In the unique coastal wetlands of India’s Sundarbans, an electric ferry glides through the waterways without sound or pollution. With WWF’s support, a boat operator sees how cleaner transport can protect mangroves, people and the wider planet.
With a practiced hand on the throttle, Madhab Mondal guides his electric ferry boat through a strip of blue-green water. He is flanked on both sides by mangrove trees, with leaves that glisten in the afternoon sun.
“This place is one of the last remaining mangrove systems of the world; and being a part of it makes me responsible for its upkeep.”
Mondal has been a ferry boat operator for over 30 years in the Indian Sundarbans, a delta in India and Bangladesh where the Ganges converges with the Brahmaputra and Meghna rivers. The result is the world’s single largest mangrove forest, stretching 10,000 square kilometers across a mosaic of islands and rivers.
It’s a land of biodiversity miracles – tigers are the apex predator, unlike any other mangrove forest on Earth. Complex root systems provide a nursery for hundreds of fish species. Diving, wading and fishing birds find safe havens among tidal, brackish and freshwater ecosystems.
“The mangroves have always been a part of our lives,” Mondal reflected. “During the high tide, the river water flows into the forest and we get to see lots of birds and small animals. We gradually realized that the mangrove forests and our livelihoods are intertwined.”
In the last month, Mondal’s daily life underwent some subtle, yet drastic changes. The engine on his ferry stopped emitting noxious fumes. He no longer needed costly fuel, which occasionally spilled into the water. He could even hear and respond to questions, previously impossible over the roaring sound of the engine.
Opinion
The replacement of carbon-fuel with electricity is definitely an improvement. However, the agencies involved in this work need to note that these boatmen are usually poor. There should be an efficient system in place so that they can avail of electricity whenever their boat needs it, battery charging should be made easily available, costs should be reasonable and disposal of retired battery should be properly taken care of.
These changes can work only if all gaps are filled, otherwise the boatmen can slip back into using old fuel.