Farsed Ali, 84, from West Bengal, is one of the oldest residents in his community. Over his lifetime, he has witnessed many changes. Even at this stage of life, every Saturday morning he still travels about 20 kilometers to bring vegetables from the local market. He currently lives with his wife, his son, and his daughter-in-law. Recently, he and his son were able to build a house for their family on higher ground.
What has climate change done here?
“For more than 40 years, we have suffered as the Ganga river keeps shifting its course and eroding the land. Just a few weeks ago, our shop suddenly disappeared under the river, and we were terrified. Even the ghat barrier where we used to bathe was washed away. I have lived here for almost 52 years, and now about 30 to 35 bighas (40,200–46,900 square meters) of our land are submerged. We have lost everything and have become paupers. Now, we have to save every bit of money and sometimes go without food just to try and buy land for our family.”
What do you think world leaders have to do now to stop things from getting worse and to help us adapt?
“We urgently need stronger, more permanent barriers to prevent the river from eroding our land any further. If the government could provide us with a safe colony or our own land to live on, it would make a huge difference for families like ours. Right now, all of our sons have to work very hard in other states just so we can survive here.”
Life expectancy 2023
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