TNN
| May 24, 2012, 05.03AM IST
KOLKATA:
Encroachment of waterbodies continues unabated. After a pond was
filled up in Dum Dum and another in Nonadanga late last year, land
sharks have struck yet again – this time in the city proper -
filling up an 80-cottah waterbody to construct residential high
rises. The encroached pond is at 51A Canal Circular Road behind
Apollo Gleneagles Hospital in east Kolkata.
The
controversial plot, that locals say rippled with water till three to
four months ago, has now been filled up with earth. Though some
claimed that the 80-cottah 'land' in question was a low-lying area
where water accumulated during monsoon, giving the impression of a
waterbody, others disputed it in hushed tones and informed that a
pond had existed there for years. Sources said both muscle and money
had played a part in suppressing voices in the neighbourhood.
The
presence of shanties housing washermen is the only evidence of a
'waterbody'. In south Kolkata, too, washermen live in a cluster
around a pond off Pramathesh Barua Sarani. "With the pond at
Canal Circular Road now gone, the washermen have to make do with
water from a well," said washerwoman Uma Razak.
It
was a local resident who alerted environment activist Subhas Datta
about the encroachment. The latter went on a recce on Wednesday
afternoon, but was stopped by private security guards posted at the
site. It was only after police arrived that the guards relented. What
Datta saw left him in shock. "There is no sign of a pond now. It
has been completely filled up," he said.
Sources
said the pond has been filled up over the past couple of months under
blanket security. The entrance to the plot is shrouded with a black
tarpaulin and entry strictly monitored. There is absolute secrecy
over who the promoters are and what is to be constructed at the
encroached site.
Some,
however, brazenly claimed that the 'so-called pond' was a lowland.
"It is good that it is being filled up," said Rajesh
Sharma, who has been living here for 40 years. Activist Bonani
Kakkar, who has fought many a legal battle for wetland conservation,
clarified that any waterbody over 5 cottah comes under the purview of
Inland Fisheries Act and any wetland, whatever be the condition,
cannot be converted to dry land.
A
16-year-old spilled the beans. "The pond had a lot of water, but
the people have been filling it gradually for years. The activity
picked up steam over the past couple of months," he said.
An
FIR has been lodged and Phool Bagan police have written to Kolkata
Municipal Corporation for action. KMC has, in turn, asked police to
maintain a 24x7 vigil and plans to inspect the site soon. "A
joint inspection will be carried out with representatives of the
pollution control board, inland fisheries department and KMC's
project management unit," said KMC member, mayor-in-council
(environment) Sanchita Mondol.
South
Asian Forum for Environment chair Dipayan Dey isn't too enthused with
the assurance of an inspection. "It is our collective
responsibility to end the encroachment and filling of wetlands. But
no one is doing anything about it. There are several cases like
these, but they never come to our notice," he added.
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© 2012 Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. All rights reserved.
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