A regional climate conference took place in Shyamanagr at Buriguwalini village on 29 May. Governmental organizations, BARCIK and some other NGOs jointly arranged the conference to depict the cooping mechanism of the rehabilitated 100 families living in the shelter centre named BARAK as well as to aware them about the consequence of climate change. The BARAK was constructed to rehabilitate the affected families during Aila in this coastal area. However, Shymanagar UNO Mr. Doulotuzzaman Khan while inaugurating the event said, “This conference aims to create awareness among this community regarding the impact and cause of climate change.†He went on saying, “The rehabilitees have already coped with the adverse impact of climate change by initiating vegetable cultivation, adopting area suitable rice cultivation, tree plantation and other ecology friendly initiative. I congratulate and thank all NGOs, governmental organizations, individuals who have been cooperating and facilitating these people to stand firm and survive despite the devastative damage and disaster caused due to climate changeâ€.
On the other hand, while describing their struggle to cope with the changed situation after being hit by Aila, Kowshalla Munda, one of the inhabitants of the BARAK who took shelter after losing all her properties during Aila said, “With the facilitation and cooperation of BARCIK and some other farmer’s organization now we see hopes of survival. Now the soil is becoming fertile for producing crops, seeds have already been germinated, the whole surroundings of the BARAK is almost becoming green after tree plantation.†She added “After 4/5 years we will have no crises of food, fuel and water. We share the water and fishes ponds all 100 hundred families and live together, we shall share the yields of fruit trees and other resources with all to combat the changed situation. I thank all those who have been very kind to us, particularly BARCIK which has been extending its helping hands to help us surviveâ€.
However, in the seminar a group of forest resources dependent communities shared their way of living, the sustainable way of collecting resources from the Sunderbans and the initiative of BARCIK to cooperate them maintaining sustainable lives and livelihoods. They mentioned that now including collecting resources they rear livestock and farm rice and vegetable using own seeds. Besides, the ground of cooperating and helping each other has been developed among all occupational group in the area which help them together to combat disaster occurred due to climate change.
It is mentionable that including chairman of union Parisad, UP members, farmers, indigenous communities, bonjibi, teachers, students some 300 people participated in the seminar and shared their experiences, skills and knowledge with each other to work in an integral way to combat climate change through creating awareness and adopting ecology friendly lives and livelihood. Â After discussion an exhibition took place where farmers and other occupational groups exhibit wild plants used as foods, local rice varieties, saline tolerant rice varieties, vegetable seeds, agro materials, Sunderban resources and some other products associated with their lives and livelihoods.
