Dhrubajyoti Ghosh, the ecologist who introduced 100 kilometre swathe of Kolkata wetland to the rest of the world, passed away here on Friday.
Ghosh received prestigious Luc Hoffman Award, instituted to honour conservationist by International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources [IUCN], in 2016 for his pioneering and lifelong work to protect East Kolkata Wetland [EKW], world’s largest organic sewage management system. Owing to his work, EKW was declared as the Ramsar Site or Wetland of International Importance.
The ecologist, who was also declared one of UN’s Global 500 laureate, however was always concerned about the shrinking of EKW, basically a giant water body between Kolkata and Sunderbans. In one of his last interviews to The Hindu , Ghosh blamed “land sharks” of Trinamool Congress [TMC] for destroying the heritage site.
“It has become very difficult to criticise the encroachers, who are largely organised under the ruling party, as they usurp water bodies, fill those up to develop high rises. I receive threats for discussing the issue of local ecology,” Ghosh said. Giant residential and commercial buildings are coming up in the EKW endangering fishes, birds and reptiles in the area, he added.
Formerly the chief environment officer of the West Bengal government, Ghosh authored many books on environment and ecology.
