Kolkata: The reclaiming of the pond in Netaji Nagar’s Jorabagan by a Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) team suffered a temporary setback on Friday owing to resistance by a section of local residents who claimed to be owners of the pond. Later, the KMC environment department officials resumed work with assistance from cops.
Other residents of the Jorabagan area have now demanded restoration of other filled-up ponds in the neighbourhood.“There are at least three large ponds within half a kilometre that have been filled up systematically. If we fail to protect them, we can’t prevent environmental degradation,” said Bikash Chandra Pal, a retired professor of Asutosh College who lives in the area.
According to Debasish Mukherjee, former councillor of ward 99, the land sharks first encourage the locals to fill up the ponds with garbage. “After a point of time, when no water is visible, the promoters start filling up the water bodies with rubbish. We must remain alert and thwart attempts to fill up any pond. We should bring the matter to the notice of the civic authorities and cops,” said Mukherjee.
Jorabagan resident Arup Bhowmick alleged that the three ponds, one of which covers more than a bigha, had been filled up with help from land sharks. “Restoration of these ponds is necessary to both protect the environment and save the neighbourhood from waterlogging and mosquito menace. During monsoon, the filled-up ponds turn into mosquito-breeding grounds. During and after monsoon, the number of dengue cases rises in our neighbourhood,” said Bhowmick.
An environment department official conceded constant vigil was needed on the pond being restored. “We have taken note of some other ponds in the locality which have been filled up. These can be reclaimed if we take timely initiative,” the official said.