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Land Sharks Target Ramsar Site Again
4 Aug
Summary
- Illegal filling of a water body in Nayabad threatens a Ramsar site.
- Residents allege ongoing encroachment for real estate development.
- Activists warn of increased flooding and environmental damage.
Fresh allegations of illegal encroachment have emerged concerning Kolkata's East Kolkata Wetlands, an internationally recognized Ramsar site. Residents report that a significant water body in Nayabad is being systematically filled, apparently for real estate development. This activity has reportedly continued in phases for approximately three years, intensifying over the past month.
Complaints have been lodged with authorities, highlighting the destruction of a critical habitat for local biodiversity. Environmental activists express concern that the familiar pattern of temporary sheds followed by permanent structures is being repeated, further jeopardizing the wetlands' crucial role as Kolkata's natural wastewater treatment system and flood buffer.
The East Kolkata Wetlands, spanning about 12,500 hectares, are vital for managing wastewater, mitigating floods, and acting as a carbon sink. The ongoing encroachment, particularly within the notified wetland zone like Nayabad, contravenes the East Kolkata Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Act, 2006, which prohibits the conversion of water bodies.
