NEW DELHI, JANUARY 25: The West Bengal Government has approached the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation for a dedicated helicopter service to the world’s largest river delta and mangrove forest, the Sundarbans.

“We have approached the Centre to start ‘heli-tourism’ in the Sundarbans and have even invited officials from the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Pawan Hans to visit the area and study its viability at the earliest. The idea is to give a boost to tourism in this area, which is otherwise quite inaccessible. With helicopters in place, tourists can easily be taken on an aerial tour of the Sundarbans,” said A K Bal, secretary Sundarban Affairs, Government of West Bengal.

Among probable reservations against the proposal are environmental issues and the swampy terrain that is not very suitable for helicopter operations. The state Government has answers to both.

“We will take the Environment Ministry’s views on the proposal on board and will shortly be meeting them with officials from the Ministry of Civil Aviation. As far as helicopter operations are concerned, we have identified four spots in the Sundarban area that are suited for serving as helipads. There is Jharkhali, known for its mangrove park, and Sagar, the most thickly populated island of the area. Another two spots have also been identified for this,” added Bal. The Ministry for Civil Aviation confirmed the state’s proposal.

“A meeting will be held with the state Government on the issue shortly. So far there have been no helicopter services to the Sundarbans. While the move is largely tourism centric, it is also going to benefit the local people who are completely dependent on boats for movement and resources. The Sundarbans Development Board is quite keen on it and plans to seek environmental clearances,” said a senior official from the ministry.

Factfile

•Formed by the union of three mighty rivers—Ganga, Brahmaputra and Meghna, the extensive Sundarbans delta covers an area of 38,500 sq km, with a major portion of it spreading into Bangladesh.

•The Indian part of the delta is home to the Sunderbans National Park, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987.

•Made up of 54 small islands, swamps and an intricate network of waterways and canals, this 2,585-sq km park is the world’s largest estuarine mangrove forest.

•Besides the forest itself, the tiger reserve, crocodile sanctuary and Sajnekhali Bird Sanctuary are major wildlife attractions.