• Home
  • Contact Us!
  • Privacy Policy

FBAppsWorld

  • Home
  • APPS
  • Android
  • Windows
  • Ipad
  • Iphone
  • Blackberry
  • Top APPS
  • Patient APPS
  • News
Home» News»Land sharks gobble up ponds in Kolkata’s Dum Dum

Land sharks gobble up ponds in Kolkata’s Dum Dum

Saheli 16 Jul 2016 News Comments Off on Land sharks gobble up ponds in Kolkata’s Dum Dum 2 Views

KOLKATA: A section of Trinamool workers in north Dum Dum believe that the involvement of local party workers in illegal filling up of waterbodies has angered, which led to the defeat of their candidate Chandrima Bhattacharya in the last assembly polls.

Sensing the local sentiment against rampant fill-up, CPM candidate of north Dum Dum, Tanmoy Bhattacharya, who won from the constituency, installed information boards cautioning such activities. The boards with the message “Jalashay raksha karun, jalashay parichhanna rakhun, jalashay bhorat hote deben na (protect wetlands; keep them clean and don’t allow its fill-up)” have been put up along the few remaining water bodies in the region.

However, according to local residents, encroachment of waterbodies continues unabated in the area, with the administration turning a blind eye to voices raised by citizen forums and green activists. A local resident said, “The latest prey to land sharks is a two-bigha pond at Nimta where local goons have been dumping earth without any hindrance despite the caution by our local MLA.”

The pond located near Nimta Battala off MB Road in north Dum Dum municipality’s ward No. 27 is the only surviving waterbody in the locality.

“Earth has been dumped to carve out a 3.5-cottah plot from the pond. Residents were encouraged to dump their garbage into the pond by local club members but MLA Bhattacharya and green activists stepped in and undertook an awareness campaign to save the pond. But this did not deter the land sharks who promptly got musclemen to continue the dumping,” said a local resident.

An ‘environment society’ formed by local youths, including green activists, made a valiant attempt to save the wetland. “We did an awareness campaign, explaining to people why it is vital to save the waterbody and planted saplings along the periphery. But they were mercilessly uprooted on the pretext of repairing the road along the pond. We have appealed to the municipal authority and West Bengal Pollution Control Board (WBPCB), but in vain,” a member of the society said, alleging the fill-up was the handiwork of a nexus between local developers and Trinamool leaders.

A green activist who is also a member of the society alleged a nexus between political leaders and developers that had spelt doom for waterbodies in the belt. “An earlier attempt to fill up the pond could not succeed following stiff resistance from locals. But now, they are back with the patronage of local Trinamool Congress leaders and are blatantly dumping earth into the pond,” an activist said.

A recent study on social and environmental impacts in north Kolkata revealed that land sharks had gobbled up nearly all major waterbodies in this belt. The real estate boom in Dum Dum, Lake Town, Patipukur, Rajarhat, Baranagar, Kamarhati, Panihati, Sodepur and Barrackpore has triggered the disappearance of ponds that once dotted these areas.

According to sources, local promoters pay Rs 50,000 to Rs 5 lakh to local goons before commencing work on real estate projects. The rates go up exponentially if a waterbody in the project area or adjoining it needs to be filled up. With land price skyrocketing at Rs 20-25 lakh per cottah and property price at Rs 4,500-5,000 per sq ft, there’s a lot at stake to fill up a waterbody.An officer of Barrackpore commissionerate said some of the notorious criminals had recently been rounded up on the basis of specific complaints of filling up ponds.

A chairman-in-council member of Trinamool-run North Dum Dum municipality acknowledges that ponds are being filled ‘illegally’ to build highrises. “We are trying to stop this with the help of fisheries department. All councillors have been warned against involvement in such activities. But still it is happening,” he said.

North Dum Dum MLA Bhattacharya said the movement to protect the wetlands would continue despite lack of cooperation from the administration.

[Source:- ET realty]

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • WhatsApp
  • Pinterest
Land sharks gobble up ponds in Kolkata's Dum Dum 2016-07-16
Tags Land sharks gobble up ponds in Kolkata's Dum Dum
Facebook Twitter Stumble linkedin Pinterest More

Authors

Posted by : Saheli
Previous Article :

Audible adds podcasts and more short-form shows with latest Windows 10 update

Next Article :

Latest Windows 10 Build Targets Bugs Ahead of July Release

Related Articles

The Most Effective Ways That You Can Use Technology for Marketing Your Business

The Most Effective Ways That You Can Use Technology for Marketing Your Business

admin 01 Dec 2022
Medium names technology and digital media veteran Tony Stubblebine CEO; founder Ev Williams transitions to Chairman of the Board

Medium names technology and digital media veteran Tony Stubblebine CEO; founder Ev Williams transitions to Chairman of the Board

Loknath Das 28 Jul 2022
MOST FAMOUS SERVICES HELP TO MAINTAIN AND GROW YOUR DIGITAL PLATFORMS

MOST FAMOUS SERVICES HELP TO MAINTAIN AND GROW YOUR DIGITAL PLATFORMS

Loknath Das 23 Jul 2022

Recent Posts

  • The Most Effective Ways That You Can Use Technology for Marketing Your Business
  • Medium names technology and digital media veteran Tony Stubblebine CEO; founder Ev Williams transitions to Chairman of the Board
  • MOST FAMOUS SERVICES HELP TO MAINTAIN AND GROW YOUR DIGITAL PLATFORMS
  • The benefits and challenges of small livestock farming in India
  • What technology can do for your business: how you can utilize apps to their maximum

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Like Us !

Like Us !
  • Contact Us!
  • Privacy Policy
Copyright 2016, All Rights Reserved
Magazine Blog News WordPress Theme