On May 20, first tropical super cyclone storm of the 2020, cyclone season, Amphan devastated buildings, roads, livelihoods and lives in its path across the eastern part of the subcontinent.
Amphan struck Haldia, Bakkhali, in West Bengal, with 155 km/hr winds. About 28% of the Sunderbans has been damaged by Cyclone Amphan, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on 5th June, 2020, at the launch of a drive for planting mangroves and trees to mark World Environment Day.
Through this project an Intensified integrated approach will be taken up to restore the Mangrove and associated species in Sundarbans by growing 5 Crores of Mangrove progagules together with and local communities. The Community-based Ecological Mangrove Restoration (CBEMR) Method supports a holistic, science-based approach that encourages practitioners mitigate to mangrove stressors and facilitate natural mangrove regeneration. The progagules will be monitored and as and when necessary, nurtured throughout next decade for growing the green cover of mangroves back in Sundarban Biosphere Reserve. This will the generate Mandays for forest fringe population in 2020 and at the same time replenish the damaged Mangrove zone of the State of West Bengal.
Working with local communities, NGOs, and governments to create a sustainable network in results in less pressure on existing mangrove forests by promoting alternative income and livelihoods and increases regional mangrove knowledge for the long-term health of mangrove forests.