Abstract
Ponds are intrinsic to deltaic life as they are important for both household-level activities and supporting livelihoods. Based on field observations from areas of the Gosaba Community Development Block (Indian Sundarbans), this chapter presents descriptions of the different kinds of ponds. These descriptions illustrate the form of these different kinds of ponds. Following this descriptive section, the chapter uses qualitative data to document the varied uses of these ponds by different people, applying a gender lens and emphasising their socio-cultural and economic importance. It also explores changes over time, showing how the form and uses are embedded within wider social and economic change, and what might be expected in the future.
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Notes
- 1.
Bigha is a traditional unit of measurement of land area. In West Bengal, it is equivalent to 1333 m2.
- 2.
Kathas is a traditional unit of measurement. In West Bengal 1 katha is equivalent to 720 sq. ft.
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Acknowledgements
The authors would like to acknowledge the contribution of the countless people of Gosaba who selflessly gave them their time to talk about their ponds and what it means to them. Additionally, the authors would like to acknowledge the support of the DECCMA (FCDO, UK & IDRC Canada) and UKRI-GCRF Living Deltas Hub (Grant Reference NE/S008926/1) projects during the multiple rounds of fieldwork in which the authors have participated.
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Banerjee, S., Vincent, K. (2022). The Socio-Cultural and Economic Role of Ponds in Delta Communities: Insights from Gosaba Block of the Indian Sundarbans Delta. In: Das, S., Chanda, A., Ghosh, T. (eds) Pond Ecosystems of the Indian Sundarbans. Water Science and Technology Library, vol 112. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-86786-7_10
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