Sundarbans, June 22, 2019: The Sundarbans delta, situated in the state of West Bengal in eastern India comprises a vast landscape of numerous islands amidst a network of rivulets and streams and estuaries, branching out from the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna rivers. The Royal Bengal Tiger (Panthera tigris tigris) is the apex predator in this ecosystem along with other threatened species, such as the the northern river terrapin (Batagur Baska; critically endangered), the olive ridley turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea; vulnerable), Hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricate; critically endangered), Irrawady dolphin (Orcaella brevirostris; vulnerable), and the Gangetic dolphin (Platanista gangetica; endangered). Along with the magnificent wildlife, around 6,074,188 people reside in the various islands and the mainland adjoining the delta along the Indian side (Census of India, 2011). This often leads to unnecessary encounters between humans and wild animals, resulting in human-wildlife conflict.

Wildlife Trust of India with WildTeam has implemented Sundarbans Tiger Project with support from International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and KFW, through its Integrated Tiger Habitat Conservation Programme. The project comprises activities pertaining to community integration and development, sensitisation and awareness activities, and for infrastructure development to mitigate human-tiger conflict in the Sundarbans Delta.

Owing to the stringent conditions at the project location, fifty solar streetlights were installed across 1 km stretch of Purba Gurguria village of Kultali block in Sundarbans, West Bengal under the Sundarbans Tiger Project.

The streetlights will not only serve as a source of light at night but will also play an important role in uplifting the lives of villagers and helping them avoid unnecessary encounters with wild animals. Mrs. Gangarani Haldar, Coordinator of development Infrastructure, Gurguriya Gram Panchayet, Kultoli block said, “Our area does not have sufficient lights along the riverside and through this areas wild animals like tiger, wild pig, fishing cats etc. frequently enter the village and the snakes like common krait is everywhere, so that villagers can’t walk securely at night. Apart from this, riverbanks of Gruguria is perfect to install the solar lights because there are frequent records of tiger straying through this stretch up to 2017.

Hopefully streetlight may act as a barrier to them and wild animals may not enter the village after installation of these lights along the stretch. For the owners of fisheries nearby will also get advantages and boatmen of Manashatala Jetty ghat will feel secure during their work at night. We will try our best to save these streetlights by unifying all our villagers.”