Around 20 people, most of them women employed as cooks on tourist boats in the Sundarbans, took part in a two-day culinary workshop that concluded on Sunday.
The workshop focused on promoting hygienic cooking practices while encouraging participants to make greater use of locally available ingredients to enhance the flavour of their dishes.
Organisers said the programme was designed to enhance participants’ skills and boost their employability, while promoting alternative livelihood opportunities to reduce dependence on forest-based occupations in the Sundarbans.
The workshop was held at Baghbon, an NGO-run community resource centre at Pakhiralaya on the opposite bank of Sajnekhali Wildlife Sanctuary.
A member of the local joint-forest management committee said there are at least 500 tourist boats that operate on the fringes of the Sundarban Tiger Reserve.
“Until a few years ago, many of these people regularly ventured into the forests to catch fish and crabs, often risking their lives. The growth in tourism across the Sundarbans has reduced that dependence to some extent. However, during the lean season, many are still compelled to enter prohibited forest areas in search of a livelihood,” said Joydip Kundu, founder of SHER (Society for Heritage and Ecological Researches), the NGO that organised the programme.
“This is a pilot project, and we plan to organise more such workshops in the future. If these people have a steady source of income, they will be less likely to venture into the forests. They can also encourage others in their villages to adopt similar livelihoods. In the long run, this will aid the conservation of the Sundarbans ecosystem and its apex predator, the Bengal tiger,” Kundu said.
Pinaki Ray, a veteran chef and one of the founder-members of a popular restaurant chain, conducted the workshop.
“They received basic hygiene training, like washing their hands every time before cooking and properly preserving ingredients. They cook basic meals, which are usually spicy. In the workshop, they were introduced to simple yet flavourful dishes like chicken stew and noodle soup,” said Ray, who is also a keen wildlife photographer.
“Many wildlife photographers who live outside India want to come to the Sundarbans because it is a unique biodiversity hotspot. But they are apprehensive about the food. If the cooks can cater to their palate, it is a win-win situation,” said Ray.
Uma Mistry, in her 50s, was one of the participants. Uma cooks on tourist boats, usually for large groups. She earns around ₹600 per day. Four years ago, she entered the forests regularly with her husband to catch fish and crabs.
“Now, the opportunity for work (cooking) has increased. But several families still have members entering the forests for livelihood,” said Uma.
Between April 24 and June 2, at least five persons are believed to have died in the Sundarbans after entering the forests to catch fish and crabs, said sources in the forest department and representatives of organisations that work for wildlife conservation.
Three of the deaths were reported from the Sundarban Tiger Reserve and two from the South 24-Parganas forest division, they said. There is a blanket ban on fishing inside the forests in the run-up to the monsoon.