Sharp decline in number of water bodies in Kolkata raises concern

A sharp decline in the number of water bodies in Kolkata during the last few years has become a cause of major concern for many.

According to a recent survey conducted by the office of the land records & surveys and joint land reforms commissioner, the record of rights for as many as 8,250 of a total of 12,442 water bodies scattered just between 101 and 144 wards under Kolkata Municipal Corporation(KMC) have been changed.

Ward number 101 to 144 is mainly in added areas under KMC and the record of rights for the majority of the water bodies there have been changed to that of classified lands.

The matter was recently highlighted at a petition on such rampant filling up of water bodies and changing the record of rights at the division bench of the Calcutta High Court’s Chief Justice T.S. Sivagnanam and Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharya.

The bench also took objection to the reluctance of the KMC in arresting the rampant filling up of water bodies and had also imposed a financial penalty on KMC authorities.

In fact, the environmentalists for quite some time too had been vocal against the rampant filling up of water bodies and changing their nature into classified lands for the sole purpose of unbridled real estate promotion.

The concerns of the environmentalists on this count were also echoed in an observation by Justice Amrita Sinha of the Calcutta High Court while hearing on a somewhat similar case. Justice Sinha directed the wetland authority to file a report regarding an illegal and unauthorized construction over wetland in an area under the Narendrapur Police Station in South 24 Parganas.

Justice Sinha also expressed ire over unbridled real estate development filling up water bodies and that too at a time when the people of Kolkata are gasping for breath.