KMC may offer Rs 55 cr solatium to farmers occupying ‘wet land’

Kolkata: In a bid to construct a waste processing plant and a Secured Landfill Facility (SLF) at Dhapa in compliance with a National Green Tribunal (NGT) order, Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) is planning to offer a total of Rs 55 crore compensation to the farmers who are allegedly occupying this civic body land which is also a part of East Kolkata Wetland (EKW).

According to KMC, there is a proposal from the solid waste management (SWM) department for the construction of a waste processing plant and SLF at Dhapa on an urgent basis for compliance with the order of NGT.

It was learnt that the site, under Ward 58 and Borough VII of KMC, has already been inspected jointly by the SWM department. It was found that “the entire land is under the occupation of farmers etc.”

KMC is learnt to have already surveyed the land and a drawing for the project has been prepared for an area of about 73 hectares. It is learnt that on the land there are high tension towers, water bodies etc. and it is declared as ‘wet land’ in the schedule of East Kolkata Wetland. Hence, the SWM department has learnt to have said that the land may be used for the proposed purpose considering an adequate buffer zone.

KMC officials think that in such cases, solatium/compensation etc. was paid to the occupiers for their livelihood.

The amount of compensation was about Rs 50,000 per cottah. It was learnt that the matter was discussed before the ward councillor as well as the Member-Mayor-in- Council (MMIC) Education and IT.

It was advised that a proposal be placed before the authority considering the compensation of Rs 50,000 per cottah. Accordingly, a total cost involvement for hectares of land is about Rs 55 crore.

The matter is learnt to have been placed at the recent MMIC meeting for considering the compensation amount and for starting preparation of the list of occupiers by the borough engineering department and SWM department. The payment of compensation also needs to be disbursed by these two departments.

The fund is to be disbursed under “revenue fund or under B.I Code.” Presently, the proposal is pending consideration of the KMC, as learnt.