CONTENTS LIST OF PHOTOGRAPHS 3 LIST OF TABLES 3 1. INTRODUCTION 9 1.1 Overview 9 1.2 Ecosystem Services 10 1.3 Livelihood and Ecosystem Services 12 1.4 Livelihood and Disasters 13 1.4.1 Natural Disasters 13 1.4.2 Anthropogenic Pressures 14 1.5 Need and Relevance of the Study 14 1.6 Aim 15 1.7 Objective 15 1.8 Research Questions 15 1.9 Scope and Limitation 15 1.10 Methodology and Analytical Framework 16 2. Land of the Tides, Tigers and Turmoils 20 2.1 Learnings from Literature 20 2.2 Issues from Literature Study 23 2.3 Mangroves in India 24 2.4 Mangroves in Sundarbans 25 2.4.1 Climate 26 2.4.2 Topography 26 2.4.3 Rivers and Channels 27 2.4.4 Tides 27 2.4.5 Fauna and Flora 27 2.4.6 Laws and Legislations 28 2.4.7 Administration 29 2.4.8 People and Cultural Uniqueness 29 2.4.9 Site Selection 30 2.4.10 Site Analysis 35 3. Livelihoods: A Struggle 41 3.1 Ecosystem Services and Livelihood in Sundarbans 41 3.2 Livelihood in a Normal Year 43 EP0310|CEPT University 2 | P a g e 3.2.1 Livelihoods in Rangabelia 43 3.2.2 Livelihoods in Pakhiralaya 44 3.2.3 Livelihoods in Satjalia 45 3.2.4 Caste Structure in Selected Villages 46 3.2.5 Fishing and Honey Collecting in Sundarbans 47 3.3 Livelihood during Disasters 49 3.3.1 Changes in the livelihoods 49 3.3.2 Coping Strategies for Livelihoods 50 4. Ethnographic Study of Livelihood of People 54 4.1 An Ethnographic Study of the People 54 4.2 Diversification of Livelihoods 57 5. Conclusion 59 5.1 Recommendations 61 Bibliography 62 Annexure 65