‘Notices to be put up against dumping waste near ponds’

Kolkata: Mayor of Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) Firhad Hakim has instructed civic body officials to put up notices in wards against polluting ponds and dumping wastes, such as construction debris, near them.

Hakim has given out strict orders to the civic body officials to put up notices in areas where there are waterbodies. His decision came in the wake of a resident of Sarsuna complaining to the Mayor that garbage is being constantly dumped near the local pond which has also polluted the waterbody. The resident feared that the upcoming monsoon would pave the way for vector-borne diseases if such garbage continued to be dumped near the water body. He requested that the KMC to take up cleaning work of the waterbody at the earliest.

Hakim said: “It is often being reported that in case any construction work is taken up at any residence that is located near a waterbody, the debris is being dumped near the ponds. Various construction materials are being kept near waterbodies and often things are being thrown into the ponds. The KMC cannot go on cleaning the same pond time and again. There is a limit to utilising our funds.”

The Mayor ordered the officials to put up notices in all wards in areas near waterbodies. “The notice must clearly warn against polluting the waterbodies. There will be strict action if one is found dumping waste in it. The locals also need to keep an eye out,” he added.

Another resident from Abinash Chandra Banerjee Lane complained to the Mayor that construction is being carried out by filling up a pond. He said that he had sent a joint petition to the KMC and even informed the borough officers, but no action was taken. Hakim has instructed a team to go inspect the site.

In a bid to prevent the filling up of ponds and ensure their maintenance, the KMC environment department has shortlisted about 150 ponds in Kolkata for pisciculture purposes while it is soon going to float tenders to invite interested parties.

The civic body is also looking for alternate ways to clean city ponds without having to make massive expenditures in time-consuming processes.