On the occasion of World Environment Day, the members of Sabuj Manch – platform of environmental groups – organised a protest here on Thursday against the alleged illegal filling of Captain Bheri, a 20-acre water body on the south eastern fringe of Kolkata.
The Bheri , meaning ‘water body to cultivate fishes’, is part of the wetlands of Eastern Kolkata (acts as the reservoir of Kolkata’s sewage) is being filled up for developing a parking area for vehicles of the proposed Eco-Tourism Park. The protesters alleged that the Bheri is being filled up “illegally” by the State government as it is located in a wetland area that is recognised as the only Ramsar Site in the State. The Ramsar Convention (formally, the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance) is an international treaty for sustainable utilisation and conservation of wetlands, recognising the fundamental ecological functions of wetlands. East Kolkata Wet Land is the only Ramsar site of Bengal, and one of the 26 in the country.
The environmental activists alleged that a major portion of the Captain Bheri, located on the eastern side of the Eastern Metropolitan Bypass, has been “filled up” already. “About two to three acres of the Bheri have been filed up by the State Government for an Eco-Tourism Park,” said Naba Dutta, the convener of the Sabuj Manch.
However, Urban Development Minister Firhad Hakim said the State government has “nothing to do with it.”
“The pond is filled up by Metro Railways, we (State Government) have nothing to do with it,” he said. Naba Dutta, however, refuses to accept the Minister’s statement.
According to the Ramsar Convention, any change of landscape in a Ramsar Site is not allowed. However, the Ramsar Convention does not have any legal binding. But then again if the status is withdrawn it may not reflect well on the State, as the Chief Minister often refers to “global warming as one of the key problems” of modern times. The area was recognised as Ramsar Site in 2002.
“If the criterion of a Ramsar Site is not maintained and the landscape is tampered with, it can withdraw its recognition. As a result the funds from the Centre that are allotted for its preservation will also be stopped,” said Dhrubojyoti Ghosh, former Chief Environment Officer in the West Bengal Government.
Mr. Ghosh also pointed out that according to a Calcutta High Court verdict of 1992 if any change has to be made to the 12,500 acres of wetland of East Kolkata, it has to be first approved by the High Court. The activists further alleged that the State Government is violating its own East Kolkata Wetland (Conservation and Management) Act, 2006. According to the Act any change of land use pattern in the area is prohibited.
The environmental significance of the wetlands on the eastern fringes of the city lies in the fact that a large portion of sewage of the city falls into these wetlands which act as a natural purification system. If it is filled up due to unplanned urbanisation and development then there will be no other way to desalinate the waste water but to do it artificially. This according to environment experts will not only be expensive but will also have a direct impact on the municipal services of the city.
FishermenThe filling up of these wetlands will also jeopardise the livelihood of many fishermen, who are one of the major stakeholders on the issue. According to Pradip Chatterjee, the general secretary of National Fish Workers Forum “the lives of about 20,000 fishermen are dependend on the East Kolkata wetlands.”
“But now these fishermen are also constantly threatened by promoters as the land prices are increasing by leaps and bounds,” Mr. Chatterjee said.
