Pachauri— the chairperson of Intergovernmental Penal on Climate Change, which was awarded the Nobel Prize— has been asked to conduct a study mapping the coastal areas of West Bengal and suggest strategies.
An initial amount of Rs 1 crore has been allocated to The Energy and Research Institute, the agency Pachauri heads, said M L Meena, Secretary, Department of Environment, West Bengal. Pachauri had agreed to undertake the research after a discussion with the Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and TERI will start working on the project soon, Meena added.
The state government’s “cell on climate change” met for the first time on January 14 this year after it was set up late last year. The 16-member committee with the Chief Minister as its president has given a nod to the project.
The cell will monitor the project and decide what long and short term measures will be taken by TERI, said Meena.
Of all the deltas in the world, the Sunderbans, the Nile delta and the Mackenzie delta are most vulnerable to climate change, said a PCB official, adding that over the last few years some islands in the Sunderbans have been submerged in the sea.