Misplaced Pages

#513486

159-448: Members of the association are drawn from the film section of the entire press of West Bengal composed of dailies, periodicals and film journals in various languages published from Kolkata . Film correspondents and critics working for any newspaper or periodicals published outside Bengal having their base in Kolkata were also eligible to be members of this association. The association was

318-673: A Sub-Divisional Magistrate , and again into blocks. Blocks consists of panchayats (village councils) and town municipalities. The capital and largest city of the state is Kolkata —the third-largest urban agglomeration and the seventh-largest city in India. Asansol is the second-largest city and urban agglomeration in West Bengal. Major planned cities of West Bengal include Bidhannagar , New Town , Kalyani , Haldia , Durgapur and Kharagpur . Kolkata has some planned neighbourhoods like New Garia , Tollygunge , and Lake Town . Siliguri

477-633: A phytogeographic viewpoint, the southern part of West Bengal can be divided into two regions: the Gangetic plain and the littoral mangrove forests of the Sundarbans. The alluvial soil of the Gangetic plain, combined with favourable rainfall, makes this region especially fertile. Much of the vegetation of the western part of the state has similar species composition with the plants of the Chota Nagpur plateau in

636-600: A tropical moist broadleaf forest ecoregion of Bangladesh and India. It represents the brackish swamp forests that lie behind the Sundarbans Mangroves , where the salinity is more pronounced. The freshwater ecoregion is an area where the water is only slightly brackish and becomes quite fresh during the rainy season, when the freshwater plumes from the Ganges and the Brahmaputra rivers push the intruding salt water out and bring

795-410: A welfare state , West Bengal's economy is based on agricultural production and small and medium-sized enterprises . The state's cultural heritage, besides varied folk traditions, ranges from stalwarts in literature including Nobel-laureate Rabindranath Tagore to scores of musicians, film-makers and artists. For several decades, the state underwent political violence and economic stagnation after

954-468: A Vanga kingdom prince, conquered Lanka (modern-day Sri Lanka) and named the country Sinhala kingdom . The kingdom of Magadha was formed in the 7th   century BCE, consisting of the regions now comprising Bihar and Bengal. It was one of the four main kingdoms of India at the time of the lives of Mahavira , the principal figure of Jainism and Gautama Buddha , founder of Buddhism . It consisted of several janapadas , or kingdoms. Under Ashoka ,

1113-535: A consistent pattern of depleted biodiversity or loss of species in the 20th century, with the ecological quality of the forest declining. Despite preservation commitments from both governments, the Sundarbans are under threat from both natural and human-made causes. In 2007, the landfall of Cyclone Sidr damaged around 40% of the Sundarbans. The forest is also suffering from increased salinity caused by sea level rise due to effects of climate change and reduced freshwater supply. In May 2009, Cyclone Aila devastated

1272-505: A deposit of silt. It covers 14,600 square kilometres (5,600 sq mi) of the vast Ganges-Brahmaputra Delta , finishing at the mouth of the Bay of Bengal from the northern part of Khulna District and the southern part of North 24 Parganas district in the Indian state of West Bengal. The Sundarbans freshwater swamp forests lie between the upland Lower Gangetic plains moist deciduous forests and

1431-466: A hard wood, used for building houses and making boats, furniture and other things. New forest accretions is often conspicuously dominated by keora ( Sonneratia apetala ) and tidal forests. It is an indicator species for newly accreted mudbanks and is an important species for wildlife, especially spotted deer ( Axis axis ). There is abundance of dhundul or passur ( Xylocarpus granatum ) and kankra ( Bruguiera gymnorhiza ) though distribution

1590-430: A low of 10.3% in 2010–2011 to a high of 17.11% in 2013–2014. The growth rate was 13.35% in 2014–2015. The state's per capita income has lagged the all India average for over two decades. As of 2014–2015, per capita NSDP at current prices was Rs   78,903. Per-capita NSDP growth rate at current prices varied from 9.4% in 2010–2011 to a high of 16.15% in 2013–2014. The growth rate was 12.62% in 2014–2015. In 2015–2016,

1749-486: A major centre for the jute and tea industries. Years after independence, West Bengal is dependent on the central government for help in meeting its demands for food; food production remained stagnant, and the Indian green revolution bypassed the state. However, there has been a significant increase in food production since the 1980s and the state now has a surplus of grains. The state's share of total industrial output in India

SECTION 10

#1732892084514

1908-573: A major change when the Left Front won the 1977 assembly election, defeating the incumbent Indian National Congress. The Left Front, led by the Communist Party of India (Marxist) , governed the state for the next three decades. The state's economic recovery gathered momentum after the central government introduced economic liberalisations in the mid-1990s. This was aided by the advent of information technology and IT-enabled services . Beginning in

2067-598: A major role in the Indian independence movement , in which revolutionary groups such as Anushilan Samiti and Jugantar were dominant. Armed attempts against the British Raj from Bengal reached a climax when news of Subhas Chandra Bose leading the Indian National Army against the British reached Bengal. The Indian National Army was subsequently routed by the British. When India gained independence in 1947, Bengal

2226-553: A mere 130 km of the ecoregion. Habitat loss in this ecoregion is so extensive, and the remaining habitat is so fragmented, that it is difficult to ascertain the composition of the original vegetation of this ecoregion. According to Champion and Seth (1968), the freshwater swamp forests are characterised by Heritiera minor , Xylocarpus molluccensis , Bruguiera conjugata , Sonneratia apetala , Avicennia officinalis , and Sonneratia caseolaris , with Pandanus tectorius , Hibiscus tiliaceus , and Nipa fruticans along

2385-427: A natural fish nursery, supporting coastal fishes along the Bay of Bengal. Recognising its special conservation value, the Sundarbans area has been declared a Biosphere Reserve . West Bengal is governed through a parliamentary system of representative democracy , a feature the state shares with other Indian states. Universal suffrage is granted to residents. There are two branches of government. The legislature,

2544-438: A network of canals in the Sundarbans and blackened the shoreline. The event was very threatening to trees, plankton, and vast populations of small fishes and dolphins. The event occurred at a protected Sundarbans mangrove area, home to the rare Irrawaddy and Ganges dolphins . Until 15 December 2014 only 50,000 litres (11,000 imp gal; 13,000 US gal) of oil from the area had been cleaned up by local residents,

2703-411: A number of steel plants. Important manufacturing industries include: engineering products, electronics, electrical equipment, cables, steel, leather, textiles, jewellery, frigates, automobiles, railway coaches and wagons. The Durgapur centre has established several industries in the areas of tea, sugar, chemicals and fertilisers . Natural resources like tea and jute in nearby areas have made West Bengal

2862-412: A population density of 1,029 inhabitants per square kilometre (2,670/sq mi) making it the second-most densely populated state in India, after Bihar. The literacy rate is 77.08%, higher than the national rate of 74.04%. Data from 2010 to 2014 showed the life expectancy in the state was 70.2 years, higher than the national value of 67.9. The proportion of people living below the poverty line in 2013

3021-525: A remarkable stability to the entire system. During each monsoon season almost all the Bengal Delta is submerged, much of it for half a year. The sediment of the lower delta plain is primarily advected inland by monsoonal coastal setup and cyclonic events. One of the greatest challenges people living on the Ganges Delta may face in coming years is the threat of rising sea levels caused mostly by subsidence in

3180-535: A semi-independent state under the Nawabs of Bengal , and showed signs of the world's first Industrial Revolution . The Koch dynasty in northern Bengal flourished during the 16th and 17th   centuries; it weathered the Mughals and survived until the advent of the British colonial era. Several European traders reached this area in the late 15th   century. The British East India Company defeated Siraj ud-Daulah ,

3339-431: A significant role in physical coastal evolution, and for wildlife a variety of habitats have developed which include beaches, estuaries , permanent and semi-permanent swamps, tidal flats, tidal creeks , coastal dunes, back dunes and levees. The mangrove vegetation itself assists in the formation of new landmass and the intertidal vegetation plays a significant role in swamp morphology. The activities of mangrove fauna in

SECTION 20

#1732892084514

3498-547: A storm barrier, shore stabiliser and energy storage unit. Last but not the least, the Sunderbans provides an aesthetic attraction for local and foreign tourists. The water houseboat in the Sundarbans is also a recent attraction among the tourists. The forest has immense protective and productive functions. Constituting 51% of the total reserved forest estate of Bangladesh, it contributes about 41% of total forest revenue and accounts for about 45% of all timber and fuel wood output of

3657-473: A strong social, cultural and artistic force to help the progressive development of the nation. Soumitra Chatterjee is the most awarded actor of all time with 9 wins, followed by Uttam Kumar (8) and Prosenjit Chatterjee (7), Rajesh Khanna (4), Sabyasachi Chakraborty (2) and Utpal Dutt (2). West Bengal West Bengal ( / b ɛ n ˈ ɡ ɔː l / ; Bengali : Poshchim Bongo , pronounced [ˈpoʃtʃim ˈbɔŋɡo] , abbr. WB )

3816-441: A total ban on all killing or capture of wildlife other than fish and some invertebrates , it appears that there is a consistent pattern of depleted biodiversity or loss of species (notably at least six mammals and one important reptile) in the 20th century, and that the "ecological quality of the original mangrove forest is declining". The endangered species that live within the Sundarbans and extinct species that used to be include

3975-536: A unique ecosystem and a rich wildlife habitat. According to the 2015 tiger census in Bangladesh, and the 2011 tiger census in India, the Sundarbans have about 180 tigers (106 in Bangladesh and 74 in India). Earlier estimates, based on counting unique pugmarks , were much higher. The more recent counts have used camera traps , an improved methodology that yields more accurate results. Tiger attacks were historically common in

4134-471: A violent Marxist – Maoist movement by groups known as the Naxalites damaged much of the city's infrastructure, leading to a period of economic stagnation and deindustrialisation . The Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971 resulted in an influx of millions of refugees to West Bengal, causing significant strains on its infrastructure. The 1974 smallpox epidemic killed thousands. West Bengal politics underwent

4293-485: Is Excoecaria . As the level of land rises through accretion and the land is only occasionally flooded by tides, Heritiera fomes begins to appear. A total of 245 genera and 334 plant species were recorded by David Prain in 1903. While most of the mangroves in other parts of the world are characterised by members of the Rhizophoraceae , Avicenneaceae or Combretaceae , the mangroves of Bangladesh are dominated by

4452-465: Is "beautiful forest". Alternatively, it was proposed that the name is a corruption of Samudraban , Shomudrobôn ("Sea Forest"), or Chandra-bandhe , the name of a tribe. However, the likely origin of the word is Sundari or Sundri , the local name of the mangrove species Heritiera fomes abundant in the area. The history of human settlement in the Sundarbans area can be traced back to Mauryan era (4th-2nd century BCE). A ruin of an abandoned city

4611-399: Is 4,143 square kilometres (1,600 sq mi), including exposed sandbars with a total area of 42 square kilometres (16 sq mi); the remaining water area of 1,874 square kilometres (724 sq mi) encompasses rivers, small streams and canals. Rivers in the Sundarbans are meeting places of salt water and freshwater. Thus, it is a region of transition between the freshwater of

4770-466: Is a state in the eastern portion of India . It is situated along the Bay of Bengal , along with a population of over 91 million inhabitants within an area of 88,752 km (34,267 sq mi) as of 2011. The population estimate as of 2023 is 102,552,787. West Bengal is the fourth-most populous and thirteenth-largest state by area in India, as well as the eighth-most populous country subdivision of

4929-536: Is a part of the eastern Himalayas mountain range. In this region is Sandakfu , which, at 3,636 m (11,929 ft), is the highest peak in the state. The narrow Terai region separates the hills from the North Bengal plains , which in turn transitions into the Ganges delta towards the south. The Rarh region intervenes between the Ganges delta in the east and the western plateau and high lands . A small coastal region

Bengal Film Journalists' Association Awards - Misplaced Pages Continue

5088-521: Is allowed and where the wildlife face few disturbances. Although the fauna of Bangladesh have diminished in recent times and the Sundarbans has not been spared from this decline, the mangrove forest retains several good wildlife habitats and their associated fauna. Of these, the tiger and dolphin are target species for planning wildlife management and tourism development. There are high profile and vulnerable mammals living in two contrasting environments, and their statuses and management are strong indicators of

5247-593: Is an economically important city, strategically located in the northeastern Siliguri Corridor (Chicken's Neck) of India. Other larger cities and towns in West Bengal are Howrah , Chandannagar , Bardhaman, Baharampur , Jalpaiguri , and Purulia etc. (figures in crores of Indian rupees ) As of 2015 , West Bengal has the sixth-highest GSDP in India. GSDP at current prices (base 2004–2005) has increased from Rs 2,086.56 billion in 2004–05 to Rs 8,00,868 crores in 2014–2015, reaching Rs 10,21,000 crores in 2017–18. GSDP per cent growth at current prices varied from

5406-520: Is dictated by elevation and precipitation . For example, the foothills of the Himalayas, the Dooars , are densely wooded with sal and other tropical evergreen trees. Above an elevation of 1,000 metres (3,300 ft), the forest becomes predominantly subtropical. In Darjeeling, which is above 1,500 metres (4,900 ft), temperate forest trees like oaks , conifers and rhododendrons predominate. 3.26% of

5565-406: Is discontinuous. Among palms, Poresia coaractata , Myriostachya wightiana and golpata ( Nypa fruticans ), and among grasses spear grass ( Imperata cylindrica ) and khagra ( Phragmites karka ) are well distributed. The varieties of the forests that exist in Sundarbans include mangrove scrub, littoral forest , saltwater mixed forest , brackish water mixed forest and swamp forest . Besides

5724-446: Is estimated that there are now 180 Bengal tigers and about 30,000 spotted deer in the area. The tigers are known to attack and kill humans who venture into the forest, with around 40 deaths recorded in 2000–2010. Forest inventories reveal a decline in standing volume of the two main commercial mangrove species – sundari ( Heritiera spp.) and gewa ( Excoecaria agallocha ) — by 40% and 45% respectively between 1959 and 1983. Despite

5883-454: Is estimated to be about 4,260 km (1,640 sq mi), of which about 1,700 km (660 sq mi) is occupied by water bodies in the forms of river, canals and creeks of width varying from a few metres to several kilometres. The Sundarbans is intersected by a complex network of tidal waterways, mudflats and small islands of salt-tolerant mangrove forests. The interconnected network of waterways makes almost every corner of

6042-611: Is further divided into fifty-five compartments and nine blocks. There are three wildlife sanctuaries established in 1977 under the Bangladesh Wildlife (Preservation) Order, 1973 (P.O. 23 of 1973). The West Bengal part of the forest lies under the district of South & North 24 Parganas. Protected areas cover 15% of the Sundarbans mangroves including Sundarbans National Park and Sajnakhali Wildlife Sanctuary , in West Bengal, Sundarbans East , Sundarbans South and Sundarbans West Wildlife Sanctuaries in Bangladesh. In May 2019,

6201-619: Is in the extreme south, while the Sundarbans mangrove forests form a geographical landmark at the Ganges delta. The main river in West Bengal is the Ganges , which divides into two branches. One branch enters Bangladesh as the Padma , or Pôdda , while the other flows through West Bengal as the Bhagirathi River and Hooghly River . The Farakka barrage over the Ganges feeds the Hooghly branch of

6360-739: Is one of the largest reserves for the Bengal tiger . It is also home to a variety of bird, reptile and invertebrate species, including the salt-water crocodile . The present Sundarbans National Park was declared as the core area of Sundarbans Tiger Reserve in 1973 and a wildlife sanctuary in 1977. On 4 May 1984 it was declared a National Park. Sundarbans West Wildlife Sanctuary is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Bangladesh. The region supports mangroves, including: sparse stands of Gewa ( Excoecaria agallocha ) and dense stands of Goran ( Ceriops tagal ), with discontinuous patches of Hantal palm ( Phoenix paludosa ) on drier ground, river banks and levees. The fauna of

6519-535: Is situated 14 kilometres (8.7 mi) north of the Sundarbans. This project violates the environmental impact assessment guidelines for coal-based thermal power plants. Environmental activists contend that the proposed location of the Rampal Station would violate provisions of the Ramsar Convention . The government of Bangladesh rejected the allegations that the coal-based power plant would adversely affect

Bengal Film Journalists' Association Awards - Misplaced Pages Continue

6678-565: Is the compartment. There are 55 compartments in four Forest Ranges and these are clearly demarcated mainly by natural features such as rivers, canals and creeks. Recently West Bengal Cabinet has approved a new district in South 24 Parganas and proposed district was named Sundarban. The Bangladesh part of the forest lies under two forest divisions, and four administrative ranges viz Chandpai (Khulna District), Sarankhola (Khulna), and Burigoalini ( Satkhira District ) and has sixteen forest stations. It

6837-486: Is the senior most executive officer looking over the administration of the park. The Chief Conservator of Forests (South) & Director, Sundarban Biosphere Reserve is the administrative head of the park at the local level and is assisted by a Deputy Field Director and an Assistant Field Director. The park area is divided into two ranges, overseen by range forest officers. Each range is further sub-divided into beats. The park also has floating watch stations and camps to protect

6996-456: Is the state's principal food crop. Rice, potato, jute , sugarcane and wheat are the state's top five crops. Tea is produced commercially in northern districts; the region is well known for Darjeeling and other high-quality teas. State industries are localised in the Kolkata region, the mineral-rich western highlands, and the Haldia Port region. The Durgapur-Asansol colliery belt is home to

7155-448: The 26th-highest ranking among Indian states in human development index , with the index value being lower than the Indian average. The state government debt of ₹ 6.47 lakh crore (US$ 78 billion), or 37.67% of GSDP, has dropped from 40.65% since 2010–11. West Bengal has three World Heritage sites and ranks as the eight-most visited tourist destination in India and third-most visited state of India globally. The origin of

7314-810: The Baleswar River in Bangladesh 's division of Khulna to the Hooghly River in India 's state of West Bengal . It comprises closed and open mangrove forests , land used for agricultural purpose, mudflats and barren land, and is intersected by multiple tidal streams and channels. Sundarbans is home to the world's largest area of mangrove forests. Four protected areas in the Sundarbans are enlisted as UNESCO World Heritage Sites , viz. Sundarbans West (Bangladesh), Sundarbans South (Bangladesh), Sundarbans East (Bangladesh) and Sundarbans National Park (India). Despite

7473-606: The Bangladesh Navy , and the government of Bangladesh . Some reports indicated that the event killed some wildlife. On 13 December 2014, a dead Irrawaddy dolphin was seen floating on the Harintana-Tembulbunia channel of the Sela River. The Sundarbans plays an important role in the economy of the southwestern region of Bangladesh as well as in the national economy. It is the single largest source of forest produce in

7632-604: The Bengal Legislative Council and the Bengal Legislative Assembly voted on the Partition of Bengal in 1947 along religious lines into two independent dominions : West Bengal, a Hindu-majority Indian state, and East Bengal , a Muslim-majority province of Pakistan which later became the independent Bangladesh. The state was also flooded with Hindu refugees from East Bengal (present-day Bangladesh) in

7791-669: The British Crown , administered by the Viceroy of India . The Bengal Renaissance and the Brahmo Samaj socio-cultural reform movements significantly influenced the cultural and economic life of Bengal. Between 1905 and 1911 an abortive attempt was made to divide the province of Bengal into two zones. Bengal suffered from the Great Bengal famine in 1943, which claimed three   million lives during World War   II. Bengalis played

7950-788: The Chief Minister although the titular head of government is the Governor . The Governor is the Head of State appointed by the President of India . The leader of the party or coalition with a majority in the Legislative Assembly is appointed as the Chief Minister by the Governor. The Council of Ministers is appointed by the Governor on the advice of the Chief Minister. The Council of Ministers reports to

8109-567: The Ganges delta , the Rarh region , the coastal Sundarbans and the Bay of Bengal . The state's main ethnic group are the Bengalis , with the Bengali Hindus forming the demographic majority. The area's early history featured a succession of Indian empires , internal squabbling, and a tussle between Hinduism and Buddhism for dominance. Ancient Bengal was the site of several major Janapadas , while

SECTION 50

#1732892084514

8268-647: The Government of West Bengal proposed a change in the official name of the state to Paschim Banga ( Bengali : পশ্চিমবঙ্গ Pôshchimbônggô ). This is the native name of the state, literally meaning "western Bengal" in the native Bengali language. In August 2016 the West Bengal Legislative Assembly passed another resolution to change the name of West Bengal to "Bengal" in English and "Bangla" in Bengali. Despite

8427-916: The Lok Sabha and 16 seats to the Rajya Sabha of the Indian Parliament . Politics in West Bengal is dominated by the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Indian National Congress (INC), and the Left Front alliance (led by the Communist Party of India (Marxist) or CPI(M)). Following the West Bengal State Assembly Election in 2011 , the All India Trinamool Congress and Indian National Congress coalition under Mamata Banerjee of

8586-480: The Malvaceae and Euphorbiaceae . The Sundarbans flora is characterised by the abundance of sundari ( Heritiera fomes ), gewa ( Excoecaria agallocha ), goran ( Ceriops decandra ) and keora ( Sonneratia apetala ) all of which occur prominently throughout the area. The characteristic tree of the forest is the sundari ( Heritiera littoralis ), from which the name of the forest had probably been derived. It yields

8745-646: The Maurya Empire of Magadha in the 3rd   century BCE extended over nearly all of South Asia , including Afghanistan and parts of Balochistan . From the 3rd to the 6th   centuries CE, the kingdom of Magadha served as the seat of the Gupta Empire . Two kingdoms—Vanga or Samatata, and Gauda—are said in some texts to have appeared after the end of the Gupta Empire although details of their ascendancy are uncertain. The first recorded independent king of Bengal

8904-531: The Mughal Emperor Alamgir II and completed mapping the area in 1764. However, systematic forest management started a century later. The first Forest Management Division to have jurisdiction over the Sundarbans was established in 1869. In 1875 a large portion of the mangrove forests was declared as reserved forests under the Indian Forest Act of 1865 (Act VIII of 1865). The remaining portions of

9063-560: The Nawabs of Murshidabad , who nominally respected the sovereignty of the Mughals in Delhi . Several independent Hindu states were established in Bengal during the Mughal period, including those of Pratapaditya of Jessore District and Raja Sitaram Ray of Bardhaman . Following the death of Emperor Aurangzeb and the Governor of Bengal, Shaista Khan , the proto-industrialised Mughal Bengal became

9222-456: The South 24 Parganas and North 24 Parganas districts . The most abundant tree species are sundri ( Heritiera fomes ) and gewa ( Excoecaria agallocha ). The forests provide habitat to 453 fauna wildlife, including 290 bird, 120 fish, 42 mammal, 35 reptile and eight amphibian species. Despite a total ban on all killing or capture of wildlife other than fish and some invertebrates, there has been

9381-659: The Suhma kingdom . One of the earliest foreign references to Bengal is a mention by the Ancient Greeks around 100   BCE of a land named Gangaridai located at the mouths of the Ganges . Bengal had overseas trade relations with Suvarnabhumi (Burma, Lower Thailand, the Lower Malay Peninsula and Sumatra ). According to the Sri Lankan chronicle Mahavamsa , Prince Vijaya ( c.  543  – c.  505 BCE ),

9540-620: The Trinamool Congress government's efforts to forge a consensus on the name change resolution, the Indian National Congress , the Left Front and the Bharatiya Janata Party opposed the resolution. However, the central government has turned down the proposal maintaining the state should have one single name for all languages instead of three and it should not be the same as that of any other territory (pointing out that

9699-620: The West Bengal Surface Transport Corporation and the Calcutta Tramways Company . There are also private bus companies. The railway system is a nationalised service without any private investment. Hired forms of transport include metered taxis and auto rickshaws , which often ply specific routes in cities. In most of the state, cycle rickshaws and in Kolkata, hand-pulled rickshaws and electric rickshaws are used for short-distance travel. According to

SECTION 60

#1732892084514

9858-505: The brackish -water Sundarbans mangroves bordering the Bay of Bengal. A victim of large-scale clearing and settlement to support one of the densest human populations in Asia, this ecoregion is under a great threat of extinction. Hundreds of years of habitation and exploitation have exacted a heavy toll on this ecoregion's habitat and biodiversity. There are two protected areas – Narendrapur (110 km ) and Ata Danga Baor (20 km ) that cover

10017-485: The mugger crocodile ( Crocodylus palustris ) started to become extinct in the Sundarbans towards the middle of the 20th century, because of extensive poaching and hunting by the British and locals. There are other threatened mammal species, such as the capped langur ( Semnopithecus pileatus ), smooth-coated otter ( Lutrogale perspicillata ), Asian small-clawed otter ( Aonyx cinerea ) and large Indian civet ( Viverra zibetha ). The physical development processes along

10176-420: The 1970s, the state has managed to revive its economy steadily throughout the years. The state has shown improvement regarding bandhs ( strikes ) and educational infrastructure. Significant strides have been made in reducing unemployment, though the state suffers from substandard healthcare services, a lack of socio-economic development, poor infrastructure, unemployment and civil violence. In 2006

10335-476: The All India Trinamool Congress was elected to power with 225 seats in the legislature. Prior to this, West Bengal was ruled by the Left Front for 34 years (1977–2011), making it the world's longest-running democratically elected communist government. Banerjee was re-elected twice as Chief Minister in the 2016 West Bengal Legislative Assembly election and 2021 West Bengal Legislative Assembly election with 211 and 215 seats respectively, an absolute majority by

10494-502: The BFJA tendered active assistance and co-operation whenever called upon to serve on any committee in the interest the festival's success. For the last four years the Association has been bringing out a special bulletin to commemorate the I.F.F.I. and hosting a reception for the visiting delegates. To the members of BFJA, cinema, apart from its basic function of providing clean entertainment, is

10653-594: The Bangladesh Sundarbans. As a result, the salinity of the Bangladesh Sundarbans is much lower than that of the Indian side. A 1990 study noted that there "is no evidence that environmental degradation in the Himalayas or a 'greenhouse' induced rise in sea level have aggravated floods in Bangladesh"; however, a 2007 report by UNESCO, "Case Studies on Climate Change and World Heritage" has stated that an anthropogenic 45-centimetre (18 in) rise in sea level (likely by

10812-449: The Bay of Bengal. In early summer, brief squalls and thunderstorms known as Kalbaisakhi , or Nor'westers, often occur. West Bengal receives the Bay of Bengal branch of the Indian Ocean monsoon that moves in a southeast to northwest direction. Monsoons bring rain to the whole state from June to September. Heavy rainfall of above 250 centimetres (98 in) is observed in the Darjeeling , Jalpaiguri , and Cooch Behar district . During

10971-620: The Bengal tiger, estuarine crocodile , northern river terrapin ( Batagur baska ), olive ridley sea turtle , Gangetic dolphin , ground turtles, hawksbill sea turtles and king crabs (horse shoe). The Sundarbans hold globally important numbers of the critically endangered masked finfoot and are important wintering sites for the spoon-billed sandpiper and the Indian skimmer . Some species such as hog deer ( Axis porcinus ), water buffalos ( Bubalus bubalis ), barasingha or swamp deer ( Cervus duvauceli ), Javan rhinoceros ( Rhinoceros sondaicus ), Indian rhinoceros ( Rhinoceros unicornis ) and

11130-400: The Legislative Assembly. The Assembly is unicameral with 295 members , or MLAs, including one nominated from the Anglo-Indian community. Terms of office run for five years unless the Assembly is dissolved before the completion of the term. Auxiliary authorities known as panchayats , for which local body elections are regularly held, govern local affairs. The state contributes 42 seats to

11289-449: The Sundarbans mangroves, are important habitat for the endangered tiger. Additionally, the Mangroves species present in the Sundarban area serve a crucial function as a protective barrier for the millions of inhabitants in and around Kolkata , Khulna and Port of Mongla against the floods that result from the cyclones . It also protects from tsunami and soil erosion for the coastal population. The mangrove-dominated Ganges Delta –

11448-520: The Sundarbans with massive casualties. At least 100,000 people were affected by this cyclone. The proposed coal-fired Rampal power station situated 14 km (8.7 mi) north of the Sundarbans at Rampal Upazila of Bagerhat District in Khulna, Bangladesh, is anticipated to further damage this unique mangrove forest according to a 2016 report by UNESCO. Climate change is expected to continue to negatively affect both natural systems and human populations in

11607-477: The Sundarbans – is a complex ecosystem comprising one of the three largest single tracts of mangrove forests of the world. The larger part is situated in Bangladesh, a smaller portion of it lies in India. The Indian part of the forest is estimated to be about 40 percent, while the Bangladeshi part is 60 percent. To the south the forest meets the Bay of Bengal; to the east it is bordered by the Baleswar River and to

11766-699: The Trinamool Congress. The state has one autonomous region, the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration . As of 1 November 2023, West Bengal is divided into 23 districts . Each district is governed by a district collector or district magistrate, appointed by either the Indian Administrative Service or the West Bengal Civil Service . Each district is subdivided into sub-divisions, governed by

11925-713: The West Bengal Legislative Assembly, consists of elected members and special office bearers such as the Speaker and Deputy Speaker, who are elected by the members. Assembly meetings are presided over by the Speaker or the Deputy Speaker in the Speaker's absence. The judiciary is composed of the Calcutta High Court and a system of lower courts. Executive authority is vested in the Council of Ministers headed by

12084-573: The Zoological Society of London (ZSL) found out that the Sunderban coast was retreating up to 200 metres (660 ft) in a year. Agricultural activities had destroyed around 17,179 hectares (42,450 acres) of mangroves within three decades (1975–2010). Shrimp cultivation had destroyed another 7,554 hectares (18,670 acres). Researches from the School of Oceanographic Studies, Jadavpur University, estimated

12243-470: The adjoining state of Jharkhand. The predominant commercial tree species is Shorea robusta , commonly known as the sal tree . The coastal region of Purba Medinipur exhibits coastal vegetation; the predominant tree is the Casuarina . A notable tree from the Sundarbans is the ubiquitous sundari ( Heritiera fomes ), from which the forest gets its name. The distribution of vegetation in northern West Bengal

12402-431: The anaerobic mud to get the supply of oxygen. A 1991 study has revealed that the Indian part of the Sundarbans supports diverse biological resources including at least 150 species of commercially important fish, 270 species of birds, 42 species of mammals, 35 reptiles and 8 amphibian species, although new ones are being discovered. This represents a significant proportion of the species present in Bangladesh (i.e. about 30% of

12561-402: The annual rise in sea level to be 8 millimetres (0.31 in) in 2010. It had doubled from 3.14 millimetres (0.124 in) recorded in 2000. The rising sea levels had also submerged around 7,500 hectares (19,000 acres) of forest areas. This, coupled with an around 1.5 °C (2.7 °F) rise in surface water temperatures and increased levels of salinity have posed a problem for the survival of

12720-429: The area , and are still frequent in the Sundarbans, with around 40 people killed in 2000–2010. Most importantly, mangroves are a transition from the marine to freshwater and terrestrial systems, and provide critical habitat for numerous species of small fish, crabs, shrimps and other crustaceans that adapt to feed and shelter, and reproduce among the tangled mass of roots, known as pneumatophores , which grow upward from

12879-497: The arrival of the monsoons, low pressure in the Bay of Bengal region often leads to the formation of storms in the coastal areas . Winter (December–January) is mild over the plains with average minimum temperatures of 15 °C (59 °F). A cold and dry northern wind blows in the winter, substantially lowering the humidity level. The Darjeeling Himalayan Hill region experiences a harsh winter, with occasional snowfall. The "India State of Forest Report 2017", recorded forest area in

13038-552: The beginning of communist rule in 1977 before it rebounded. In 2023–24, the economy of West Bengal is the sixth-largest state economy in India with a gross state domestic product (GSDP) of ₹ 17.19 lakh crore (US$ 210 billion), and has the country's 20th-highest GSDP per capita of ₹ 121,267 (US$ 1,500) as of 2020–21. Despite being one of the fastest-growing major economies, West Bengal has struggled to attract foreign direct investment due to adverse land acquisition policies, poor infrastructure , and red tape . It also has

13197-656: The botanical nature of the Sundarbans has been made to keep up with these changes. Differences in vegetation have been explained in terms of freshwater and low salinity influences in the Northeast and variations in drainage and siltation . The Sundarbans has been classified as a moist tropical forest demonstrating a whole mosaic of seres , comprising primary colonisation on new accretions to more mature beach forests. Historically vegetation types have been recognised in broad correlation with varying degrees of water salinity, freshwater flushing and physiography. The Sundarbans provides

13356-408: The climatic zone. Robert Scott Troup suggested that succession began in the newly accreted land created by fresh deposits of eroded soil. The pioneer vegetation on these newly accreted sites is Sonneratia , followed by Avicennia and Nypa . As the ground is elevated as a result of soil deposition, other trees make their appearance. The most prevalent, though one of the late species to appear,

13515-433: The coast are influenced by a multitude of factors, comprising wave motions, micro and macro-tidal cycles and long shore currents typical to the coastal tract. The shore currents vary greatly along with the monsoon . These are also affected by cyclonic action. Erosion and accretion through these forces maintains varying levels, as yet not properly measured, of physiographic change whilst the mangrove vegetation itself provides

13674-429: The coastal population in cyclone -prone Bangladesh. Part of the Sundarbans is shielded from tidal inflow by leaves and there one finds villages and agriculture. During the monsoon season, the low lying agricultural lands are waterlogged and the summer crop ( kharif crop ) is therefore mainly deepwater rice or floating rice. In the dry winter season the land is normally uncropped and used for cattle grazing. However,

13833-570: The country. The economy of West Bengal has witnessed many surprising changes in direction. The agricultural sector in particular rose to 8.33% in 2010–11 before tumbling to −4.01% in 2012–13. Many major industries such as the Uttarpara Hindustan Motors car manufacturing unit, the jute industry, and the Haldia Petrochemicals unit experienced shutdowns in 2014. In the same year, plans for a 300 billion Jindal Steel project

13992-401: The country. A number of industries (e.g., newsprint mill, match factory, hardboard, boat building, furniture making) are based on raw materials obtained from the Sundarbans ecosystem. Non-timber forest products and plantations help generate considerable employment and income opportunities for at least half a million poor coastal people. It provides natural protection to life and properties of

14151-494: The country. The forest provides raw materials for wood-based industries. In addition to traditional forest produce like timber, fuelwood, pulpwood etc., large-scale harvest of non-wood forest products such as thatching materials, honey , beeswax, fish, crustacean and mollusc resources of the forest takes place regularly. The vegetated tidal lands of the Sundarbans function as an essential habitat, produces nutrients and purifies water. The forest also traps nutrient and sediment, acts as

14310-594: The decades following the 1947 partition of India , transforming its landscape and shaping its politics. The early and prolonged exposure to British administration resulted in an expansion of Western education , culminating in developments in science, institutional education, and social reforms in the region, including what became known as the Bengali Renaissance . Several regional and pan−Indian empires throughout Bengal's history have shaped its culture , cuisine , and architecture . Post-Indian independence, as

14469-544: The deltaic islands where low velocity of river and tidal current occurs. The flats are exposed in low tides and submerged in high tides, thus being changed morphologically even in one tidal cycle. The tides are so large that approximately one third of the land disappears and reappears every day. The interior parts of the mudflats serve as a perfect home for mangroves. Sundarbans features two ecoregions — "Sundarbans freshwater swamp forests" (IM0162) and "Sundarbans mangroves" (IM1406). The Sundarbans freshwater swamp forests are

14628-471: The districts of: Nadia, North 24 Parganas, Hooghly, Bardhaman and East Medinipur are ODF zones, with Nadia becoming the first ODF district in the state in April 2015. A study conducted in three districts of West Bengal found that accessing private health services to treat illness had a catastrophic impact on households. This indicates the importance of the public provision of health services to mitigate poverty and

14787-813: The earliest cities date back to the Vedic period . The region was part of several ancient pan−Indian empires, including the Vangas , Mauryans , and the Guptas . The citadel of Gauḍa served as the capital of the Gauda kingdom , the Pala Empire , and the Sena Empire . Islam was introduced through trade with the Abbasid Caliphate , but following the Ghurid conquests led by Bakhtiyar Khalji and

14946-411: The end of British rule over the Indian subcontinent the Bengal Legislative Council and the Bengal Legislative Assembly voted on the Partition of Bengal along religious lines into two separate entities: West Bengal, which continued as an Indian state and East Bengal , a province of Pakistan , which came to be known be as East Pakistan and later became the independent Bangladesh . In 2011

15105-483: The end of the 21st century, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change), combined with other forms of anthropogenic stress on the Sundarbans, could lead to the destruction of 75 percent of the Sundarbans mangroves. Already, Lohachara Island and New Moore Island/South Talpatti Island have disappeared under the sea, and Ghoramara Island is half submerged. In a study conducted in 2012,

15264-575: The entire Bengal region. Mosques , madrasas and khanqahs were built throughout these stages. During the Islamic Bengal Sultanate , founded in 1352, Bengal was a major world trading nation and was often referred by the Europeans as the richest country with which to trade. Later, in 1576, it was absorbed into the Mughal Empire . Subsequent Muslim conquests helped spread Islam throughout

15423-605: The establishment of the Delhi Sultanate , the Muslim faith spread across the entire Bengal region. During the Bengal Sultanate , the territory was a major trading nation in the world, and was often referred by the Europeans as the "richest country to trade with". It was absorbed into the Mughal Empire in 1576. Simultaneously, some parts of the region were ruled by several Hindu states , and Baro-Bhuyan landlords, and part of it

15582-687: The first to institute awards in an endeavor to promote and encourage the production of better films, when in 1938, a year after its inception, the 1st Motion Picture Congress was held in Faridpur (now in Bangladesh ). Representatives of the association played a vital role in its deliberations. In 1952 when India staged the First International Film Festival, a large exhibition was held in Kolkata Maidan . It included an exhibit of antique movie cameras, projectors and other accessories, showing

15741-485: The flight of human capital from the region According to a report created by UNESCO, the landfall of Cyclone Sidr damaged around 40% of Sundarbans in 2007. In August 2010, a memorandum of understanding was signed between Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) and India's state-owned National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) where they designated to implement the coal-fired Rampal power station by 2016. The proposed project, on an area of over 1,834 acres of land,

15900-420: The forest accessible by boat. The area is known for the Bengal tiger ( Panthera tigris ), as well as numerous fauna including species of birds, chital , crocodiles and snakes. The fertile soils of the delta have been subject to intensive human use for centuries, and the ecoregion has been mostly converted to intensive agriculture, with few enclaves of forest remaining. The remaining forests, taken together with

16059-451: The forest, there are extensive areas of brackish water and freshwater marshes , intertidal mudflats , sandflats , sand dunes with typical dune vegetation, open grassland on sandy soils and raised areas supporting a variety of terrestrial shrubs and trees. Since Prain's report there have been considerable changes in the status of various mangrove species and taxonomic revision of the man-grove flora. However, very little exploration of

16218-511: The forests were declared a reserve forest the following year and the forest, which was so far administered by the civil administration district, was placed under the control of the Forest Department. A Forest Division, which is the basic forest management and administration unit, was created in 1879 with the headquarters in today Khulna , Bangladesh. The first management plan was written for the period 1893–1898. The Sundarban forest lies in

16377-399: The former, the Rhizophoraceae are of minor importance. Ecological succession is generally defined as the successive occupation of a site by different plant communities. In an accreting mudflats the outer community along the sequence represents the pioneer community which is gradually replaced by the next community representing the seral stages and finally by a climax community typical of

16536-414: The fringing banks. The Sundarbans Mangroves ecoregion on the coast forms the seaward fringe of the delta and is the world's largest mangrove ecosystem, with 20,400 square kilometres (7,900 sq mi) of an area covered. The dominant mangrove species Heritiera fomes is locally known as sundri or sundari . Mangrove forests are not home to a great variety of plants. They have a thick canopy, and

16695-467: The general condition and management of wildlife. Some species are protected by legislation, notably by the Bangladesh Wildlife (Preservation) Order, 1973 (P.O. 23 of 1973). The Sundarbans are an important habitat for the Bengal tiger ( Panthera tigris ). The forest also provides habitat for small wild cats such as the jungle cat ( Felis chaus ), fishing cat ( Prionailurus viverrinus ), and leopard cat ( P. bengalensis ). Several predators dwell in

16854-424: The geographical area of West Bengal is protected land, comprising fifteen wildlife sanctuaries and five national parks— Sundarbans National Park , Buxa Tiger Reserve , Gorumara National Park , Neora Valley National Park and Singalila National Park . Extant wildlife includes Indian rhinoceros , Indian elephant , deer, leopard , gaur , tiger and crocodiles , as well as many bird species. Migratory birds come to

17013-407: The growth of films and development of the Indian film industry. BFJA had its own stall where it displayed its various magazines, periodicals and journals published from Kolkata, as well as copies of old magazines and journals on films tracing the history of the growth of film journalism in the country. Thereafter, when the I.F.F.I. became a regular event on the circuit of International Film Festivals,

17172-406: The impact of illness on poor households. Sundarbans Sundarbans (pronounced / s ʌ n ˈ d ɑːr b ə n z / ) is a mangrove area in the delta formed by the confluence of the Ganges , Brahmaputra and Meghna Rivers in the Bay of Bengal . Spread across parts of India and Bangladesh , this forest is the largest Mangrove forest in the world. It spans the area from

17331-455: The indigenous flora and fauna. The Sundari trees are exceptionally sensitive to salinity and are being threatened with extinction. Loss of the mangrove forest will result in the loss of the protective biological shield against cyclones and tsunamis. This may put the surrounding coastal communities at high risk. Moreover, the submergence of land mass have rendered up to 6,000 families homeless and around 70,000 people are immediately threatened with

17490-544: The intense and large-scale exploitation, this still is one of the largest contiguous areas of mangroves in the world. Another threat comes from deforestation and water diversion from the rivers inland, which causes far more silt to be brought to the estuary, clogging up the waterways. The Directorate of Forest is responsible for the administration and management of Sundarban National Park in West Bengal. The Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF), Wildlife & Bio-Diversity & ex-officio Chief Wildlife Warden, West Bengal

17649-405: The intertidal mudflats develop micromorphological features that trap and hold sediments to create a substratum for mangrove seeds. The morphology and evolution of the eolian dunes is controlled by an abundance of xerophytic and halophytic plants. Creepers, grasses and sedges stabilise sand dunes and uncompacted sediments. The Sunderbans mudflats (Banerjee, 1998) are found at the estuary and on

17808-513: The labyrinth of channels, branches, and roots that poke up into the air. This is the only mangrove ecoregion that harbors the Indo-Pacific region's largest terrestrial predator, the Bengal tiger. Unlike in other habitats, tigers live here and swim among the mangrove islands, where they hunt scarce prey such as the chital deer ( Axis axis ), Indian muntjacs ( Muntiacus muntjak ), wild boar ( Sus scrofa ), and Rhesus macaque ( Macaca mulatta ). It

17967-416: The lands near the villages are irrigated from ponds that were filled up during monsoon, and vegetable crops ( Rabi crops ) can be grown here. Some farms and mangrove areas are being cleared for aquaculture . The Sundarbans has a population of over 4 million but much of it is mostly free of permanent human habitation. Despite human habitations and a century of economic exploitation of the forest well into

18126-601: The last independent Nawab, in the Battle of Plassey in 1757. The company gained the right to collect revenue in Bengal subah (province) in 1765 with the signing of the treaty between the East India company and the Mughal emperor following the Battle of Buxar in 1764. The Bengal Presidency was established in 1765; it later incorporated all British-controlled territory north of the Central Provinces (now Madhya Pradesh ), from

18285-539: The late 1940s, the Sundarbans retained a forest closure of about 70% according to the Overseas Development Administration (ODA) of the United Kingdom in 1980. The Sundarbans area is one of the most densely populated areas in the world, and the population is increasing. As a result, half of this ecoregion's mangrove forests have been cut down to supply fuelwood and other natural resources. Despite

18444-494: The local authorities in Bangladesh killed 4 tiger poachers in a shootout in the Sunderbans mangrove area where currently 114 tigers dwell. The Sundarban National Park is a National Park , Tiger Reserve , and a Biosphere Reserve in West Bengal, India. It is part of the Sundarbans on the Ganges Delta , and adjacent to the Sundarbans Reserve Forest in Bangladesh. The delta is densely covered by mangrove forests, and

18603-400: The mid-2000s, armed activists conducted minor terrorist attacks in some parts of the state. Clashes with the administration took place at several controversial locations over the issue of industrial land acquisition. This became a decisive reason behind the defeat of the ruling Left Front government in the 2011 assembly election. Although the economy was severely damaged during the unrest in

18762-517: The mouths of the Ganges and the Brahmaputra to the Himalayas and the Punjab . The Bengal famine of 1770 claimed millions of lives due to tax policies enacted by the British company. Calcutta, the headquarters of the East India company, was named the capital of British-held territories in India in 1773. The failed Indian rebellion of 1857 started near Calcutta and resulted in a transfer of authority to

18921-469: The name Bengal ( Bangla and Bongo in Bengali ) is unknown. One theory suggests the word derives from "Bang", the name of a Dravidian tribe that settled the region around 1000   BCE. The Bengali word Bongo might have been derived from the ancient kingdom of Vanga (or Banga ). Although some early Sanskrit literature mentions the name Vanga , the region's early history is obscure. In 1947, at

19080-468: The name 'Bangla' may create confusion with neighbouring Bangladesh ). Stone Age tools dating back 20,000 years have been excavated in the state, showing human occupation 8,000 years earlier than scholars had thought. According to the Indian epic Mahabharata the region was part of the Vanga kingdom. Several Vedic realms were present in the Bengal region, including Vanga , Rarh , Pundravardhana and

19239-581: The national average of 74.7 km/km (120.2 mi/sq mi). As of 2011, the total railway route length was around 4,481 km (2,784 mi). Kolkata is the headquarters of three zones of the Indian Railways — Eastern Railway and South Eastern Railway and the Kolkata Metro, which is the newly formed 17th   zone of the Indian Railways. The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) serves

19398-427: The north there is a sharp interface with intensively cultivated land. The natural drainage in the upstream areas, other than the main river channels, is everywhere impeded by extensive embankments and polders . The Sundarbans was originally measured (about 200 years ago) to be of about 16,700 square kilometres (6,400 sq mi). Now it has dwindled into about one-third of its original size. The total land area today

19557-512: The northern parts of the state. The Kolkata metro is the country's first underground railway. The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway , part of NFR, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site . Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport at Dum Dum , Kolkata, is the state's largest airport. Bagdogra Airport near Siliguri is a customs airport that offers international service to Bhutan and Thailand, besides regular domestic service. Kazi Nazrul Islam Airport , India's first private sector airport, serves

19716-479: The offing to revive the economy. West Bengal has been able to attract 2% of the foreign direct investment in the last decade. As of 2011, the total length of surface roads in West Bengal was over 92,023 kilometres (57,180 miles); national highways comprise 2,578 km (1,602 mi) and state highways 2,393 km (1,487 mi). As of 2006, the road density of the state was 103.69 kilometres per square kilometre (166.87 miles per square mile), higher than

19875-412: The percentage share of Gross Value Added (GVA) at factor cost by economic activity at the constant price (the base year 2011–2012) was Agriculture-Forestry and Fishery—4.84%, Industry 18.51% and Services 66.65%. It has been observed that there has been a slow but steady decline in the percentage share of industry and agriculture over the years. Agriculture is the leading economic sector in West Bengal. Rice

20034-728: The property from poachers. The park receives financial aid from the State Government as well as the Ministry of Environment and Forests under various Plan and Non-Plan Budgets. Additional funding is received under the Project Tiger from the Central Government. In 2001, a grant of US$ 20,000 was received as a preparatory assistance for promotion between India and Bangladesh from the World Heritage Fund . A new Khulna Forest Circle

20193-564: The protected status, the Indian Sundarbans were considered endangered in a 2020 assessment under the IUCN Red List of Ecosystems framework. The Sundarbans mangrove forest covers an area of about 10,277 km (3,968 sq mi), of which forests in Bangladesh's Khulna Division extend over 6,017 km (2,323 sq mi) and in West Bengal's Presidency division , they extend over 4,260 km (1,640 sq mi) across

20352-409: The provisional results of the 2011 national census, West Bengal is the fourth-most-populous state in India with a population of 91,347,736 (7.55% of India's population). The state's 2001–2011 decennial population growth rate was 13.93%, lower than the 1991–2001 growth rate of 17.8% and lower than the national rate of 17.64%. The gender ratio is 947 females per 1,000 males. As of 2011, West Bengal had

20511-562: The region and partly by climate change. In many of the Bangladesh's mangrove wetlands, freshwater reaching the mangroves was considerably reduced from the 1970s because of diversion of freshwater in the upstream area by neighbouring India through the use of the Farakka Barrage bordering Rajshahi , Bangladesh. Also, the Bengal Basin is slowly tilting towards the east because of neo- tectonic movement, forcing greater freshwater input to

20670-588: The region for four hundred years beginning in the 8th   century. A shorter reign of the Hindu Sena dynasty followed. Rajendra Chola I of the Chola dynasty invaded some areas of Bengal between 1021 and 1023. Islam was introduced through trade with the Abbasid Caliphate . Following the Ghurid conquests led by Muhammad bin Bakhtiyar Khalji and the establishment of the Delhi Sultanate , it spread across

20829-410: The region, resulting in further ecosystem degradation and climate migration . Experts examining the region recommend further focus on mangrove restoration and management and advocating for adaptation of human populations, through processes like managed retreat and investments in resilient infrastructure. The literal meaning of Sundarbans ( Bengali : সুন্দরবন , romanized :  Sundôrbôn )

20988-588: The region. It was ruled by dynasties of the Bengal Sultanate and feudal lords under the Delhi Sultanate for the next few hundred years. The Bengal Sultanate was interrupted for twenty years by a Hindu uprising under Raja Ganesha . In the 16th   century, Mughal general Islam Khan conquered Bengal. Administration by governors appointed by the court of the Mughal Empire gave way to semi-independence under

21147-528: The reptiles, 37% the birds and 34% of the mammals) and includes many species which are now extinct elsewhere in the country. Two amphibians, 14 reptiles, 25 aves and five mammals are endangered. The Sundarbans is an important wintering area for migrant water birds and is an area suitable for watching and studying avifauna. The management of wildlife is restricted to, firstly, the protection of fauna from poaching, and, secondly, designation of some areas as wildlife sanctuaries where no extraction of forest produce

21306-486: The river by a feeder canal. Its water flow management has been a source of lingering dispute between India and Bangladesh. The Teesta , Torsa , Jaldhaka and Mahananda rivers are in the northern hilly region. The western plateau region has rivers like the Damodar, Ajay and Kangsabati . The Ganges delta and the Sundarbans area have numerous rivers and creeks. Pollution of the Ganges from indiscriminate waste dumped into

21465-499: The river is a major problem. Damodar , another tributary of the Ganges and once known as the "Sorrow of Bengal" (due to its frequent floods), has several dams under the Damodar Valley Project . At least nine districts in the state suffer from arsenic contamination of groundwater , and as of 2017 an estimated 1.04   crore people were afflicted by arsenic poisoning. West Bengal's climate varies from tropical savanna in

21624-710: The rivers originating from the Ganges and the saline water of the Bay of Bengal. The Sundarbans along the Bay of Bengal has evolved over the millennia through natural deposition of upstream sediments accompanied by intertidal segregation. The physiography is dominated by deltaic formations that include innumerable drainage lines associated with surface and subaqueous levees, splays and tidal flats. There are also marginal marshes above mean tide level, tidal sandbars and islands with their networks of tidal channels, subaqueous distal bars and proto-delta clays and silt sediments. The Sundarbans' floor varies from 0.9 to 2.11 metres (3.0 to 6.9 ft) above sea level. Biotic factors here play

21783-453: The same. This is causing the flight of human capital to the mainland, about 13% in the decade of 2000–2010. A 2015 ethnographic study, conducted by a team of researchers from Heidelberg university in Germany, found a crisis brewing in the Sunderbans. The study contended that poor planning on the part of the India and Bangladesh governments coupled with natural ecological changes were forcing

21942-421: The sanctuary is very diverse with some 40 species of mammals, 260 species of birds and 35 species of reptiles. The greatest of these being the Bengal tiger of which an estimated 350 remain in the Bangladesh Sundarbans. Other large mammals are wild boar , chital horin ( spotted deer ), Indian otter and macaque monkey . Five species of marine turtles frequent the coastal zone and two endangered reptiles are present –

22101-731: The southern part of the state, especially in the Sundarbans area. Kolkata is the only city in India to have trams as a mode of transport; these are operated by the Calcutta Tramways Company. Several government-owned organisations operate bus services in the state, including: the Calcutta State Transport Corporation , the North Bengal State Transport Corporation , the South Bengal State Transport Corporation ,

22260-407: The southern portions to humid subtropical in the north. The main seasons are summer, the rainy season, a short autumn and winter. While the summer in the delta region is noted for excessive humidity, the western highlands experience a dry summer like northern India. The highest daytime temperatures range from 38 to 45 °C (100 to 113 °F). At night, a cool southerly breeze carries moisture from

22419-458: The state during the winter. The high-altitude forests of Singalila National Park shelter barking deer , red panda , chinkara , takin , serow , pangolin , minivet and kalij pheasants . The Sundarbans are noted for a reserve project devoted to conserving the endangered Bengal tiger , although the forest hosts many other endangered species such as the Gangetic dolphin , river terrapin and estuarine crocodile. The mangrove forest also acts as

22578-448: The state is 16,847 km (6,505 sq mi), while in 2013, forest area was 16,805 km (6,488 sq mi), which was 18.93% of the state's geographical area, compared to the then national average of 21.23%. Reserves and protected and unclassed forests constitute 59.4%, 31.8% and 8.9%, respectively, of forested areas, as of 2009. Part of the world's largest mangrove forest, the Sundarbans in southern West Bengal. From

22737-460: The state's healthcare system was severely criticised in the aftermath of the West Bengal blood test kit scam . West Bengal is on the eastern bottleneck of India , stretching from the Himalayas in the north to the Bay of Bengal in the south. The state has a total area of 88,752 square kilometres (34,267 sq mi). The Darjeeling Himalayan hill region in the northern extreme of the state

22896-586: The twin cities of Asansol-Durgapur at Andal , Paschim Bardhaman . Kolkata is a major river port in eastern India. The Kolkata Port Trust manages the Kolkata and the Haldia docks. There is passenger service to Port Blair on the Andaman and Nicobar Islands . Cargo ship service operates to ports in India and abroad, operated by the Shipping Corporation of India . Ferries are a principal mode of transport in

23055-403: The undergrowth is mostly seedlings of the mangrove trees. Besides the sundari , other tree species in the forest include Avicennia , Xylocarpus mekongensis , Xylocarpus granatum , Sonneratia apetala , Bruguiera gymnorhiza , Ceriops decandra , Aegiceras corniculatum , Rhizophora mucronata , and Nypa fruticans palms. Twenty-six of the fifty broad mangrove species found in

23214-526: The vast delta on the Bay of Bengal formed by the super-confluence of the Hooghly , Padma (both are distributaries of Ganges ), Brahmaputra and Meghna rivers across southern Bangladesh . The seasonally flooded Sundarbans freshwater swamp forest lies inland from the mangrove forests on the coastal fringe. The forest covers 10,277 km (3,968 sq mi) of which about 6,017 km (2,323 sq mi) are in Bangladesh. The Indian part of Sundarbans

23373-413: The world grow well in the Sundarbans. The commonly identifiable vegetation types in the dense Sundarbans mangrove forests are salt water mixed forest, mangrove scrub, brackish water mixed forest, littoral forest, wet forest and wet alluvial grass forests. The Bangladesh mangrove vegetation of the Sundarbans differs greatly from other non-deltaic coastal mangrove forests and upland forests associations. Unlike

23532-464: The world's largest mangrove forest. On 9 December 2014 an oil-tanker named Southern Star VII , carrying 358,000 litres (79,000 imp gal; 95,000 US gal) of furnace oil , was sunk in the Sela river of Sundarbans after it had been hit by a cargo vessel. The oil spread over 350 km (140 sq mi) area after the clash, as of 17 December. The slick spread to a second river and

23691-478: The world. As a part of the Bengal region of the Indian subcontinent , it borders Bangladesh in the east, and Nepal and Bhutan in the north. It also borders the Indian states of Jharkhand , Odisha , Bihar , Sikkim and Assam . The state capital is Kolkata , the third-largest metropolis , and seventh largest city by population in India. West Bengal includes the Darjeeling Himalayan hill region ,

23850-606: Was Shashanka , who reigned in the early 7th   century. Shashanka is often recorded in Buddhist annals as an intolerant Hindu ruler noted for his persecution of the Buddhists. He murdered Rajyavardhana , the Buddhist king of Thanesar , and is noted for destroying the Bodhi tree at Bodhgaya , and replacing Buddha statues with Shiva lingams . After a period of anarchy, the Pala dynasty ruled

24009-469: Was 19.98%, a decline from 31.8% a decade prior. Scheduled castes and tribes form 28.6% and 5.8% of the population, respectively, in rural areas and 19.9% and 1.5%, respectively, in urban areas. In September 2017, West Bengal achieved 100% electrification, after some remote villages in the Sunderbans became the last to be electrified. As of September 2017, of 125 towns and cities in Bengal, 76 have achieved open defecation free (ODF) status. All towns in

24168-416: Was 9.8% in 1980–1981, declining to 5% by 1997–1998. In contrast, the service sector has grown at a rate higher than the national rate. The state's total financial debt stood at ₹ 1,918,350 million (US$ 23 billion) as of 2011. In the period 2004–2010, the average gross state domestic product (GSDP) growth rate was 13.9% (calculated in Indian rupee terms) lower than 15.5%, the average for all states of

24327-607: Was briefly overrun by the Suri Empire . Following the death of Emperor Aurangzeb in the early 1700s, the proto-industrialised Mughal Bengal became a semi-independent state under the Nawabs of Bengal , and showed signs of the first Industrial Revolution . The region was later annexed into the Bengal Presidency by the British East India Company after the Battle of Buxar in 1764. From 1772 to 1911, Calcutta

24486-534: Was created in Bangladesh back in 1993 to preserve the forest, and Chief Conservators of Forests have been posted since. The direct administrative head of the Division is the Divisional Forest Officer, based at Khulna, who has a number of professional, subprofessional and support staff and logistic supports for the implementation of necessary management and administrative activities. The basic unit of management

24645-627: Was found in the Baghmara Forest Block that is attributed to Chand Sadagar , a pre-Mauryan semi-historical figure in Bengali folklore. Archaeological excavation at Kapilmuni , Paikgacha Upazilla , north of the Sundarbans in Bangladesh, revealed ruins of urban settlement dating back to the early middle ages . During the Mughal period, forest tracts were leased out by the local rulers for establishing settlements. In 1757, The British East India Company obtained proprietary rights over Sundarbans from

24804-408: Was integrated into West Bengal; portions of Bihar were also subsequently merged with West Bengal. Both West and East Bengal experienced large influxes of refugees during and after the partition in 1947. Refugee resettlement and related issues continued to play a significant role in the politics and socio-economic condition of the state. During the 1970s and 1980s, severe power shortages, strikes and

24963-653: Was mothballed. The tea industry of West Bengal has also witnessed shutdowns for financial and political reasons. The tourism industry of West Bengal was negatively impacted in 2017 because of the Gorkhaland agitation. However, over the years due to effective changes in the stance towards industrialisation, ease of doing business has improved in West Bengal. Steps are being taken to remedy this situation by promoting West Bengal as an investment destination. A leather complex has been built in Kolkata. Smart cities are being planned close to Kolkata, and major roadway projects are in

25122-577: Was partitioned along religious lines. The western part went to the Dominion of India and was named West Bengal. The eastern part went to the Dominion of Pakistan as a province called East Bengal (later renamed East Pakistan in 1956), becoming the independent nation of Bangladesh in 1971. In 1950 the Princely State of Cooch Behar merged with West Bengal. In 1955 the former French enclave of Chandannagar , which had passed into Indian control after 1950,

25281-533: Was the capital of all of East India Company's territories and then the capital of the entirety of India after the establishment of the Viceroyalty . From 1912 to India's Independence in 1947, it was the capital of the Bengal Province . The region was a hotbed of the Indian independence movement and has remained one of India's great artistic and intellectual centres. Following widespread religious violence ,

#513486