KMC to initiate Rawdon Square work without harming greenery

The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) has decided to initiate restoration works of Rawdon Square without causing any harm to the greenery and the waterbody.

The decision was taken at a high-level meeting at the KMC's headquarters on Tuesday. It comes following a directive issued by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) prohibiting the parking of cars in the area. The civic body will soon inform their decision to the Green Bench. It will also make the NGT aware about its elaborate plan of totally revamping the area keeping its adjoining greenery and waterbody intact.

The Green Bench had issued a directive after some city-based environmentalists moved the NGT to stop the construction of a parking lot which was being built to accommodate private cars that ferry students from a reputed school at the cost of greenery.

Mayor Sovan Chatterjee who is also in charge of the Environment department held a meeting with state Pollution Control Board chairman Kalyan Rudra and other green movement activists in this regard. After the meeting Chatterjee said that the KMC will prepare a Detailed Project Report (DPR) of Rs 2 crore for the total revamp of Rawdon Square. The Mayor also visited the place after the meeting.

"We will clean up the weed that had grown in and around the pond. The state Environment department will allocate a fund for this," Mayor said.

It may be mentioned that some green activists alleged that there might be an attempt to fill up a waterbody and therefore sought the intervention of the NGT in this regard. After going through the appeal, the Green Bench had instructed the KMC to take adequate measures to prevent the filing up of the waterbody. The KMC acted promptly and held a meeting with the green activists and decided to renovate the place so that greenery is kept intact.