Living with Disasters: Communities and Development in the Indian Sundarbans [Hardcover]

This book is a critical account of the disconnected nature of governance, conservation and livelihood initiatives in the Indian Sundarbans.This book is a critical account of the disconnected nature of governance, conservation and livelihood initiatives in the Indian Sundarbans. It juxtaposes the vulnerable lives and frequently displaced existence of the islanders against the dominant strategies of conservation and development followed by the state.This book is a critical account of the disconnected nature of governance, conservation and livelihood initiatives in the Indian Sundarbans. It juxtaposes the vulnerable lives and frequently displaced existence of the islanders against the dominant strategies of conservation and development followed by the state.This book is a critical account of the disconnected nature of governance, conservation and livelihood initiatives in the Indian Sundarbans, an active delta that spreads over 25,500 sq. km across India and Bangladesh and lies in the Bay of Bengal. It draws a holistic picture of the disaster-prone delta in eastern India, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and also one of the largest tracts of mangrove forests in the world. The author juxtaposes the vulnerable lives and frequently displaced existence of the islanders against the dominant strategies of conservation and development followed by the state.Maps and illustrations; Tables and charts; Glossary; Acronyms; Acknowledgements; Note on transliteration; 1. Introduction; 2. From wasteland to wonderland: the making of a heritage site; 3. Governing the Sundarbans embankments today: between policies and practices; 4. Treading a fine path between river and land: livelihoods around embankments; 5. Beldars, embankments and governance: question of Aboriginality revisited; 6. Catching prawns, endangering embankments: sustainability-unsustainability rhetoric; 7. Conclusion; Bibliography; Index.