecology where the output is more than input, developing a net positive system.

Srishti Dasgupta

With the uncertainty looming and the community living there vurnerable as well as proctected by the daily forces of nature. The climate change had made the region loose thousands of land and dispaced thousand of people. The key to survival of human beings in this region is joining larger endeavor towards resisting these uncertainties and a more adaptive and regenerative research process.

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3.1.1 Relevance to the concept of Regeneration

B.Arch- Design Dissertation

Fig 3.1: Concept of regeneration| Source: Author

3.2 •

Aims

Conserving and regenerating the co existence between the ecological system and socio-economic infrastructure of the Sunderbans , by building resilient landscapes.

Srishti Dasgupta B.Arch- Design Dissertation

•

Enhancing the livelihood infrastructure of that region. Introducing methods to shift the dynamics towards a more resilient human forest interface.

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Fig 3.2: Aim| Source: Author

3.3

Analysing the relation between soil, water and mangroves.

•

Studying the potent threat of water level rising.

•

Studying the existing solution of human barriers like embankments and wires.

•

Studying nature based solution and methods of preserving the edges.

Studying the nature based livelihoods of the region and identifying potential threats.

•

Improving socio-economic conditions of fringe villages through some prioritised, sitespecific and need based eco-development packages

•

Studying engagement methods like trade and tourism by enhancing the connectivity.

Fig 3.3: Objective| Source: Author

Rizvi college of Architecture

•

B.Arch- Design Dissertation

Analysing the interdependence of river, forest and livelihoods.

Srishti Dasgupta

•

•

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Objectives

3.4

Need Global crisis

Climate Change

Irregular cyclone pattern

Mangrove Loss

Land loss

vur nerable communities

Passive Impact

Migration due economic crisis

to

unemployment due to lack og skill

Scope

•

The study includes the basic understanding of sunderban region in terms of its identity and its impact on humans and vice versa

•

The project has scope to utilize the the propeties of mangroves and existing ecology to develop a resilient barrier against tidal flooding.

•

The study explores possible alternative livelihoods for the people of sunderban.

•

The project has scope to integrate the culture and economy of the region with the ecological solution to be provided.

•

The project has scope to boost the tourism of the region by utilizing local resources and craftsmanship.

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Rizvi college of Architecture

3.5

B.Arch- Design Dissertation

Sudden land loss and property loss

Mutual effects

Srishti Dasgupta

Unconducive settlements

Active impact

Deforestation

3.6

Limitations

•

The study does not cater to the conservation of fauna, like Royal Bengal tiger.

•

The project does’nt aim at providing technical infrastructure.

•

The project majorly caters to the forest dependent communities of the region.

3.7

Hypothesis

3.8

Methodology

Stake holders: The stakeholders for this project would be villagers who depend on the forest for their livelihood.

It would also cater to the ecology and natural resources of the region.

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Rizvi college of Architecture

The thesis aims to understand the dynamics of human and forest in the Sunderban Delta.

Emphasis is laid on study of various socio-economic issues of the region and derive nature based solutions for the same.

Following are the methods used to achive these objectives: • Review Of Literature • Study of tidal activities and embankments • Study of livelihoods • Scope for alternative livelihoodStudy of culture and tourism of the region • Methods of sustainence • Study of cases

B.Arch- Design Dissertation

Can resilient landscapes and sustainable livelihoods provide a protean living condition for the inhabitants of Sundarban?

Srishti Dasgupta

Elasticity (noun) 1. the ability of an object or material to resume its normal shape after being stretched or compressed; stretchiness.

2. ability to change and adapt; adaptability.

Perceiving the Sunderbans through the lens of stories and conversations.

• •

• Understanding the boundaries of the study

Formulating a research question

•

Understanding the existing issues of the Sunderbans: Ecological and socio economic.

Understanding the characteristics of the area and spatial requirement.

Specifying the user group

• •

• • •

Testing the observations Suggesting adaptive strategies through case studies.

Filtering the intent of the project.

Deriving an intent

Site Justification and programme development

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• • •

Finalizing a specific area of the Sunderbans to use it as site through different maps.

Site documentation and analysis.

Deriving the programme by understanding the potentials and requirement of the sit.

Rizvi college of Architecture

Analysing the information

•

B.Arch- Design Dissertation

Research: Gathering information

•

Diving the reasearch into two aspects: Ecological and socio- cultural.

Formulating the framework of the project by defining the aim, objectives, scope and limitations.

Srishti Dasgupta

Hypothesis

Creating a perception about the region through folklores, myths and daily tittle tattle.

Understanding the need of the Sunderbans

3.9

Location

The sunderbans is the largest prograding delta at the basin of bay of bengal. It covers an area of 10,200 sq km, 42% of which is in Bangaldesh and 58% in India. The forest extends over 200 islands seperated by 15 rivers and 400 interconnected tidal waterways.The Indian Sunderban comprises of 19 community blocks, 13 of which are under South 24 parganas and 6 in North 24 Parganas.

Srishti Dasgupta B.Arch- Design Dissertation Rizvi college of Architecture

Fig 3.4: Location | Source: IndianJPsychiatry_2016

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3.10

Brief Synthesis

•

The Sundarban delta came into existence two million years ago in the quaternary age long before human beings evolved. At the early stages of the history of this area, the entire Bengal basin was submerged under the sea and sedimentation from the Ganges – Brahmaputra riversystems created a landmass which is today’s Bengal Delta. The Sundari trees presumably first took root below the Rajmahal Hills.

•

The present tidal delta only stabilized in 5th – 7th century AD.

•

The Sundarbans along the Bay of Bengal has evolved over the millennia through natural deposition of upstream sediments accompanied by intertidal segregation.

Srishti Dasgupta B.Arch- Design Dissertation

River Ganga orginates from Gangotri (Gomukh) in the Himalayas, carrying large amount of sediments.

The middle course stretches from Hardwar to Rajmahal Hills in Bihar.The flow of river in this segment resulted in development of the fertile gangetic plains.

Fig 3.5: Brief Synthesis| Source: Author

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The Ganges Delta is formed mainly by the large, sediment-laden flows of the Ganges and Brahmaputra rivers.

4.0

Review of Literature Srishti Dasgupta B.Arch- Design Dissertation Rizvi college of Architecture

Fig 4: Embankments are lifeline for villages | Source: Author

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4.1

Tides

The Sundarbans is the largest single block of tidal halophytic mangrove forest in the world. It is intersected by a complex network of tidal waterways, mudflats, and small islands of salt-tolerant mangrove forests.

Another local name by which this place is called is Bhatir Desh, which would translate as tidal country.

Tides

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Earth’s gravity holds our oceans to its surface. At the same time, the sun and moon’s gravity forces pull on the oceans. Water on one side of the Earth is pulled towards the moon creating a tidal bulge. On the opposite side of the Earth, another tidal bulge occurs because the water on that side is further away from the moon, therefore is not pulled as strongly towards it as the Earth is. As the Earth rotates, different parts on the planet’s surface experience the tidal bulge.

This means the water level changes. The daily rise and fall of the oceans are called tides.

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Fig 4.1: Land of Tides| Source: Author

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Understanding Tidal activities 4.2

the

A total of nine rivers (Saptamukhi, Thakuran, Matla, Bidya, Gomdi, Gosaba, Gona, Harinbhanga and Raimangal) flowing from north to south discharge into the deltaic environment in this region.

4.2.1 Ebb Tide and Flood tide

Fig 4.2: Diagram Semidiurnal tides | Source: National oceanic services

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Ebb is the tidal phase during which the tidal current is flowing seaward (ebb current) and flood is the tidal phase during which the tidal current is flowing inland (flood current) Ebb is the tidal phase during which the water level is falling and flood the tidal phase during which the water level is rising.

Fig 4.3: Diagram showing ebb anf flood tidal activity Source: National oceanic services

Spring Tide: 5-6M

2M Above sea level

NeapTide: 1.15M

Fig 4.4: Diagram showing waTer levels at different times of the year | Source: Author

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Daily tidal water level rise : 2.15M

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The sunderban delta experiences predominantly semidurnal tides: A semi-diurnal tide has two episodes of equal high water and two episodes of low equal water each day.

4.3

Ecology of the Mangroves

Healthy mangrove forests are key to a healthy marine ecology. Fallen leaves and branches from mangroves contribute to the forest detritus and provide nutrients for the marine environment. Intricate food webs of immense varieties of sea life are supported directly through this detritus.

•

They are highly adapted to their environment, capable of excluding or expelling salt, allowing mangroves to thrive in highly saline waters and soils. Salinity can still limit the distribution of mangroves, however, as can other environmental factors such as climate, tidal fluctuation, and sediment and wave energy.

•

The sturdy root systems of mangrove trees help form a natural barrier against violent storm surges and floods. River and land sediment is trapped by the roots, which protects coastline areas and slows erosion.

Sedimentation

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River Sedimentation

Litterfall

Surface acceleration Active root zone

pushing upward

mangrove

Fig 4.5: Ecology of Mangroves| Source: Author

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Coastal sedimentation

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Trapping and Binding

Old soil

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•

4.4

Embankments

4.4.1 Methods used presently as barrier against Tidal waves and flooding

The embankments of the Sundarbans protect the islands where people live and are vital to their safety and livelihoods. When an embankment is breached, saline water enters farmland and food can no longer be grown.

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Fig 4.6: In most cases the concrete embankments protect the settlement against the tidal waves | Source: Author

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Fig 4.7: Waves during super cyclones rises higher than usual and water breaches inland. | Source: Author

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4.4.2 Why hard infrastructure fails in muddy river edges?

• • • •

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•

In a healthy mangrove ecosystem waves take sediments away while tide brings sediments in.

The mangrove ecosystem helps to dissipitate the waves and capture and stabilize the sediments.

On the other had hard structures like breakwater or even earthen/concrete dykes protects from wave impact for a short span of time and requires regular rebuilding.

This is because waves get 2-4 times bigger when they hit against hard structures.

These bigger waves increase erosion in the front of the structure and can eventually lead to it’s collaspe.

Moreover hard structure disrupt the flow of incoming and outgoing sediments resulting in greter catastrophe.

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Fig 4.8: Why hard infrastructure fails in muddy coasts| Source: WetlandsInternational and The Nature Conservancy

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4.4.3 Policies regulating the embankment construction Embankment law in the state of West Bengal has not changed much since the colonial era: the Bengal Embankment Act is almost 140 years old. Today this legislation operates in a completely different social and ecological reality.

Colonial laws vest complete power in the state bureaucracy, the Irrigation & Waterways Department (IWD). Under the law, the embankments are government property. The department is the ultimate arbiter of where, when and how embankments are built and maintained.

These decisions are life-and-death issues for the people who live in the Sundarbans.

Fig 4.9: To prevent flooding due to cyclone Amphan, villagers had built bunds using sandbags | Madhuparna Das | ThePrint

Srishti Dasgupta B.Arch- Design Dissertation

Research has shown a high level of apathy towards development in the region from local government bureaucracy, especially the IWD. The state chooses whether or not to respond, with local people unable to take part in any meaningful sense, in the decisions that govern their lives. For example, studies found that this centralised control was at the heart of poorly built infrastructure and the misuse of resources after Cyclone Aila in 2009.

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Fig 4.10: Broken embankments due to cyclone Amphan | Photograph courtesy of Megnaa Mehtta

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4.4.4Anthropogenic Causes for breaching of em bankments

•

The construction of narrow channels through embankments for maintaining water circulation system between land and river often leads to embankment failure during high tides, storm surges and heavy rainfall especially in monsoon season.

•

Several sluice gates have been constructed at the mouth of tidal creeks to drain out excess water of countryside land. However, the numbers of sluice gates are insufficient in the delta and the water discharge capacity of these sluice gates during high rainfall is very low. The huge pressure of water during climatic extremes suddenly breaks down the system of sluice gate and causes large scale embankment breaching in the delta.

Embankment acts as a lifeline for deltaic people. It is used as a communication pathway by local habitants. The excessive pressure of transportation often causes structural failure of embankments.

•

The use of low-quality materials and faulty construction of embankment

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•

Fig 4.11: Market being set up on the embankments Source: Scroll

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Most people live adjacent to river banks and tidal channels to meet their primary livelihood. The unsystematic land-use practices and unplanned settlement in concave meandering bends of rivers make the embankments highly unstable.

Fig 4.12: Embankment was breached by river water at Sandeshkhali in North 24-Parganas district| Source: dna.org

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•

4.4.5 Management of embankment breaching Bamboo used in the form of piles to strengthen and stabilise the embankment. The row of bamboo piles firmly fixed with a rope or iron wire. In some places, two parallel rows of piles are prepared, and space between them filled with boulders and pebbles to protect embankment from toe erosion.

Fig 4.14: Sandbags protected by bamboo piles | Source: Geo-historicalappraisalofembankmentbreachinganditsmanagementstrategiesinGosabaIsland.pdf

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Fig 4.13: Porcupine made by bamboo | Source: Geo-historicalappraisalofembankmentbreachinganditsmanagementstrategiesinGosabaIsland.pdf

B.Arch- Design Dissertation Fig 4.16: Block pitching | Source: Geo-historicalappraisalofembankmentbreachinganditsmanagementstrategiesinGosabaIsland.pdf

Block pitching is a method to protect the river bank from erosion. Blocks are made by bricks or cemented materials and appropriately arranged by maintaining the riverside slope 3:1. The construction of block pitching is quite costly and labour intensive. Highly technical expertise and understanding of the local hydro-geomorphic characteristics of the land is an essential requirement for engineering works.

Conclusion: Historically, the solution for those who cannot move to higher ground is to build walls, raise homes up on stilts, or simply rebuild. But flood walls tend to be expensive, obstructive, and subject to catastrophic failure; not all types of development can be raised up on stilts; and rebuilding is costly.

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Fig 4.15: Brick pitching | Source: Geo-historicalappraisalofembankmentbreachinganditsmanagementstrategiesinGosabaIsland.pdf

4.5

Resilient landscapes

Resilience(noun) :bouncing back and regenerating. It's about learning how to cope with the ever-changing Resilient Landscapes can be defined as a system based approach and planning of landscape infrastructure.

These systems could be made up of preserved and strengthened ecosystems that act as natural channels and buffers; parks and open spaces that let water flow through safely, or store excess water for later use; and robust green infrastructure systems, including those for transportation networks, that cleanse and absorb flood water, allowing communities to effectively live with more water.

4.5.1 Case study Mangrove reef wall

•

The texture, reduce wave energy and increases bio-diversity.

The digitally-developed mangrove-oyster geometry maximizes surface texture increased by over 300% to promote adherence, growth and hiding areas for numerous species.

B.Arch- Design Dissertation

•

Srishti Dasgupta

Florida has 17700 km of waterways, much of which is lined with concrete seawalls. These sea walls deterioted much of the ecosystem of the region. As a solution mangrove reef wall was introduced:

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Fig 4.17: Reef wall installed in florida coastline | Source: Fig 4.18: Reef wall | Source: Buckminster Fuller Institute Buckminster Fuller Institute

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CALtrope project

The CALTROPe Project - the brainchild of the Hungarian design collective S39 Hybrid Design uses mangrove saplings to help encourage the natural production of protective dams. Mangroves are a natural barrier for flood waters, acting as a sort of "buffer" for incoming waves. And they help stabilise coastlines too, by trapping sediment and stopping them from being washed away.

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This modular system acts as a sort of set of intricate plant pots, that can be stacked on top of each other to form a platform just under the surface of the water. The saplings can send their roots all the way down to the ground through the hollows of the structures.

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Fig 4.19: Caltrope working | Source: en.reset.org

Rizvi college of Architecture Fig4.20: Caltrope installed | Source: en.reset.org

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Climate Tile The Climate Tile is a pilot project designed to catch and redirect 30% of the projected extra rainwater coming due to climate change. Created by THIRD NATURE with IBF and ACO Nordic, the project will be inaugurated on a 50m pavement stretch at Nørrebro in Copenhagen.

Srishti Dasgupta Fig 4.22: Climate tileinstallation in copenhagen | Source: Archdaily

Conclusion: The existing infrastructure and embankments are controlled by the Government and uses materials which are alien to the region. This makes it difficult to repair and reconstruct the barriers. These embankments alo act as a social lifeline for the villages. Therefore, these barriers need to be more community regulated and use resources which are easily available or durable.

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• The tiles have pipes, both vertical and horizontal that helps in multiple functions.

• The water is led through holes into the the pipes, which lead them to the surrounding vegetation.

• By laying the individual parts in a bond and with the help of an intelligent plugin system, the positional stability of the entire system is established.

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Fig 4.21: Climate tile working | Source: Archdaily

4.6

Timeline - human habitation and conservation

Before 1 9 t h century

1764

Before the 19th century, Indian Sundarbans were very sparsely settled, with only scattered human settlements dating back to the 8th century. A theory of depopulation of the Sundarbans in the middle ages is prominent.

•

After coming to power, the East India Company appointed Commissioner William Dampier and Lieutenant Hodges to survey and identify the boundaries of the Sundarbans forest in 1764. Hodges divided the forest into 236 blocks, which in total measured to over 1.7 million acres.

This provided the British with a picture of tracts of land that were not under the government’s lease, thereby presenting them the complete potential of Sundarbans as a revenue yielding area.

•

As early as 1875/76, the British government set aside all unleased mangrove areas under protection and conservation

1875

1950

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Zamindari system was abolished and, the ryotwari system was introduced, where the land was now leased directly to the peasants. This brought about a new vigour for transforming the forests into agricultural land, increasing siltation of the river islands that lead to significant decline in fish life.

•

In 1972 when the country formulated its wildlife and forest protection legislations. This legal protection presumably supports the present-day extent of the mangrove forests.

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1972Present

•

Fig 4.24 Dampier Hodeges Line| Source: 2 2 5 2 2 5 9 0 0 _ B i o d i ve r s i t y _ a n d _ i t s _ c o n s e r va t i o n _ i n _ the_Sundarban_Mangrove_ Ecosystem

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•

Fig 4.23 :Pen and ink drawing by Frederic Peter Layard (1818-1891), after an original sketch of 1839, of a village in a clearing in the Sundarbans

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Srishti Dasgupta

B.Arch- Design Dissertation

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Fig 4.25: Loss of forest | Source: world bank.org

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4.7

Demographics 4426259

The total population of sunderbans As a result of high birth rates and migration inflows, population density is high and growing.

45%

55% Fig 4.26: Gender demographics | Source: Author

Livelihood demgraphics

35%

33%

33350 people are dependent on the forest resourcs

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32%

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Most people depend on Agriculture as their primary occupation. Aquaculture being another popular mean of livelihood.

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Fig 4.27: Livelihhod demographics | Source: Author

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4.8

Forest based livelihood Agriculturalist landless labourers

Agriculturalist - landowners

50%

50%

Forest dependent livelihoods Srishti Dasgupta B.Arch- Design Dissertation Rizvi college of Architecture

Crab and shell collectors (Chuniri)

Tiger prawn seed collector Fisherfolk (Jele)

Woodcutters and firewood collectors (Bhawalis) Honey collectors (Moulay) Fig 4.28: Forest based livelihood | Source: Author

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4.8.1 Fisherfolk (Jele)

Fishermen, referred to as jele locally, are known to use both traditional methods and motorised boats for fishing.

Threats •

Fishing in the Sundarbans comes with its share of occupational hazards which include encounters with predators and unfavourable weather conditions Overfishing (in breeding season also) causes sharp decline in ecology of water.

•

4.8.2 Woodcutters and firewood collectors (Bhawalis)

Fig 4.29: Fishermen| Source: National Picture Library Srishti Dasgupta

Threats • •

Prone to animal attacks Deforestation of mangroves

4.8.3 Honey collectors (Moulay)

Fig 4.30: Woodcutter| Source: Youtube RP

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Honey collection is considered highly dangerous as it takes place in the tiger habitat. About 3 per cent of the population is engaged in this seasonal activity, through which 200 quintals of honey and 1000 kg of wax are collected annually Threats • Prone to animal attacks

Fig 4.31: Honey Collector| Source: Getbengal.com

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B.Arch- Design Dissertation

A boulay is a man with traditional expertise, from the community also referred to as bhawalis. The community has the expertise of keeping the team out of danger in the forest. The population from the region believes that bhawalis have supernatural powers, which they use to protect the work area, restricting the entry of tigers in their enchanted territory.

4.8.4 Crab and collectors (Chuniri)

shell

The locals engage in collection of estuarine mud crabs and molluscs that are distributed around the forest floor and mud. The community of shell collector is also known as chuniri..

Threats •

As crab and shell collection involve being in the marshy areas, the collectors are often attacked by the tigers and crocodiles.

Fig 4.32 Crab and shell collectors| Source: Dhaka Tribune

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It is a highly lucrative occupation which mainly involves women and children who are locally called meen-dhara (juvenile-prawn catcher) and collect prawn seeds from brackish water. Based on the Government of West Bengal (2008) data, it is estimated that 1300–1500 million prawn seeds are collected annually, feeding demand from the neighbouring shrimp aquaculture industry. This also allows the collectors to make an on-spot income of INR 50–100 per day per person.

Use of nylon nets to collect prawn seeds often trap fish eggs and cause depletion of fish population

•

The collectors are required to be waist-deep in water they are prone to shark (Indian dog shark, Scoliodon laticaudus, locally called kamote) and crocodile attacks.

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Fig 4.33: Prawn seed collector| Source: Dreamstine.org

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Threats •

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4.8.5 Tiger prawn seed collector

4.9

Shrimp Farms

What are Meen and What is the Process to Collect Them?

The estimated brackish water area suitable for undertaking shrimp cultivation in India is around 1.2 million ha spread over 10 states, and union territories with West Bengal are in the top most position

Shrimp Farming in bheris •

•

•

•

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Fig 4.36: Tiger prawn| source: naturepi. org

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Fig 4.35: Collector using nylon net| source: alamy photos

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Fig 4.34 : a bheri in damkhali| Source: Stock Images

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Harvesting is normally done for 6 days during the full moon and 2 days before and 3 days after the new moon period, using traps made of bamboo and partially by cast netting.

Shrimp farming is normally practiced in low lying areas and shallow water bodies, influenced by tidal water, especially during lunar phases.

Brackish water from the adjacent water body e.g. river, creek, backwater, lake, lagoons etc. is let into by gravity flow to a large and shallow area of 10 to 100 ha, enclosed by constructed earthen bunds on its periphery.

The entry of water is normally regulated by a wooden sluice made of planks and bamboo poles.

A screen made of bamboo is used for filtration of the water, although seeds of different fish and shrimp species also find entry into these areas along with the tidal water.

Farmers usually stock natural or hatchery produced seed of Penaeus monodon for better yield in bheris. In many cases P. monodon seeds are initially released in a specially enclosed nursery area below 1.0 ha located adjacent to the main rearing area and are reared for about a month. Thereafter, seeds are allowed to escape to the main bhery by cutting the earthen bund of the nursery pond at 2-3 different places.

Stocking and harvesting is periodic according to the lunar phase.

Why are Bheris problematic?

Bheris are shallow inundated fields with a depth of about 6–8 feet. In fact, these are paddy fields.

After harvest, the fields are inundated with brackish water, and aquaculture is carried on.

After about six months, the fully grown prawns are taken out. The fields are again cultivated in the rainy season with paddy. But mostly the soil become to salinated for further cultivation.

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Fig 4.37: Paddy fields act as shrimp farms during | source: ifair.eu

B.Arch- Design Dissertation

Collection of shrimps?

Certain families are only involve in prawn seed collection from the forest and supply it to the bheris, These people use thin nylon net that often destroy the ecology of the mangrove like other fish eggs and saplings.

Conclusion: The existing shrimp industry acts as a lucrative alternative occupation due to large export demand. But this happens at the cost of land and ecology. This increases the risks of poverty and unemployment.

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Fig 4.38: Salinity map of sunderban during wet period- Saline brackish topography is suitable for shrimp rearing | source: (Sarkar, et al 2013, MoEF 2004, Rashid et al 2011))

4.10

Alternative Techniques

4.10.1 Silvofishery In Vietnam and indonesia, people are trying to mimick the mangrove system in their farms and

collect the shrimp seeds there itself. This type of aquaculture is called silvofishery. These farms has rows of mangroves. Under their roots the prawn seeds thrive. These farms are usually on the the mangrove forest itself.

Srishti Dasgupta

Fig 4.41: a silvofishery farm in indonesia | Source: OISCA

In silvofishery the farmers has to make sure that the maximum length of mangrove edge is in contact with the brackish water. This is done to increase the exchange of nutrients. Thie mangroves are often arranged in a maze like pattern.

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Fig 4.39: Typical plan and section of silvofishery | Source: Ahmed faisal

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Fig 4.40: a silvofishery farm in indonesia | Source: OISCA

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Fig 4.42: Typical geometric patterns of silvofishery farming | Source: Ahmed faisal

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4.10.2 Scope for Alternative livelihoods Aquaculture A large population is dependent on fishery activity and capture fisheries is treated as the backbone of Sundarban economy. Sundarban boast around 172 species of fishes, 20 species of prawn and 44 species of crabs including two edible crabs.

The crab shells are used by the people for preparing lime; and shrimp and chicken feed.

•

Fishing net knitting: Naturally they go to journey with local country boat (Nouka) that must be permitted by the forest department. They use various type of fishing nets. When they go to fish collection then must be carried a sharp cutting weapon as da or katari.

Boat making

•

Sustainable aquaculture: Silvo- fishrey

B.Arch- Design Dissertation

•

Fig 4.43: woman collecting crab| source: www. sundarini.organic

Fig 4.44: Fish net knitting source: author

Other Livelihoods Tourism: Toto service, small scale eateries, Ferry service, honey collection, hotel services Handicrafts: Women usually take up katha stitching and tailoring job at home Salt tolerant cultivation Fig 4.45: Fierry service for tourism | Source: India and Abroad

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According to India’s Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA), production of shrimp in West Bengal reached 76,534 tonnes in 2017-18, up from 26,800 tonnes in 2001-02. In the same period, the area under cultivation has also increased from 47,650 to 55,211 hectares.

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•

4.10.3 Types of nets Khepla jal (cast net) Khepla jal is a kind of cast net, which is the most familiar fishing gear used in all types of water bodies. It is a conical shaped net; this net occurs in different sizes. A standard khepla jal measures about 4m in length and the bottom is a circle of 6-9 m diameter. The loop size of the net is 0.6 to 7.5 cm1. It may be weaved by natural or artificial twines. It is a hand operating net, which can be thrown and operated by a fisherman alone

Behundi jal (bag net)

Fig 4.47: Behindi jaal | Source: TFR-Vol-2-1-1

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Thela jal: Thela jal is a triangular shaped push net constructed by polyamide mono-filament nylon rope with an extended handle of two bamboo poles, one is longer than other, are fixed at an angle of 30º (Fig. 9). Its’ two arms are 2 to 3 m long and front side is 1 to 1.5 m long having a mesh size of 0.2 to 1.0 cm. The triangular portion of the net is lowered and pushed forward along the bed of the shallow water areas. The net is used at all time of the year and one person can operate this net.

Fig 4.48: Thela jaal | Source: TFR-Vol-2-1-1

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B.Arch- Design Dissertation

The net is constructed by polyamide monofilaments, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride or nylon rope, in traditional practice the net is made up of nylon ropes and is knotted.

Mouth of the net is spread and fixed on tide by bamboo, wood or iron. Fish is trapped in the centre pouch of the net and net is monitored carefully for 2 to 3 hours.

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Fig 4.46: Khepla jaal | Source: TFR-Vol-2-1-1

4.11

Tourism

4.11.1Traditional Tourism • • • • •

Tourism in sunderban majorly revolves the round the wildlife Sajnekhali forest reserve.

However these activities are seasonal ( From november to march).

Locals engage in ferry service, toto service, tourist guides, honey and gud supplier, Small scale business, Lodges are mostly owned by outsiders or government.

The tourism doesnt sustain the livelihood of the people of Sunderbans.

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Fig 4.50: Honey collection and supply| source: Down to Earth

Community based tourism is tourism in which local residents (often rural, poor and economically marginalised) invite tourists to visit their communities with the provision of overnight accommodation. The residents earn income as land managers, entrepreneurs, service and produce providers, and employees.

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4.11.2 Community Based Tourism

B.Arch- Design Dissertation

Fig 4.49: Ferry Cruise| source: Thrillophilia

4.12

Festivals

4.12.1The tale of Bonbibi

A fair dedicated to bonbibi is held in almost all villages, every year It is claimed that Bonbibi bestows whatever blessings her worshipers request, regardless of faith. Women, both Hindu and Muslim, fast during the day and eat only after dusk. People's enthusiasm to pay respect reflected their confidence in her benefits.

Locals would perform jatra while singing torjaa gaan (Bengali folk songs about mythical figures or daily life) or kirtan (religious songs) (plays enacting historical or mythological scenes). The foreigners were to perform "orchestra evenings," which included Bollywood or Tollywood music, jatra, and a dance show.

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4.12.2 Fairs and Festivals

Fig 4.52: Kirtan at a fair in Ramrudrapur | source: Pari Network

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Fig 4.51: Bonbibi Jatra | source: Pari Network

Srishti Dasgupta

Ma Bonbibi first appeared as a "superpower" who defended the fishing community, honeygatherers, wood-cutters, and anyone who ventured into the forests from tiger assaults. A 19th-century pamphlet, Bonbibi Johuranama, describes her narrative. It was most likely written by a Muslim — it's in Bengali, written from left to right, but back to front to mimic Arabic script.

Dokhin Rai, a Brahmin guru who resided in the jungle and who, in a fit of rage, chose to feast on humanity, was Bonbibi's worst foe, according to mythology. As a result, he assumed the form of a tiger. He stopped sharing any forest resources with people because he was selfish, and he justified killing humans as a type of kawr, or taxes. Dokhin Rai appears to have been a scheming zamindar or landlord. He finally declared himself the only ruler of the mangrove and transformed into a rakkhosh, or demon, that preyed on people. All tigers and forest spirits became his subjects and began to terrorise humanity, shattering the trust that Seeing the suffering, Allah picked Bonbibi, a little girl who lived in the jungle, to terminate Dokhin Rai’s rule. Bonbibi had been abandoned by her mother as a newborn and raised by a deer. She brought her twin brother Shah Jongoli (both bon and jongol imply jungle) to her side when she got Allah’s summons. The siblings travelled to Medina to get Fatima’s blessings, then to Mecca, where they transported some sacred ground back to the Sundarbans. Dokhin Rai, enraged at Allah’s intervention, decided to drive them away. But his mother, Narayani, argued that it was preferable for a woman to fight a woman, and she took on Bonbibi herself. had previously existed between animals and humans. When she saw that she was losing the battle, Narayani called Bonbibi her sai (friend). Bonbibi was gratified and the conflict was resolved.

5.0 Case Studies 5.1Minghu Wetland Park, China Location: .:Liupanshui City Scale 90 hectares Architects: Turenscape Purpose

Srishti Dasgupta

To transformed a deteriorated peri-urban site into a regenerative and ecological park. They achieved this by integrating the existing streams, wetlands and low-lying lands into a stormwater management and purification system, forming a series of wetlands and retention ponds that clean the water. Combined with this was a network of continuous public spaces and an iconic rainbow bridge which allows visitors to access the central wetland.

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Fig 5.2: MInghu Wetland Park | source: Turenscape

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Fig 5.1: MInghu Wetland Park | source: Turenscape

Srishti Dasgupta

How does it works?

•

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Firstly, existing streams, wetlands, and low-lying land are all integrated into a stormwater management and ecological purification system linked by the river, forming a series of water retention ponds and purification wetlands with different capacities.

This approach not only minimizes urban flooding but also increases the base flow to sustain river water flow after the rainy season.

Secondly, the concrete embankment of the channelized river was removed. A natural riverbank was restored to revitalize the riparian ecology and maximize the river’s selfpurification capacity. Thirdly, continuous public spaces were created to contain pedestrian and bicycle paths increasing access to the riverfront. These corridors integrate the urban recreation and ecological spaces. Lastly, the project combines waterfront development and river restoration. The ecological infrastructure catalyzes urban renewal efforts in Liupanshui, significantly increases land values, and enhances urban vitality.

B.Arch- Design Dissertation

Fig 5.3: MInghu Wetland Park | source: Turenscape

5.2 Mangroves Safari Location: Vengurla, Maharashtra With a total of 320 sq km spread across the coastal belt of the state, Maharashtra has the fifth largest mangrove cover among Indian states, as per the State of Forest Report, 2019.

Although the Sindhudurg district occupies only 12.19 sq km of that expanse, it is one of the richest in terms of biodiversity, and also houses the only recorded case of the Sundari tree (Heritiera littoralis) in Maharashtra.

Purpose

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Led by Shweta Hule, the senior-most woman of the group, Swamini is a self-help group involved in various income-generating activities, with their flagship project being the mangrove safari.

Method

Fig 5.4: Location | source: Scroll

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Output In the last tourist season, which started in October, but was cut short by the pandemic-induced lockdown in March, the group had made close to Rs 2,00,000 from the mangrove safari activity alone.

Fig 5.5: Team of Swamini | source: Scroll

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The safari involves a ride on a rowboat, about one and a half kilometre into the creek, accompanied by not more than two members from Swamini at a time. While one person rows the boat, the other acts as a guide, introducing the tourists to the mangroves and its uses. Apart from the mangroves, the Swamini members are also experts at identifying birds such as egrets, herons, storks, and cormorants among others.

Over the years, the group have indulged in activities such as setting up an organic farm where they grow vegetables and herbs. The organic produce from this farm is often used in the open-air restaurant that they have set up, which serves local cuisine.

5.3 Kisama Heritage Village, Nagaland Location: Ngaland Purpose The objective of the Heritage Village is to protect and preserve all ethnic cultural heritages by establishing a common management approach and comprehensive data base for perpetuation and maintenance for promotion of tourism. It also aims to uphold and sustain the distinct identity of dialects, customs and traditions of all the ehtnic tribes of Nagland.

Srishti Dasgupta

Fig 5.6: Hut typology| source: kohima.nic.in

Fig 5.7: Main gate | source: kohima.nic.in B.Arch- Design Dissertation

Fig 5.9: Morung| source: kohima.nic.in

How does it works?

It is working as a repository of traditions of the 16 officially recognized tribes of Nagaland.

The village has a house dedicated to each tribe with their unique architectural designs and the Open air display portrays to be a museum in itself etc.

The tribal house is also called “Morung or Youth Dormitory”. Their only form of learning in an education deprived era (no written script, or proper form of education) was the Morung where they would come together and learn different kinds of skills, even head hunting. The Morung is like a modern coffee house, a place to discern and learn from one another.

The Heritage Complex also house a World War II Museum, Bamboo Heritage Hall, Bamboo Pavilion, Kids Carnival, Horti-Scape, Food Courts and Stadium for Live concerts, Naga Idol, Beauty Pageant, Fashion Shows, etc.

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Fig 5.8: Arial view| source: kohima.nic.in

6.0 Site Justification and Selection

Srishti Dasgupta B.Arch- Design Dissertation Rizvi college of Architecture

Fig 6.1: Sunderbans | Source: Author

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6.1 • •

Location and geography

The Indian Sunderban is a conglomeration of river channels, creeks and islands which total about 102 in number. Of these 54 islands are inhabited and the rest 48 islands are forested of which four islands has already sunk.

The islands are constituted of low marshy alluvial soil and still in the process of formation by active siltation by tidal currents.

Srishti Dasgupta B.Arch- Design Dissertation Rizvi college of Architecture Fig 6.2: Indian Sunderbans: Block map ( location) | Recreated by Author

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Comparison and overlapping between 1901–23 topographical maps and 2013–15 satellite images brings out the extent of erosion along nearly the entire seaface of the delta and accretion in the interior parts, mainly in the west.

The study studies the geographical aspects of the delta by dividing the habitable islands in two part: 1. Western part: The islands around Sagar island exposed more towards the Bay of Bengal.

2. Eatern part: The inland island blocks around gosaba and basanti with the reserved forest as buffer.

Srishti Dasgupta B.Arch- Design Dissertation Rizvi college of Architecture

Fig: Western side

Fig : Eastern side side

Fig 6.3: Erosion vurnerability map of the Sunderbans| source: scape- coastline and channel banks extracted from 37 mosaiced Survey of India 1:63,360 topographical maps of1901–23, belonging to 79B, C, F & G series; Landsat 8 OLI 15-m panfused data of 17 Mar 2015 & 8 Mar 2015 (for Bangladesh part); IRS-R2 LISS-4fx 5.6-m data of 23 Feb 2013 & 1 Jan 2014 (for India part). D–H Line extracted from 1:253,440 Atlas of India Map #121 & 122 of c. 18

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Western Blocks of Indian Sunderbans

6.2

Over the past 25 years, four islands have already disappeared: Bedford, Lohachara, Kabasgadi, and Suparibhanga.

Sagar CD block Location It is on the edge of the Bay of Bengal.

This area is one of most vulnerable to climate change in India.

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Migration profile: •

•

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•

Though people from neighboring sinking islands are moving into this largest Island i.e Sagar island, experts have warned of a similar fate as the south eastern and south western parts of the Island are eroding fast.

Sagar Island has lost 30 sq km of land, according to an estimate by the Sundarbans Development Board.

The 225 sq km island is also home to more than 25,000 refugees from other islands.

Since 1960, close to 4000 people have migrated under different Government resettlement schemes

Fig 6.4: Area changes in the Sagar and Ghoramara Islands of the West Bengal from 1999 till 2019.| source: www. sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666033421000174

Fig 6.5: Life in the sinking islands| Source: Photograph by swastik paul

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The Sagar block, which has a population of around 200,000 has to not only grapple with a rising sea level at a rate that is nearly 250 percent higher than global rate (8 mm per year compared with 3.23 mm per year, according to the school of oceanographic studies of Jadavpur University in Kolkata), but also stands exposed to increasing high intensity cyclones and storms.

6.2.1 Case of Ghoramara Island Location Ghoramara Island, about 30 km north of the Bay of Bengal, has seen unprecedented erosion in last few decades.

• From 26 square km, it has shrunk to around 3.6 square km. The erosion has been rapid over the past four decades with about half of the land lost to the Ganga during this period.

• The population, once around 40,000, is now merely 5,193, according at the 2011 census.

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shoreline

in

Ghoramara

island.|

source:

www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/

B.Arch- Design Dissertation

Fig 6.6: Change of S2666033421000174

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Fig 6.7: Life in thr Sinking island of ghoramara.| source: Al jazeera

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6.2.2 Migration as a coping Mechanism • •

Loss of livelihoods or inadequate returns from more traditional rural livelihoods forces at least one male member of most households to migrate seasonally to the far-away states of Kerala or Tamil Nadu for construction work.

Recently, the households of these seasonal migrants have been taking the decision to migrate permanently to safer places where wage labour is in demand, thereby turning a temporary coping mechanism into a means of long-term adaptation to environmental degradation and climate change.

Srishti Dasgupta

Fig 6.9: Migration as coping Mechanism| source: ek sparsh

Conclusion: • Potential Impacts

• • •

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Lack of anyadvanced infrastructure for any possible adaptation.

Embankments are presumably repaired every 5 years but due to lack of transperency in the administration and the drastic climate change suffers major damages.

Very less social capital to combat the situation due to loss of livelihood. Government funding is unlikely.

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Adaptation Capacity

• •

It is unsustainable to live in and around the sagar and namkhana block today.

By 2050 most of the island would be under water.

Most families aspire to move out of the region

B.Arch- Design Dissertation

Fig 6.8: By 2050 most of the island would be under wate.| source: ek sparsh

Eastern Blocks of Indian Sunderbans

6.3

The Eastern part of of Indian Sunderbans mainly consists of the blocks of Gosaba, Basanti, Sandeshkhali, Canning, Hindalganj and Hasnabad.

Most of these blocks are cut through by inland rivers which are the tributaries of hugli and Meghna.

Srishti Dasgupta

6.3.1 Gosaba Location

B.Arch- Design Dissertation

The Gosaba community development Block lies within canning sub-division of South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal, India. . River Bidya bounds the region in the west and rivers Gomar and Raimangal in the east. It is bounded by the mangrove forest buffer at its southern side.

Administration

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The Gosaba block consists of 14 Gram Panchayats (Amtali, Bali I and II, Bipradaspur, Chhota Mollakhali, Gosaba, Kachukhali, Kumirmari, Lahiripur, Pathankhali, Radhanagar-Taranagar, Rangabelia, Satjelia and Sambhunagar) and 50 inhabited villages.

The total population of sunderbans -

246,598

Fig 6.10: Gosaba Block - location | Recreated by Author

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6.3..2 Setting up of a cooperative society Sir Daniel Hamilton, a Scottish businessman and visionary, aiming for rural reform in Sundarbans, founded a utopian settlement in 1903 that welcomed people from all castes, creeds and ethnicities. He bought 10000 acres of land in the sunderbans which later expanded to 1.5 million acres

•

He chose Gosaba as the platform to experiment his ideas of rural reconstruction by establishing school, co-operative bank, desalinization plant, rice mill, religious council where peasants would cooperate and work together without exploiting one anther and live freely.

The first thing that Hamilton did was to try and make the island arable. He cleared up the jungles and raised the level of the marshy land so that it would become arable. To prevent the saline water from inundating the lands, dams were built.

•

•

He leased his land to the farmers. a man was allowed to hold only 25 bighas of land and his wife could apply for another 20 bighas. Thus the total land that was available to one particular family was 45 bighas

•

Fig 6.12: Process of settlement in Gosaba | Source: Author

The cooperative was supposed to supply the residents everything — rice, pulses, soap, detergent and kerosene — at a fair price. In 1925, an association was set up to sell grains on behalf of the farmers.

Fig 6.13: Cooperative Society | Source: Author

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There was an acute shortage of drinking water and, to address that, Hamilton spent a lot of money and bought a water-purifying machine. The remnants of this machine are still there in Gosaba, as is his house, which is now a tourist attraction.

B.Arch- Design Dissertation

•

Fig 6.11: Hamilton Bungalow Source: Wikipedia

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•

6.3.2 Land and Impact on livelihood •

•

•

Due to high soil salinity and lack of irrigation indry months the land is left fallow except for a single rice crop in kharif season.

80 %of the agriculture land is under monoculture, while only in 20 % of the plots are used for crop rotation with few vegetables and legumes in seasons where irrigationis available.

This causes perceptible changes in the land use of the region

•

Rice-aquaculture rotation is a simple method of farming where aquatic species were grown after harvesting of rice in the flooded fields without removing the rice stubbles. The water levels were shallow in the case of rice, whereas for aquatic species, water depth is raised Fig 6.15: Veryhigh degree of soil salanity in gosaba island | Source: Granthalayah Publication

Conclusion: •

Adaptation Capacity

•

• • •

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Lack of anyadvanced infrastructure for any possible adaptation.

Embankments are presumably repaired by the villagers themselves.

Though less social capital to combat the situation, The people are using alternative strategies and livelihood.

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Potential Impacts

Since the island is located just adjacent to the mangrove buffer, there is lot of potential regarding development of soft infrastructure.

It provides ample scope for tourism.

B.Arch- Design Dissertation

As shown in the figure most of the fields do not yield crop so they are used for aquaculture.

into

Srishti Dasgupta

•

Fig 6.14: Paddy fields converted agricultural land | Source: Author

6.4

Site Selection

6.4.1 Site Criteria- Gosaba Island Scope • •

Located at the north of bufferzone ( Reserve Forest), hence less chances of rapid land loss.

Connected to the inhabitated land as well as the forest.

Srishti Dasgupta

Weakness • • • •

B.Arch- Design Dissertation

Very less social capital for development.

Lack of government funded infrastructure.

Lack of connectivity with the outer world.

Tourism marketing and supply chain is not well developed.

Oppurtunities • •

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•

Scope for alternative source of livelihood.

Scope for using existing building materials of infrastructure.

Scope for development of tourism.

Threats • • •

Frequent natural disasters.

Threat of animal attacks.

Lack of healthcare and education

Fig 6.16: Location of gosaba island | Recreated by Author

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6.4.2 Location - Gosaba Island

Jharkhand 429 km

Bangladesh -Dhaka 379 km

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Odisha 282 km

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Kolkata 89 km

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Fig 6.17: Strategic Location of gosaba island | Recreated by Author

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6.4.3 Site Context - Gosaba Island

Srishti Dasgupta B.Arch- Design Dissertation

Fig 6.18: gosaba island | Recreated by Author

• •

Fig 6.20: Datta river to the south of the island | source: Author

Fig 6.21: Sajhnekhali and sudhyannakhali tiger reserve further south of the island | source: Tripadvisor

The Gosaba island is surrounded by Basanti island to the north, Bally island to its west, satjelia island to its east and the sajhnekhali Tiger reserve and Sunderban National park to its south.

The gosaba Village is the lamain village with maximum number of ammenities, while the villages to the south are quaint and attracts tourists.

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Fig 6.19: Bidyadhari River at the north of island bustling with activities | source: Author

6.4.4 Network and Accessibility - Gosaba Island

Basanti Higway

Godkhali Ferry Ghat

Srishti Dasgupta

Pucca Road ( Built by Government) Highway

Ferry route

Fig 6.22: Accesibility map of gosaba island | Recreated by Author

Fig 6.23: Ferry Ghat at Sonagar.| source: Author

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Fig 6.24: Ferry Ghat at Gosaba.| source: Author

Fig 6.25: Ferry Ghat at Rangabeli.| source: Author

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The Gosaba island is predominantly isolated as it is surrounded by water. The ferry ghats form the main connectivity to outer world. The internal part of the island is connected by a network of pucca concrete or Asphalt road and kuchha road network.

B.Arch- Design Dissertation

Ferry Ghat

6.4.5 Transport Hierarchy - Gosaba Island

Srishti Dasgupta

Highway Ferry route

Fig 6.26: Transport Hierarchy map of gosaba island | Recreated by Author

•

•

Fig 6.27: Pucca Road.| source: Author

5m

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Fig 6.28: Kuchha road.| source: Author

Fig 6.29: Road Section|Source: Author

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•

The Villages in the island are connected by a 3m pucca road ( asphalt concrete hybrid.

This the only vehicular connection within the island.

The road is raised upto 0.7m to 1m and is the lifeline of village during flood.

B.Arch- Design Dissertation

Pucca Road ( Built by Government)

6.4.6 Mode of Transport - Gosaba Island

Srishti Dasgupta

van rickshaw Stand Toto Stand

Highway Ferry route

Fig 6.30: Mode of transport in gosaba island | Recreated by Author

• • •

Fig 6.31: Ply Planks|Source: Author

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Fig 6.32: Bamboo Bridge|Source: Author

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The public transport in the villages of the island are mainly through totos and van rickshaw, which has their stands mainly in the village of gosaba.

Other modes of transport include two wheelers and bullock carts.

The villagers had also set up bamboo bridges and planks to traverse inland waterways.

B.Arch- Design Dissertation

Pucca Road ( Built by Government)

6.4.7 Landuse and settlement layout

Srishti Dasgupta

Re s e r ve d Forest Mangrove vegetation

Fig 6.34: Sonagar.| source: Openstreetmap

• •

Fig 6.35: Rangabelia.| source: Openstreetmap

The house clusters are either along the bank of river or creek along the edges of the main road.

All in between spaces are agricultural lands.

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Fig 6.33: Landuse gosaba island | Recreated by Author

B.Arch- Design Dissertation

Agricultural land Open space

6.4.8 River edges

Fig 6.36: Mud embankment with sand bag piling in Pkhiralay

Fig 6.37: Private concrete embankment at Dulki

Srishti Dasgupta

Fig 6.39: Mud embankment built by villagers in Sonagar

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Fig 6.40: Mud embankment with brick filling at Rangabelia

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Fig 6.38: Topographical map of gosaba | Source: topographicmaps.com

B.Arch- Design Dissertation

Maximum elevation: 27 m Average elevation: 4 m+ Minimum elevation: -2 m

6.4.9 Population Distribution

Bablabon

Village

Gosaba Rangabelia

Gosaba

5369

Arampur

6618

Dulki

2876

Pakhiralay Rangabelia

Arampur

Dulki

Population Per Sq Km

Sonagar

1500-200

Fig 6.41: Population distribution | recreated by author

6.4.10 Tourism Hotspots

3620 3691

B.Arch- Design Dissertation

150-350 350- 500 500-1500

3946 Srishti Dasgupta

Sonagar

Pakhiralay

Population

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Fig 6.42: Touris Hotspots | recreated by author

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6.4.11Landmarks and Amenities - Gosaba Island

Fig 6.43: Gram Panchayat | Source: Google maps

Fig 6.44: Hamilton Bungalow | Source Wikipedia

Fig 6.45: Tegore Bungalow | Source: Author

Srishti Dasgupta

Hospitaal Market School

B.Arch- Design Dissertation

Cyclone shelter

Bank

Fig 6.47: Amenities gosaba island | Recreated by Author

Fig 6.46: Multipurpose cyclone shelte, Pakhiralay | Source: Author

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Fig 6.47: Multipurpose cyclone shelte, Rangabelia | Source: Author

Fig 6.48: Tegore Foundation, NGO | Source: Author

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Police Station

6.5 • • •

Village Selection

The village is locked by the Datta river on the south and acreek on the north, hence faces maximum tidal flooding effect.

The forest reserve lies across the ductta river, Hence greater threat of animal attacks and scope of tourism.

Lack of ammenities like cyclone shelt.

Srishti Dasgupta

Sonagar Ferry Ghat Fig 6.49: Accesibility map of Sonagar village| Recreated by Author

Fig 6.50: Mangroves Buffer.| source: Author

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Fig 4.51: Ferry Ghat at Sonagar.| source: Author

Fig 6.52: River on both sides.| source: Author

Key Plan

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Primary Road connecting to Gosaba village

B.Arch- Design Dissertation

500 m

6.5.1 Landuse - Sonagar Village

Key Plan

Seasonal fallow land Reserved Forest 900 m

Mangrove vegetation

• • •

Due to high soil salinity and lack of irrigation in dry months the land is left fallow except for a single rice crop in kharif season.

Most of the fallow lands about 61% are used as fish ponds for breeding fish, shrimps and crabs.

This causes perceptible changes in the land use of the region

B.Arch- Design Dissertation

Fig 6.53: Landuse Sonagar village| Recreated by Author

Srishti Dasgupta

Arable land

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Fig 6.54: Lowlying ares turned into ponds for breeding fish | Source: Author

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Fig 6.55: Paddy fields destroyed by flood are turned in aquaculture farms | Source: Author

6.5.2 Figure Ground - Sonagar Village

Arable land Built Reserve Forest Fig 6.56: Figure Ground Sonagar village| Recreated by Author

Fig 6.57: Vernacular mud houses | Author

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Fig 6.58: Hybrid and RCC houses | Author

Key Plan

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The village is divided in hamlets. The hamlets are along the banks of river Datta and creek.

Also there are settlements along the main road.

• The people who are economically backwards and earn their livelihood from forest and aquaculture, live at the bank of the river.

• The dwellers who are comparitively better monetariliy live along both side of the road.

The road also has small shops- groceries, paan shop etc.

• The houses are also made of materials as per the financial status of the residents. The people who can afford are building themselves pucca RCC houses. While most of the villagers are staying in kuchha a hybrid houses.

B.Arch- Design Dissertation

Water Bodies

Srishti Dasgupta

900 m

6.5.3 Material study of a vernacular houseLocal Architecture Summer Verandah ( north facing)

Winter Verandah ( with low roof)

Roof is made out of dried golpatta( swamp palm) | Source: pklist

The purlins and columns are made of bamboo while the plinth and walls are made of mud and cow dung | Source: Stockimages

The clusters of houses (maximum 6) are generally under a tree The tree prevents the soil beneath from eroding Scanned By Scanner Go

Like the road the houses are also built by raising the ground. Bundts are created for moving in to the house

Individual Grain gola is a popular and new concept in gola specially for farmers who practice mono crop cultivation. But these grain golas are also Kuchha structures, vurnerable to the extreme weather changes.

Fig 6.61: Grain Gola| Source: Gencap

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Fig 6.60: Settlement diagram| Source: Author

B.Arch- Design Dissertation

The settlements in the villages of Gosaba are mostly along the river edges or the along the roads with ample tree coverage.

Srishti Dasgupta

Fig 6.59: Scheatic section and material review of a typical house of Sonagar | Source: Author

6.5.4 Village Topography

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT VERSION Ferry Ghat

Inland Creek

Embankment(+4m)

River Datta

Sonagar

Mud Embankment Inland Creek

50 m

Timber piling

50 m

Fig 6.63: Coss section of site| Source: Author

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Bally

Embankment(+4m)

Road

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Fig 6.62: Topographical map Sonagar village| Recreated by Author

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900 m

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT VERSION

0m 0m 1m 2m 2m 3m 4m 5m 5m 6m 7m 7m 8m 9m 9m

6.6 •

•

Site Selection ( micro)

The site is located at the western tip of Sonagar Village, at close proximity to Ferry Ghat. The stretch (15m wide) along the creek and Datta river are also taken into consideration for the intervention.

The site is bounded by a mangrove forest with a few fish farms to it’s west , the creek to the north and River Datta to it’s South.

Srishti Dasgupta

Area of Intervention Sonagar Ferry ghat

Fig 6.65: Mangrove forest to the west of site | Source: Author

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Fig 6.66: Site( Mainly constituted of fallow paddy fields converted into fisheries | Source: Google earth

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Fig 6.64: Strategic location of site| Recreated by Author

B.Arch- Design Dissertation

900M

6.6.1 Figure Ground of the Site The area around the site is sparsely populated, Except for the huts in the bank of the inland creek and around the ferry ghat.

Srishti Dasgupta

Fig 6.67: Figure Ground site| Recreated by Author

Water Bodies Reserve Forest Site Coastal line Ferry Routes Sonagar Ferry ghat Fig 6.68: Manmade canals ( similar to this)to bring in water from Datta River to the aquaculture farms | Source: The Guardian

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Arable land Built

B.Arch- Design Dissertation

900M

6.6.2 Landuse- Site The land around site is mostly fallow agricultural land, which are generally used for breeding fishes due to saline ilfiltration.

Srishti Dasgupta B.Arch- Design Dissertation

Fig 6.69: Landuse ( Site)| Recreated by Author

Arable land Seasonal fallow land Reserved Forest Mangrove vegetation Site

Fig 6.70: Fallow paddy fields converted to Fish ponds | Source: CNBC

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900M

6.6.3 Climate - Site • • • • • •

On average, the temperatures are always high.

A lot of rain (rainy season) falls in the month of: June, July, August, September and October.

The warmest month is May with an average maximum temperature of 35°C (95°F).

The coldest month is January with an average maximum temperature of 26°C (78°F).

July is the most wet month. This month should be avoided if you are not a big fan of rain.

December is the driest month. andApril is the most sunny month.

Srishti Dasgupta

North East Winds ( winter winds)

B.Arch- Design Dissertation

Fig 6.71: Sun Path and Wind Direction ( Site)| Recreated by Author

Fig 6.72: Average wind speed ( Site)| Source: Weather and climate.com

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Fig 6.73: Average monthly sun hour ( Site)| Source: Weather and climate.com

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South West Winds ( Summer winds)

6.4.4 Site Measurements

Srishti Dasgupta

m

50

95m 130

130m

B.Arch- Design Dissertation

60m

63m m

0m

100M

Fig 6.74: Site Meaurements| Recreated by Author

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Rizvi college of Architecture

115m

19

7.0 Programme Identification 7.1 Design Intent • • • •

To create a series of Regenerative soft and hard scapes to combat tidal flooding.

To provide a platform for livelihood enhancement.

To keep man and maneaters in their own habitat.

Reflect the deep rooted socio economocal and cultural aspect of the region.

Srishti Dasgupta

The design would be such that will function in scenarios like: 1. Adapt with the daily dynamics of tides as well predict larger changes.

2. Increase the scope of public infrastructure.

Experimental Shrimp farms

Community based tourism (homestays) Boat making Workshop Primary healthcare facility Amganwadi for children

Social and livelihood enhancement inserts

Ecological inserts

Community skillshare for aquaculture related actives like net knitting, fish drying etc Aquaphonic gardens

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Fishermen’s market

B.Arch- Design Dissertation

Community Kitchen and eatery

Space

Typology

Capacity

Market chowk

Semi open

50-70 people

Community kitchen

Enclosed, semi open

20-30

Dining space

semi open

60

Anganwadi Play area Dining space Admin and staff room Toddlers room Classroom x3

Enclosed, semi open

100 10 Residential+15

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Primary healthcare Enclosed • Women ward • Men ward • consultation room x2 • Waiting area • Admin and pharamacy • Surgery and delivery room • Vaccination and test room Enclosed

4 Toilet per 25 people

grainary

Enclosed, semi open

3600 Kg

Aquaculture skillshare

Enclosed,

70-100

Indoor fish breeding • semi open Net knitting • open Fish drying • Enclosed packaging • Enclosed storage • Enclosed toilet • open Shrimp farms • Oen Vegetable farming with white water fishing • Open • Trails • Open • Deck Boat making workshop Local ferry

Enclosed, semi open Open

Homestays Enclosed, semi open • Cottages • Staff quaters(nonresident) Open • Performance space

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Rizvi college of Architecture

• • • • • • • •

B.Arch- Design Dissertation

Toilet (Per infrastructure)

20 30-40 tourists 45 people 100-150 people

8.0 References Author Things Do Article title: Ma Bonbibi, mother to humans and tigers Website title: People's Archive of Rural India URL: https://ruralindiaonline.org/en/articles/ma-bonbibi-mother-to-humans-and-tigers/ Author Nicholas Muller Article title: In the Indian Sundarbans, the Sea Is Coming Website title: Thediplomat.com URL: https://thediplomat.com/2020/05/in-the-indian-sundarbans-the-sea-is-coming/

Author Steven J. Cooke Article title: Overcoming the concrete conquest of aquatic ecosystems

Article title: What is Tagore’s bronze bust doing in police cell?

Website title: Get Bengal URL: https://www.getbengal.com/details/what-is-tagore-s-bronze-bust-doing-in-police-cell

Author Wildlife Bengal Article title: Wildlife Wing :: Directorate of Forests Govt. of West Bengal Website title: Wildbengal.com URL: http://www.wildbengal.com/sundarban.ph Article title: Sundarbans and Conservation: Historical Perspectives and Contemporary Challenges | Sahapedia Website title: Sahapedia URL: https://www.sahapedia.org/sundarbans-and-conservation-historical-perspectives-and-contemporary-challenges

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Rizvi college of Architecture

Author Sneha Pillai Article title: In Maharashtra’s Sindhudurg, a group of women is protecting mangroves through ecotourism Website title: Scroll.in URL: https://scroll.in/article/978594/in-maharashtras-sindhudurg-a-group-of-women-is-protecting-mangroves-through-ecotourism

B.Arch- Design Dissertation

Article title: Sir Daniel Hamilton’s Sentinel Co-operative Society in the Sundarban Delta | Littoral Communities - Bay of Bengal Website title: Lcbb.macmillan.yale.edu URL: https://lcbb.macmillan.yale.edu/sir-daniel-hamiltons-sentinel-co-operative-society-sundarban-delta

Srishti Dasgupta

Article title: CALTROPe: Tackling Land Loss With Modular Mangrove Forests | Climate Protection Website title: RESET.to URL: h t t p s : / / e n. r e s e t. o r g / b l o g / c a l t r o p e -t a c k l i n g - l a n d - l o s s - m o d u l a r- m a n g r ov e forests-11062017

Article title: The Sundarbans: Disaster, Damage and Displacement | Sahapedia Website title: Sahapedia URL: https://www.sahapedia.org/sundarbans-disaster-damage-and-displacement Year published: 2006 Article title: Biodiversity and its conservation in the Sundarban Mangrove Ecosystem Journal: Aquatic Sciences Volume no.: 68 Issue no.: 3 Siddique, Abu & Saha, Debasish & Rahman, Mahabubur & Hossain, M. Belal. (2013).

FISHING GEARS OF THE MEGHNA RIVER ESTUARY OF CHANDPUR REGION, BANGLADESH. Trend in Fisheries Research. 2. 2319-4758.

Authors: Rishu Garg, Dipak Zade (WOTR, Maharashtra), Jayanta Basu (West Bengal), Hridayesh Joshi (Uttarakhand), Sanjay Vashist, Rushati Das, Nakul Shandilya (Bihar), Santosh Patnaik (Odisha) Year published: 2021 Article title CLIMATE-INDUCED DISPLACEMENT AND MIGRATION IN INDIA

Author: Year published: 2020 Article title: Coastal Agriculture and Its Challenges: A Case Study in Gosaba Island, Sundarban, India Journal: i. Space and Culture, India Author TIGER AND THE TIGERSHRIMP MAN Article title: MAN, MANGROVE, TIGER AND THE TIGERSHRIMP Website title: Issuu URL: https://issuu.com/ahmedfaisal0905/docs/ahmed_faisal_pre_diploma_booklet_ https://kohima.nic.in/tourist-place/kisama-heritage-village/ www.thethirdpole.net/en/climate/opinion-to-rebuild-the-sundarbans-india-needs-to-rethink-itslaws/

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Rizvi college of Architecture

Author: Bushra Nishat, AJM Zobaidur Rahman, Sakib Mahmud, etc Year published: 2012 Article title: Landscape Narrative of the Sundarban: Towards Collaborative Management by Bangladesh and India Submitted to The World Bank Submitted by International Water Association (IWA)

B.Arch- Design Dissertation

Author: Jana Adarsa, Sheena Shamina and Biswas Arkoprovo Year published: 2012 Article title: Morphological Change Study of Ghoramara Island, Eastern India Using Multi Temporal Satellite Data Journal: Research Journal of Recent Sciences Volume no.: Vol. 1(10)

Srishti Dasgupta

Year published: 2013 Article title: Indigenous fishing knowledge of Sundarban Journal: Folklore Foundation, Odisha, India Volume no.: Lokaratna, Volume V & VI