Environmental hazards and community responses in Sagar Island, India

Sagar Island is situated at the estuary of the river Hugli and prone to several environmental hazards. Erosion, cyclones, tidal surges and floods are the four major environmental hazards occurring continuously in this Island. In this paper an attempt has been made to analyse the perception of several occupational groups of the Island about the adverse effects of the four major environmental hazards. The study has examined in detail how different occupational groups perceive the environmental hazards from their respective occupational standpoints. An amalgamation of the diverse perceptions of various occupational groups and their active involvement in various stages of hazards management is suggested to protect the Island from devastating effects of environmental hazards. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.