Field study without fund allocation?

THE so-called study launched by the forest department in an attempt to ascertain what impact the oil spill has had on the environment is turning out ludicrous. Not only has there been no financial allocation made for a serious impact assessment study to be conducted, we are told that the forest department is yet to take any real steps to arrest the continued degradation of the ecology of the Sundarbans. Precious time is being lost due to inaction. It is ironic to see that authorities are still waiting for the UN team to arrive and assist in the cleanup operations. In the meanwhile animals keep dying and the oil seeps into the forest choking life out of the forest gradually.

We would like to know precisely why this drama is being played out by authorities who must be fully aware that every day wasted in indecision is costing more damage to the more than 334 species of plant life in the Sundarbans. Newspaper reports have already confirmed the death of at least one dolphin and smaller animals like birds are bearing the brunt of the oil slick. While the government has sought UN help, why are we not making emergency funds available to the departments entrusted with looking after this world heritage site? The answers to these questions remain a mystery and it would perhaps not be too farfetched to assume that the preservation of the mangrove forest is not truly a priority issue for policymakers.