ABSTRACT

Women are considered primarily responsible for the accumulation, conservation and management of resources for the survival of humanity in developing countries. Their vulnerability, because of high dependence on available natural resources like fuel, food and resource for shelter, has encouraged them to develop multifarious coping mechanisms. Covid pandemic and super cyclonic storm Amphan are the two outstanding juxtapose episodes that have added varied strains in addition to the existing exposure of rural Bengali women of different ages. The North 24 Parganas district, which is densely populated and shares international border with Bangladesh, has been facing a grave arsenic contamination disaster. The anthropause condition, because of the nationwide lockdown, has greatly affected the livelihood pattern/access to natural resources of the rural women. The probability of the presence of disease in the body has been used as a stigma – a weapon to deny access to food and water. Repudiation of access has been increased after a super cyclonic storm knocked out this place.

The chapter will focus on the comparative revelation of the negotiation politics of rural women with social and governmental surveillance, whose life and livelihood have turned susceptible throughout pandemics/natural disasters. Further, by what method can local feminist perspectives be theorized out of these intercessions of rural women will also be the focus of the chapter.