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Researcher: Shekhar Kanti Roy
The traditional wood-collector community living around
the neighboring districts of the Sundarban reserve forest
is popularly known as the Bawalis. They are not any
ethnic or indigenous community but an occupational group
who live under extreme poverty because of occupational
hazards, government restrictions, lack of capital and
other barriers. The research aims to generate knowledge
on the Bawalis in relation to their occupation, habitation,
children's education, traditional environment=friendly
practicess and overall socio-economic conditions. Following
a participatory action research method, where the researcher
will mostly play the role of an animator, the Bawalis
will themselves reflect upon the causes of their poverty
and explore alternative occupational possibilities and
other solutions to redress the process of their marginalization.
The research in its process is also expected to raise
the awareness of the Bawalis for the conservation and
preservation of the natural habitat of the Sundarban
mangrove forests on which depend their lives and livelihoods.
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