Use of indigenous knowledge stressed to save Sundarban

Speakers at the opening session of a two-day programme on Sunday demanded the participation of forest-dependent people and use of indigenous knowledge in Sundarban forest management.
Coastal Environment Upakuliya Paribesh Surakkha Nagarik Manch organised the programme to observe World Environment Day 2010 at Public Hall auditorium in the Khulna city.
Government officials, university teachers, professional group leaders, civic group representatives, lawyers, wood cutters, honey collectors, green activists, journalists and NGO personnel took part in the programme.
Journalist Tapos Kanti Das and Marina Juthi of Initiative for Right View presented the keynote paper at the programme.
Chaired by the Manch convener, Firoz Ahmed, the programme was addressed by Khulna mayor Talukder Abdul Khaleque as chief guest.
Professor Mesbah Kamal of Dhaka University, Professor Dilip Dutta of Khulna University, Greater Khulna Development Coordination Action Committee secretary general Hayder Gazi Salahuddin Runu, Palash Boral and Nazmul Azam Devid also addressed the session.
The keynote paper said the Sundarban was gradually being destroyed because of people’s intervention, especially of the greedy businessmen and middlemen.
The poor people who are dependant on the forest for their livelihood are not responsible for the destruction of the forest as they consider the forest as their bread provider and use indigenous knowledge to collect forest resources, it said.
The paper blamed lack of manpower and proper management, lack of equipment of the forest department people, corruption by a section of forest officials and mentality to collect huge revenue for the gradual destruction of the Sundarban.
The speakers suggested involvement of forest-dependant people and local public representatives in Sundarban management, skilled manpower with necessary equipment for the Sundarban forest department, reformation, modernisation and effective implementation of the forest laws and strengthening forest guard patrol in the rivers in and near the Sundarban to save the forest.
They also called for creating mass awareness among the Sundarban-dependant people and providing easy-term loans with less interest for the Sundarban goers so that they can easily collect the forest recourses without causing harm to the Sundarban.

Courtesy of NewAge