Sarsuna: KMC lodges plaint over filling up of waterbody
The civic body to further update its database of ponds existing under its jurisdiction
Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) is learnt to have lodged a police complaint over the filling up of a waterbody in the Sarsuna area while it has decided to further update its database of ponds existing under its jurisdiction.
A waterbody in Ward 127 of the civic body was reportedly being filled up by some persons. With the information reaching KMC, the civic body’s environment department is learnt to have lodged a police complaint against the accused persons at the Sarsuna police station.
It is learnt that the filling up of water bodies is a violation of a section under the West Bengal Inland Fisheries Act. However, the civic body is relying more on citizens to help stop such acts since it is supposedly impossible for KMC to monitor every water body in 144 wards.
In case a person comes to know of any such water bodies in their area which is being filled up, they can call the number (033) 2286-1212, 2286-1313 to report it.
Once the complaint is registered, KMC will take action within 24 hours by lodging an FIR with the local police station in that area.
Further, the KMC is also updating its database of waterbodies since its records reportedly do not feature several waterbodies within its jurisdiction. Also, a survey is being carried out using the list available with the civic body to see if a waterbody in the list has been filled up.
Last month, during the hearing of a case on an attempt to fill up a waterbody to pave the way for an illegal construction, Calcutta High Court had directed that in such cases the waterbody needs to be restored to its original state by the accused person.
The court had also made it clear that if any club or private organisation is found polluting a waterbody in a district, the district magistrate will have the power to take action against them, which includes charging them for cleaning work.
