Highlights Of #AllForBengal Telethon: Donate To Help Bengal Recover

All the studies of climate scientists all say that we are going to see a huge increase in cyclonic activity. And also, an intensification of cyclonic activity. I mean you've seen surely that just in these few weeks we've had so many cyclones. I mean in the Bay of Bengal but also in the Arabian Sea. It's kind of extraordinary the increase in the cyclonic activity that we see, certainly in our neighborhood. Cyclones draw their energy from heat and the water. And the waters around us, they are heating up very very fast. So that's what's actually providing the extra energy for these cyclones.

The problem is that when this water comes in, it intensifies the process of saltwater intrusion. So, Cyclone Aila for example in 2009, even though it, fortunately, didn't take a terrible toll in lives, it took a terrible toll in livelihoods. A lot of people lose their ability to feed themselves. 

Right now, I'm hearing from Sundarbans that many people just don't have water. They have to walk for miles and miles to get drinking water because all their freshwater sources have been salinated. And that land, which is actually quite fertile land, once it gets salinated it takes you years to bring productivity. Though here I must say, fortunately, there is an amazing seed scientist, Debal Deb, whose work you may know. He has been specializing in developing and regenerating salt-resistant types of rice.

The first cyclone I experienced was when I was 8 years old. I remember it vividly. I remember the water flowing through our house. Actually, there was a little pond behind our house, fish was going through our house - it was an extraordinary experience. So, yes, I think everyone who is familiar with the landscape of Bengal knows that. we grew up with these extraordinary events. And I also experienced actually a tornado in Delhi in 1978, so I have a long sort of strange relationship with these weird sorts of weather events. So, I'm very much drawn into them. 

But you know, we have to remember that it's just not me. I mean, on the landscape of Bengal, everyone who inhabits it including writers, filmmakers and so on develops this kind of relationship with these weather events.