Steps to ensure people know no construction activity is allowed in fragile wetlands: Env dept

Kolkata: The state Environment department has ensured that any person interested to buy land under the East Kolkata Wetlands (EKW) knows for certain that any sort of construction activity is prohibited there.

There have been instances when people, particularly elderly citizens, have bought land in the EKW area lured by its reasonably lesser price without having the knowledge that construction activities are barred in the region.

Initially, the East Kolkata Wetland Management Authority (EKWMA), under the aegis of the state Environment department, took it up with the IG Registration and requested him to ensure that there is a clear cut pop up message mentioning the fact that any construction activity is prohibited there as soon as somebody registers for land on the portal. The portal would hardly provide any pop-up message to an individual registering with it.

The matter was being delayed initially and then it was brought before the knowledge of Chief Secretary H K Dwivedi, and a meeting was held at the highest level with all concerned under the chairmanship of the Chief Secretary and accordingly, things were settled.

“We have ensured that people receive information in the form of pop-up messages about what can be done and what cannot be done in the EKW. We are hopeful that lack of information regarding land will not be a constraint for any buyer now,” Manas Bhunia, the state Environment minister, said.

Real estate developers last year had given a deputation to the department regarding this knowledge gap among people buying land under the EKW and urged the latter to do the needful in this regard.

EKW — a Ramsar site located in the eastern fringes of the city that spans across 12,500 hectares of land happens to be the largest assemblage of sewage-fed fish ponds with 250 waterbodies across North 24-Parganas and South 24-Parganas covering a total of 37 mouzas with a population of over 1.5 lakh.

Regarded as the lungs and kidneys of Kolkata, EKW is capable of naturally treating wastewater.

It is not only responsible for preventing the city from massive inundation in case of heavy rain but also ensures that groundwater depletion does not emerge as a major threat to the city.