The Hindu Business Line : West Bengal plans law to protect East Kolkata wetlands

THE West Bengal Government will soon frame a law to protect the 8,000-acre East Kolkata wetlands. Declared as a Ramsar site, the State Government is considering proposals to develop the marshy land as an eco-tourism destination, combining assistance from the Union Government, Asian Development Bank (ADB) and other developmental institutions. (A Ramsar site is a wetland area with certain ecological characteristics, named after a convention on wetlands held in Ramsar, Iran).

The unique wetland combining a patchwork of tree-fringed canals, vegetable plots and fish ponds, along with the assistance of 20,000 people daily, transform one-third of the city's sewage and most of its domestic refuse into 20 tonnes of fish and 150 tonnes of vegetables.

But for its contribution to the environment, the entire system dispenses with the need for high-cost engineered sewage system.

Announcing this, the West Bengal Chief Minister, Mr Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, said on Sunday that the State Government was committed to protect this unique gift of nature.

"We are soon to enact a law for its complete protection from any kind of construction activity." A committee under the leadership of the State Chief Secretary is asked to frame the legislation.

Mr Bhattacharjee was addressing the Environment Excellence Award ceremony jointly organised by the Indian Chamber of Commerce and West Bengal Pollution Control Board, here.

He had also released a complete database on the wetlands in the State, based on satellite images.

Talking on the proposed national environment policy, the Chief Minister said that the policy should remove the flaws of the existing rules regulations on environmental clearance.

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