the marine life in the Sunderban region of West Bengal faces increasing threat owing to indiscriminate exploitation of bio-organisms and intense commercial activities in the neighbouring areas. This was brought to the notice of the state government by marine scientist Amalesh Chowdhury.

He said that a recent survey of the area has revealed that "at least 86 species of fish and 46 species of crustaceans had either become extinct or endangered in the Sagar Island.' He regretted that the state administration had so far taken no steps to control the crisis. Chowdhury further pointed out that careless dumping of "industrial effluents from Haldia (the neighbouring industrial area) wreck havoc on aquatic animals, including microscopic planktons, which play a key role in the microscopic ecosystem.'