A big catch
Sahara India Parivar has included the Sundarbans biosphere reserve in its integrated tourism circuit. The business group is set to execute a Rs 700-crore ecotourism project on about 304 hectares of land.
The memorandum of understanding for the same was recently signed between the company and the West Bengal government. Sahara and the state authorities have carried out a joint survey at sites on Sagar island, Fraserganj, L-plot, Kaikhali and Jharkhali islands. By March 2003, the physical possession of the land is likely to be handed over and all statutory approvals from the Union and state governments obtained. The implementation phase will commence from April.
The Sundarbans would then become a luxury tourist destination for the well-heeled from India and abroad. There are indications that the company may even venture into fishing in the future.
Rahul Varma, the company's senior manager heading the Sundarbans project, does not deny that Sahara chief Subrata Roy has evinced interest in the fishing aspect: "At the moment, we have no such plans, but it is a possibility at a later stage.' State fisheries minister Kiranmoy Nanda is non-committal: "They have not approached us yet for fishing projects.'
But even if Sahara is not venturing into the trade directly at the moment, it appears interested in fish and fisherfolk. "We are starting this ecotourism project at five locations in the Sundarbans. We plan to link local fisherfolk with the international trade through our broadband Internet facilities,' reveals Varma. "In addition to this, our satellite system will give them advance warning about cyclones. They can also sell their catch directly to us without middlemen,' he adds.
"The local people of the region are not aware of the scientific methods of fishing: they don't know the right specifications for the nets and are at a technological disadvantage compared to even Bangladeshi fisherfolk. We can chip in on this front too by bringing international experts to educate them,' elaborates Varma. "We would encourage prawn and shrimp culture,' he discloses. According to the company, the local people not involved in fishing will also get work.
Varma claims that an environmental impact assessment has already been carried out. "Though we are doing a lot of costly landscaping, the basic structure will not be harmed; even the number of tourists would be restricted,' he says.
But local fisherfolk waging a battle for survival are not enthused. "The use of modern technology could reduce manpower requirement. How then will we benefit?' asks a member of the Kakdwip fishing community, reeling under the ban on fishing activity in Jambudwip.
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