Proceedings of Sundarbans Platform Meeting-I Kolkata, India
Public Disclosure Authorized PROCEEDINGS OF SUNDARBANS PLATFORM MEETING-I Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized KOLKATA, INDIA 1 BACKGROUND In 2010, prior to signing the Sundarbans MoU between Bangladesh and India, a Sundarbans Platform was organized involving experts from both countries. This was an informal guild of experts, which has stopped the discussions since 2012. Now, we plan to organise series of meetings to engage members of the said Sundarbans Platform with an aim of reviving the platform so as to be able to contribute to future discussions on the Common Sundarbans Multistakeholder Platform and the thematic networks for technical studies. Around 15 such meetings are envisaged with different group of stakeholders, (Legislators, Government officials, NGOs, Academicians, and Media). First platform meeting has been convened on 20 January, 2015 at Bijoy Kumar Banerjee Hall, Assembly House Kolkata by Honourable Speaker of West Bengal Legislative Assembly. The meeting had Hon’ble members of the Standing Committees on Panchayats & Rural Development, Land and Land Reforms and Sundarban Development, Environment, Forests and Tourism, Social Welfare, Disaster Management and Refugee Relief & Rehabilitation; and Hon’ble Members representing the Sundarbans region. This meeting not only helped us to share information about the project but also to receive inputs on the plan as well as the draft discussion paper covering the organizational design for the Common Sundarbans Multistakeholder Platform. Broad agenda of these platform meetings were to discuss the conservation and development issues facing Sundarbans in light of climate change and repeated disasters. This dialogue is part of a process to support resilience planning for the Sundarbans.
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