Sundari trees hit by'top dying' disease
Sunday, 10 October 2010
Our Correspondent
KHULNA, Oct 9: The Sundari wood in the vast mangrove forest of Sundarbans located at the southern part of the country is on the verge of extinction.
If appropriate steps are not taken right now, the largest mangrove forest of the world, the Sundarbans might whiter away in future, say experts.
According to them, the cause of dying of trees originate from excessive salinity in the rivers along Sundarban together with chemical refuges that foreign ships discharge has the effect of infecting the trees in epidemic form. The trees have been facing attacks by a virulent disease over year, but nothing is done to combat the diseases.
According to the concerned source, 50 per cent to 60 per cent of the Sundari trees standing on the Sundarbans with an area covering 1220 sqm. have already been attacked with 'top dying disease'. The Sundari trees have been dying out by the disease for long. The fishermen, Bawalis and other people, earning their livelihood in the forest, have narrated the horrible state of affairs.
According to Forest Department sources, there exists in Sundarban forest 334 species of trees and plants, 165 species of Shoibal and orchid of 13 varieties. There also exists side by side 375 species of wild animals, 210 species of fish and 26 species of shrimp and prawn, 13 species of 'Kakra' and 42 species of 'Molaska'. The principal plant of Sundarban is Sundari tree which alone constitutes 73 per cent of the total plants and trees.
Gewa wood covers 16 per cent of the forest area and in the remaining 11 per cent area there stands Poshor Trees, Goran, Kewra, Dhundal Bain, Golpata, Shingra, Bola, Hetal, Kholshi, Hargoza, Dhanshi etc.
Meanwhile 50 per cent of the total Sundari trees have died out and in a recent survey it reveals that 60 per cent of the Sundari trees have been attacked by top dying diseases.
According to a census, 85 crore 67 lakh 80 thousand one hundred 50 Sundari trees are there in the Sundarban Forest.
According to experts a Sundari tree lives for about 150 years and attains it maturity at 40 years. According to them the top dying is no disease at all, it is caused by excessive salinity in the river waters and chemical refuses in the sea and Mongla discharged by the foreign ships. The Sundari trees being felled now-a-days in the forest are of only 20 years old.
KHULNA, Oct 9: The Sundari wood in the vast mangrove forest of Sundarbans located at the southern part of the country is on the verge of extinction.
If appropriate steps are not taken right now, the largest mangrove forest of the world, the Sundarbans might whiter away in future, say experts.
According to them, the cause of dying of trees originate from excessive salinity in the rivers along Sundarban together with chemical refuges that foreign ships discharge has the effect of infecting the trees in epidemic form. The trees have been facing attacks by a virulent disease over year, but nothing is done to combat the diseases.
According to the concerned source, 50 per cent to 60 per cent of the Sundari trees standing on the Sundarbans with an area covering 1220 sqm. have already been attacked with 'top dying disease'. The Sundari trees have been dying out by the disease for long. The fishermen, Bawalis and other people, earning their livelihood in the forest, have narrated the horrible state of affairs.
According to Forest Department sources, there exists in Sundarban forest 334 species of trees and plants, 165 species of Shoibal and orchid of 13 varieties. There also exists side by side 375 species of wild animals, 210 species of fish and 26 species of shrimp and prawn, 13 species of 'Kakra' and 42 species of 'Molaska'. The principal plant of Sundarban is Sundari tree which alone constitutes 73 per cent of the total plants and trees.
Gewa wood covers 16 per cent of the forest area and in the remaining 11 per cent area there stands Poshor Trees, Goran, Kewra, Dhundal Bain, Golpata, Shingra, Bola, Hetal, Kholshi, Hargoza, Dhanshi etc.
Meanwhile 50 per cent of the total Sundari trees have died out and in a recent survey it reveals that 60 per cent of the Sundari trees have been attacked by top dying diseases.
According to a census, 85 crore 67 lakh 80 thousand one hundred 50 Sundari trees are there in the Sundarban Forest.
According to experts a Sundari tree lives for about 150 years and attains it maturity at 40 years. According to them the top dying is no disease at all, it is caused by excessive salinity in the river waters and chemical refuses in the sea and Mongla discharged by the foreign ships. The Sundari trees being felled now-a-days in the forest are of only 20 years old.