6 Oct 2020




Cyclone Amphan has damaged almost the entire nylon fencing that had been erected to prevent tigers from entering human habitation in the Sunderbans, triggering fears among forest officials of a recurrence of man-animal conflict in Bengal’s largest tiger reserve.

Apart from preventing tigers from straying into villages bordering Bangladesh, the fencing also worked as a bulwark against poachers, forest officials said.

“The entire nylon fencing has been blown away in the cyclone and we have to restore over 100km-long nets again. Since the fencing was set up, the number of attacks by tigers on humans had almost come down to zero. It is a matter of serious concern and we are trying to rebuild it,” said forest minister Rajib Banerjee.

Earlier, forest officials had estimated that part of the 52km-long fencing in the coastal areas had been affected, but after primary assessment it was found that the entire fencing had been wiped out.

Sources said the work to set up the nylon fencing was first started in 2002 on a 7km stretch in a village adjacent to the Sunderbans tiger reserve.

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