221
not only physically lost their home, family and relatives but are psychologically
feeling lost in the new resettlement colonies. For the people of Ghoramara as well
as the original settlement clusters of the displaced dwellers of Gitaldaha, both reminiscence the plight to be less emotionally strained in their previous conditions
than now.
12.5 Conclusion
As perceived in both the study areas, climate-induced hazards are the main driving
forces in changing the courses of the rivers like Jaldhaka in the north and the Hugli
in the south in the state of West Bengal. The villages of Gitaldaha and Ghoramara
equally had been experiencing high vulnerability from high intensity floods and
river bank/coastal erosion grossly affecting their life, habitation and livelihood.
Therefore, they are forced to shift to the higher grounds and rehabilitation camps
elsewhere. The areas being remote and rural have few connections to the local
administrations and hence are still deprived of a better condition of living. As discussed, after the relocation of population, the main problems identified were the
lack of proper housing, fresh drinking water, unavailability of healthcare and educational facilities, lack of steady income and job opportunities and unavailability of
cultivable land to carry on their traditional livelihood practices. As per surveys, it
has been observed that the resettlement locations have not been always favourable
to the homeless population. The proposed plots were suited mostly for temporary
occupancy initially but with time permanent habitation continued. Human encroachments beyond the resettlement camps have clogged the Chemaguri creek in Sagar
C. D. Block and cleared off forested tracts along the Singimari River along
Gitaldaha-II Gram Panchayat area – both increasing the susceptibility to an impending flooding scenarios. As the stability of the island of Ghoramara is questionable
due to continued bank erosion, it is to be predicted that people from the islands will
continue to look for safer habitations, preferably in and beyond the Sagar Island.
Similarly the char and bank dwellers along the Singimari River will continue to
move inwards with the lateral shifting of the channel. At this juncture, provisions
must be made for their relocation which has already become a crisis. Most regions
have poorly prepared laws, policies and strategies to deal with the displaced people
moving from areas of increasing climate risk into areas that may already be heavily
populated; thus long-term planning and incorporation of action proposals should be
a part of future development goals in the state.
As adopted by various nations, developmental frameworks either need to consider the phases, direction and adaptation strategies of the displaced population due
to environmental factors or generate strong resilience and capacity building techniques to sustain their life and livelihood at the origin. The second option being
almost impossible in most of the cases and the major elements agreed upon by
international agencies in general have included: (i) viable adaptation to help
communities stay in place with local resilience, climate-smart infrastructure, etc.
12 Environmental Vulnerability and Displacement Due to Land Erosion: Selected…
not only physically lost their home, family and relatives but are psychologically
feeling lost in the new resettlement colonies. For the people of Ghoramara as well
as the original settlement clusters of the displaced dwellers of Gitaldaha, both reminiscence the plight to be less emotionally strained in their previous conditions
than now.
12.5 Conclusion
As perceived in both the study areas, climate-induced hazards are the main driving
forces in changing the courses of the rivers like Jaldhaka in the north and the Hugli
in the south in the state of West Bengal. The villages of Gitaldaha and Ghoramara
equally had been experiencing high vulnerability from high intensity floods and
river bank/coastal erosion grossly affecting their life, habitation and livelihood.
Therefore, they are forced to shift to the higher grounds and rehabilitation camps
elsewhere. The areas being remote and rural have few connections to the local
administrations and hence are still deprived of a better condition of living. As discussed, after the relocation of population, the main problems identified were the
lack of proper housing, fresh drinking water, unavailability of healthcare and educational facilities, lack of steady income and job opportunities and unavailability of
cultivable land to carry on their traditional livelihood practices. As per surveys, it
has been observed that the resettlement locations have not been always favourable
to the homeless population. The proposed plots were suited mostly for temporary
occupancy initially but with time permanent habitation continued. Human encroachments beyond the resettlement camps have clogged the Chemaguri creek in Sagar
C. D. Block and cleared off forested tracts along the Singimari River along
Gitaldaha-II Gram Panchayat area – both increasing the susceptibility to an impending flooding scenarios. As the stability of the island of Ghoramara is questionable
due to continued bank erosion, it is to be predicted that people from the islands will
continue to look for safer habitations, preferably in and beyond the Sagar Island.
Similarly the char and bank dwellers along the Singimari River will continue to
move inwards with the lateral shifting of the channel. At this juncture, provisions
must be made for their relocation which has already become a crisis. Most regions
have poorly prepared laws, policies and strategies to deal with the displaced people
moving from areas of increasing climate risk into areas that may already be heavily
populated; thus long-term planning and incorporation of action proposals should be
a part of future development goals in the state.
As adopted by various nations, developmental frameworks either need to consider the phases, direction and adaptation strategies of the displaced population due
to environmental factors or generate strong resilience and capacity building techniques to sustain their life and livelihood at the origin. The second option being
almost impossible in most of the cases and the major elements agreed upon by
international agencies in general have included: (i) viable adaptation to help
communities stay in place with local resilience, climate-smart infrastructure, etc.
12 Environmental Vulnerability and Displacement Due to Land Erosion: Selected…