EKW to get 10 km embankment plantation under NCAP

Kolkata: A stretch of the East Kolkata Wetlands (EKW) — where water, waste and wildlife coexist on the city’s edge — is set for a fresh green makeover, with the state planning a 10-km embankment plantation from Harapur to Nayabad.

An official confirmed that a tender was floated by the Green Projects Wing of the West Bengal Forest Development Corporation (WBFDC) before the announcement of the elections for the work, which includes both plantation and a year-long maintenance component.

Officials said the initiative, under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), aims to build sustained green cover in one of Kolkata’s most ecologically sensitive zones.

“The idea is not just to plant, but to ensure the plantation survives and grows.

That is why maintenance has been built into the project,” an official said.

The project has been estimated at around Rs. 67.9 lakh, covering plantation over a 10-km stretch as well as its upkeep during the first year. The work will be executed along embankment stretches within the wetlands area, focusing on continuous plantation rather than scattered patches.

Running along embankments that define parts of the wetlands, the proposed green cover is expected to add a protective layer to these fragile edges, even as it contributes to the city’s broader

environmental efforts.

Sources said the plan also ties in with livelihood support, with contractors expected to engage local labour, including job card holders, in line with state guidelines. The involvement of local workers is expected to aid both the execution and upkeep of the plantation.

The East Kolkata Wetlands, a notified Ramsar site, remains crucial to the city’s ecological balance. The embankment plantation, officials said, is part of a wider attempt to reinforce such natural systems while keeping pace with

urban pressures.

Recently, the EKW had again jumped into the spotlight after around 21 workers died in a warehouse fire under the jurisdiction of the Narendrapur Police Station, while some were reported missing. Questions were raised over such constructions on the wetland.