‘Make full disclosure on steps taken to tackle encroachment’

Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court has directed the East Kolkata Wetland Management Authority (EKWMA) to “make an honest and full disclosure” by filing a comprehensive report on steps taken to implement the directions of the court in freeing the wetland from encroachment.

The Bench of Chief Justice T S Sivagnanam and Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharyya told the counsel representing the EKWMA to file a comprehensive report where it has to make full disclosure of steps taken pursuant to the direction of the court in connection with a writ petition.

“The report has to state what steps are in the process of implementation and what other steps are pending,” the CJI directed.

The EKWMA counsel told the court that a vigilance committee was formed as per earlier court directions.

The committee made several visits and detected some construction. He told the court that thereafter the authorities concerned, including Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) and district-level authorities, were approached and asked to take

appropriate measures.

In the last hearing of this case, KMC submitted a report to the High Court informing that it has started work of cleaning garbage from East Kolkata Wetlands (EKW) while also taking measures to free it from encroachment.

The KMC counsel also claimed that the civic body has also partially demolished a bridge over the Bidyadhari-2 canal rendering it useless.

However, the petitioner’s counsel filed an exception to the KMC report. It was claimed that construction materials continue to remain at the wetlands and were not removed but admitted that no new constructions were made.

One of the petitioners in the writ petition had alleged about permanent change of character of wetland to non-wetland use by way of a bridge being constructed over Bidyadhari 2 canal in the EKW.

This resulted in the blockage of wastewater from flowing freely and affected the livelihood of the local fishermen, resulting in a permanent alteration of the waste water canal.

The petition alleged that the wetlands are facing twin threats of illegal conversion for non-wetland use and illegal filling up by certain parties for commercial purposes.

This is resulting in a slow but gradual change in the nature of these wetlands.