3 months ago
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As a monolithic blaze tore done a warehouse in Anandapur and killed implicit 25 people in the wee hours of the Republic Day (Januray 26, 2026), it exposed a deeper responsibility line in the strategy — how illegal and indiscriminate construction has eaten distant astatine the ecologically delicate portion successful the fringes of eastbound Kolkata.
Experts pass that specified accelerated encroachment of the wetlands, which are a earthy filter for sewage water, can pb to long-term damage to the ecology of the metropolis and its surroundings. Official records and tribunal proceedings have on aggregate occasions raised concerns over encroachment and unauthorised development successful the protected wetland zone.
The East Kolkata Wetlands Management Authority’s (EKWMA) Management Action Plan 2021–2026 stated that “Land usage and onshore screen of the wetland to be maintained in enactment with regulatory requirements nether Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017 and East Kolkata Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Act, 2006. No amerciable translation of onshore use.”
The study besides mentions a stark fig that according to studies, the wetlands prevention Kolkata metropolis and its surroundings a whopping ₹4,680 cardinal annually successful h2o attraction costs.
The wetland treats implicit 900 million litres of sewage generated by Kolkata Municipal Corporation each time (approximately 65% of the total sewage generated successful the metropolitan area). These wetlands which are situated close beside the superior metropolis of West Bengal spans over a massive 12,500 hectares. Experts fearfulness that this monolithic portion of onshore has go a lucrative concern abstraction for the land mafia.
Threat to earthy resources
“This is portion of our earthy resources. The wetlands filters huge amounts of h2o connected a regular basis. It is like recharging of the water. It besides helps the accumulation of astir fractional of our fishes and vegetables. If this abstraction shrinks our ecosystem volition besides beryllium destroyed,” Partha Pratim Biswas, prof of operation engineering astatine Jadavpur University, told The Hindu raising concerns astir the encroachment of the wetlands and its translation into existent property structures.
According to the EKWMA, “Over 260 shallow food ponds successful the EKW person implicit 900 MLD pre-settled sewage from the Kolkata Metropolitan portion done a web of locally excavated secondary and tertiary canals, which is utilized to nutrient annually 20,000 MT of fish, 50,000 MT of vegetables and irrigate 2,850 hectares of paddy lands.”
Professor Biswas added that arsenic these wetlands prevarication close beside Kolkata, but most of it was officially portion of the gram panchayat country and was not included successful the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) area. The uproar implicit encroachment remains minimal adjacent though it could rapidly interaction the lives of the city-dwellers, helium said.
There are lone 2 Ramsar-listed ecosystem wetlands successful West Bengal, 1 is the East Kolkata Wetlands, and the different the Sundarbans. The instrumentality said that the extortion of these ecosystems was expected to be implemented with strict vigilance under the State authorities authorities.
“These were bare lands very close to Kolkata. Setting up warehouses present does not outgo overmuch money, mode little than successful premier Kolkata locations. It is strategically placed nether a gram panchayat, which makes instrumentality implementation dilatory and loose, making the operation and encroachment lucrative for each concern owners,” Professor Biswas added.
Political blasted game
As rescue operations proceed successful the gutted warehouse, governmental parties person shifted blasted arsenic elder leaders of the State did not instrumentality accountability for the tragedy.
“This has been here before 2006, earlier the Ramsar normal came into place. We did not halt it due to the fact that closing down commercialized spaces similar this indiscriminately tin halt the income of galore mediocre people. I bash not person immoderate circumstantial map right now to identify if this was officially portion of the wetlands,” Firhad Hakim, Kolkata Municipal Corporation Mayor said portion visiting the mishap tract connected January 27. He claimed that currently, no different wetlands are being encroached, and if it happens, they are being razed down.
However, Opposition leaders begged to disagree and said that astir operation successful these parts are illegal.
Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari said that “This is not an accident, it is a man-made disaster caused by amerciable warehouses operating without occurrence information norms, NOCs, oregon audits successful the East Kolkata Wetlands. The Trinamool Congress government’s chronic apathy, corruption, and nonaccomplishment to enforce basal regulations person caused this.”
Senior Communist Party of India (Marxist) leaders similar Sujan Chakraborty made akin claims. “In 2011, these wetlands were empty; now it is filled with buildings. This was illegal, of course, they did not person immoderate occurrence license,” Mr. Chakraborty said. He claimed that these amerciable constructions person happened nether the current Trinamool government.
Meanwhile, BJP leaders person asked for a Supreme Court monitored probe into the occurrence accident. They besides raised questions astir wherefore the CEO of Wow! Momo has not been arrested till now.
The warehouse had 2 godowns, 1 of Wow! Momo, and the different of a decorator. Two apical executives of the accelerated nutrient concatenation were arrested connected Friday. Earlier, the proprietor of the different institution was besides arrested.
