Kolkata: State Forest minister Rajib Banerjee visited Bulbul-affected areas of Jharkhali in Sunderbans on Wednesday. Bulbul had hit Sagar Island on November 9. Banerjee was accompanied by senior officials of the department and oversaw the restoration work. He visited Netidhopani, Dobanki, Sajnekhali and Jharkhali. The tiger rescue centre at Jharkhali, which is a major tourist attraction has been badly affected by Bulbul, Banerjee held meeting with the officials and urged them to speed up the restoration work. The department has proposed to increase the mangrove cover. The department has already restored 60 per cent nylon net fencing, which prevents tigers or other animals straying into human habitat. Environmentalists had said the mangrove cover of the Sunderbans had acted as a shield against the cyclone, against cyclonic storm Bulbul that had hit the state on November 9. It was found that the areas located in close proximity to the mangrove cover witnessed lesser devastation. Some of the areas in and around Sagar Islands, where mangrove cover is minimum was badly affected by the cyclone, while in the eastern part of these affected places, where there is mangrove cover, the effect of the cyclone was found to be lesser.

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