Page 17 - FMR64_Trafficking and smuggling & Climate crisis and local communities_2020_web

FMR 64 Climate crisis and local communities 17

June 2020 www.fmreview.org/issue64

resettlement. Accounts from the Ghoramara Looking ahead
respondents show that consultations with Cases of forced migration such as these in
and support from displaced members the Sundarbans throw up questions about
of the community who have resettled in culpability and responsibility. It is worth
Sagar greatly influence the decision of our while, as thinkers and practitioners, to
other households to relocate. It is in hope search for answers to some of the questions
of improved access to rights, resources and raised. Who pays the price for unsustainable
protection that families take a leap of faith collective human development which
and leave for a new life in Sagar. Thus, manifests itself in the form of environmental
interaction between communities in different shocks and climate change phenomena:
localities promotes the sharing of knowledge the affected individuals, the community or
and experiences of forced relocation. the State? Whose responsibility is it then to
Interviews with migrants in the villages compensate for losses resulting from such
of Gangasagar and Bankim Nagar indicate disasters and to protect affected communities?
a higher sense of well-being among the Insights from academic institutions, State
resettled households than among the agencies, civil society and local practitioners
displaced or soon-to-be displaced households within affected communities must be
in Ghoramara. However, seasonal migration pooled to gain a broader understanding
continues even after resettlement, not of the highly complex processes involved.
only to supplement the family income This will not only promote interaction and
but also because it has become a systemic sharing of expertise but also better planning
practice within many islands of the Indian and implementation of grassroots action
Sundarbans due to higher returns than from by communities on the frontline of climate
agriculture or fishing (despite loans available change.
to farmers). While the wives of seasonal Shaberi Das shaberi.das@gmail.com
migrants continue to be overburdened, their Master’s student, Department of English
condition is by no means as miserable as
that of those still living in Ghoramara. Sugata Hazra
Improvement of life and livelihoods sugata.hazra@jadavpuruniversity.in
does not, however, prevent memories of Professor, School of Oceanographic Studies
lost homes from resurfacing. While every Jadavpur University www.jaduniv.edu.in
visit home to Ghoramara brings news of
friends and relatives suffering land loss and 1. Government of West Bengal (2009) District Human Development
Report: South 24 Parganas, p43, p46
displacement, respondents report frequently bit.ly/HDR-South24Parganas-2009
experiencing a yearning for the past. When 2. Government of West Bengal (2010) District Human Development
asked whom they hold responsible for Report: North 24 Parganas, pp199–201
bit.ly/HDR-North24Parganas-2010
their loss, respondents variously lay the 3. See video https://youtu.be/OvvXypOUCLU
blame on the river Hooghly, sea level rise, 4. Mortreux C et al (2018) ‘Political economy of planned relocation:
unsustainable development, water displaced A model of action and inaction in government responses’ in Global
by ships, natural geomorphological processes Environmental Change Vol 50
and even the wrath of God. While this reveals https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2018.03.008
a human tendency to understand phenomena Keen to read FMR and also
in terms of culpability and cause and effect, help the planet?
it also shows islanders’ attempts to reconcile
themselves to the trauma of displacement Email us at fmr@qeh.ox.ac.uk to cancel your
and climate-related distress by reminding print copy! Request email notifications instead
(www.fmreview.org/request-fmr), for instant digital
themselves that they only abandoned their access to the latest full issues, or swap to our Editors’
home when there was no other choice. briefing which is lighter and cheaper to post. Please see
However, respondents are also well aware back cover for details!
that they might again suffer displacement (Please do continue to request print copies of the full magazine
for training and advocacy purposes or if your – or your partners’ –
and destitution due to erosion in Sagar. internet access is less reliable.)