Uncertainty through the lens
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Transcript of Uncertainty through the lens
UNCERTAINTY THROUGH THE LENS
Shibaji Bose IIHMR
Uncertainty from Below JNU/STEPS Symposium on Exploring Pathways to
Sustainability Delhi 10 February 2014
The ‘lived’ experiences of the mundane daily rhythm of uncertainty have been captured through a visual narrative of the Below by the researchers of the STEPS ‘Uncertainty from Below’ project.
We are thankful to those who have enriched us with visuals to depict the true nature of uncertainty
URBAN INDIA- DELHI & MUMBAI
A few kilometers away from where we are sitting….a river enters the city of Delhi; the river is arguably the main source of water to the city….
Some of the offerings that we greet Yamuna with…..
Bathing in Uncertainty… Substantial population of Delhi – the Below - use
toxic water of Yamuna
The ‘scarred’ river exits the city of Delhi…
The ‘hills’ of Delhi … A Planned waste disposal site just by the side of a government hospital
Glimpses of the ‘lived’ experiences in Delhi through the smoke screen
of uncertainty Living with the waste…
Living amidst the waste……
The creeks of Mumbai and the left over greenery in Delhi…..
KUTCH- GUJARAT
The fodder of Banni – Asia’s biggest grassland – is fast
vanishing due to over grazing and increasing salinity
Over encroachment of Ganda Bawal (Proscobis junifora) is also a case for the degradation of the grass cover in the Banni…..
Pastoralists heading out in search of greener pastures - Rampant state sponsored land grabbing by the industrialists and vanishing grasslands are finally taking its toll….
Women from Ashirawandh (a sleepy hamlet by the Arabian sea) are being forced to collect mangrove saplings – which act as a buffer against the approaching sea - for livestock fodder; Their erstwhile lands for earmarked for collection of fodder have now been taken over for the burgeoning SEZs
Depleting fish reserves – sea level temp rise has made the fishing
season unpredictable the boats of poorer section of the
fishermen community stay moored at the Jackaw port during what was earlier the
peak fishing season … …..fishing has become a risky business
Deserted hutments of the fisherfolk There is a considerable increase in
migration trends….
SUNDARBANS- WEST BENGAL
Majority of 3000 kms of embankments are temporary and are the mercy of natural … and political forces……
Breaches in embankments are common especially during high tides.
Islanders face uncertainty from both river erosion and the sea level rise….
Salinity ingress – ‘untouched’ ponds … • Depleting water supply • Loss of freshwater fish - a common source of
nutrients for the islanders • Agriculture land unfit for cultivation • Food insecurity widespread in the Sunderbans Cyclone Aila & the ‘silent killers’ continue to haunt
the islanders
Large-scale migration of the men folk…..
Women now form the majority inhabitants besides the aged
and the children…..
STEPS researchers at a remote village sandwiched between the river and the
sea
Men take “15 tides” for a fishing trip or out-migrate to distant lands. Due to fishing ban from ‘above’ , women have restrictive options and secretly collect prawn seeds….
Not unusual for children to join their mothers. They now participate in crab collections – a new trend since ‘Aila’
A dwelling on the verge of being washed away…. Ghoramara island is no more Half of Mousumi and Lohachar islands remain For many of the islanders daily survival is the main and the only concern
We would be using ‘photo voice’ - a participatory action research tool - to reveal real life experiences and to enable the Below to record and reflect their adaptation strategies to battle climate change - Thank you