Residents, greens join hands to save 52-cottah Uttarpara water body from encroachment
Times of India | 17 March 2025
123 Kolkata: Santhal Pukur, a sprawling wetland in Uttarpara Kotrang Municipality (UKM), once a thriving biodiversity hot spot and a sanctuary for migratory birds, is now almost entirely filled up — allegedly by real estate developers with the tacit support of influential sections of the local municipality. The encroachment has sparked widespread outrage among residents, environmental activists and netas, who are demanding its restoration.
Despite the chief minister's recent stern warnings against illegal filling of water bodies, the encroachment of Santhal Pukur continues at an alarming pace. Local party functionaries and UKM's vice-chairman have joined residents in their opposition.
Santhal Pukur, a 52-cottah water body adjacent to Dwarik Jungle Road in ward 7 of UKM, was named after the Santhal families who settled around it. Originally owned by Sachin Saha and his wife Manorama Saha, the pond began facing encroachment decades ago when rubbish was first dumped there.
In 1984, the then-municipality chairman ordered a complete halt to pond-filling activities. Over the years, multiple attempts to reclaim it were thwarted by locals. In 2015, a significant portion was forcibly filled by associates of notorious criminal Ramesh Mahato at the behest of the realtors.
Pradip Panja, a local lawyer who has been protesting against these encroachments since the 1980s, said: "Those who opposed the illegal filling had to retreat after witnessing the level of muscle-flexing and open display of firearms."
The issue was raised in West Bengal Assembly in 2018 by MLA Prabir Ghosal. "We have also written to CM Mamata Banerjee," said Netai Dasgupta, a resident.
UKM's vice-chairman, Khokan Mondal, blamed some realtors and municipal officials for the pond's illegal filling. "They manipulated land records and converted it into land. Now they are trying to appease a local club by offering a part of it for a tennis academy," he added. However, municipality chairman Dilip Yadav said, "There is no question of filling it. According to our records, it is classified as ‘danga' or land. The pond was filled in 2000-2001. The matter lies with the land and land revenue dept. If they decide to restore it, we will comply." Locals, however, said full-fledged filling of the pond began in 2015.