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Covid-19 : Blessing or curse on biodiversity ?

Mankind is going through a complete unprecedented phase in a world of rapidly spreading Covid19 pandemic. With the death tolls increasing everyday by thousands and the socio-economic condition nationwide and abroad being broken, nature has chosen to take actions. Leaving aside the fear for our own health, and that of our loved ones and also those who are most vulnerable, we must not overshadow the most striking observation that in the span of a few weeks, nature has stroked back on the crisis of dangerous decline in biodiversity. Like the other major epidemics like Ebola, SARS ,the emergence of the coronavirus is not unrelated with climate change, biodiversity and animal health we are experiencing. Humankind is destroying natural environments at an accelerating rate between 1980 and 2000, more than million hectares of tropical forest were felled, and more than 85% of wetlands have been destroyed from the beginning of industrial era. As a

2nd January 2019. Cold winter night.Me and my father are heading towards Digha,a crowded small yet enigmatic sea beach.It was a one day trip by bus. We boarded the bus from Dharmatala bus terminus. I grabbed the window seat as usual. It was a chilling and thrilling experience. The greyish fog and the dark charcoal-black night together created a Halloween performance and the cold air added to the aroma. On the way the bus stopped at a roadside Dhaba and we had hot tea that gave a slight relief. I was rather sleepy for the rest of the journey. At 4'o clock probably the bus reached our destination. I woke up, startled by the hustle-bustle of other passengers. I was already getting the feel of cool sea breeze and my scarf,cap,sweater jacket failed to defend the wind; with rattling my teeth my father started bargaining with the Toto drivers. The smell of the surrounding was salty and 'fishy'. I never witnessed such a tranquil atmosphere before. After quickly lodging in the hotel,we rushed t

The Itachuna Rajbari in the Chinsura subdivision of Hoogly district in West Bengal is also known as "Bargee-Danga" for its violent past.This Rajbari was built by the ancestors of Shri Safallya Narayan Kundu in 1766. The Kundus have modified their titles from Kundan who were amongst the Maratha Bargees.Between 1741 to 1751 the Maratha Bargees plundered the villages of Bengal. They attacked Bengal repeatedly every year to collect Chauth which is according to historian Jadunath Sarkar was essentially a tax paid by those states that did not want the Marathas to enter into their realm.The Chauth thus served as a protection money against Maratha invasions in these states.The then Nawab of Bengal,Bihar and Orissa Alibardi Khan resisted these bargee attacks conducted under the guidance of Bhaskar Pandit and Raghuji Bhosle. This act of the Nawab protecting his people who were majority Hindu, from the Hindu looters marks a significant milestone in the diversified and variant history of Bengal an

Being a student of geography, I find it very interesting in linking every aspect of daily life with the subject. Everything can be linked to space that in turn falls under the study area of geography. Let's take the example of our home. There is a family system in our house ,a division of labour,a proper sense of belonging. The earnings,hardworking of our parents are the inputs in the family that is processed with interaction among family members and results in a healthy happy relationship(though this hypothesis may go wrong due to adjustment problems which is related to conflicts regarding space and lack of interaction which is to say every single problem is linked to geography.)

           I can even drag "dressing sense" (much to its grievances and grimace)and link it with geography. One day I remember wearing full sleeves on a hot summer day and my friend who herself was wearing sleeveless asked me why I was wearing such thing. It took me several unbearable moments and it was in va