City ‘Howrah' is one of the most congested and populated urban area and Dumurjola is the only open natural environment here. This 55 acre green patch of Dumurjola has more than 500 large trees, wetlands, and open grassland altogether. It is needless to say that the area is rich in biodiversity.

In 1960, Dumurjola was agricultural land that the erstwhile government overtook for the sake of developing sports infrastructure. Within a few years, an indoor stadium was constructed by the government, occupying some part of the land. The present government has already blocked some portions of this land to make a permanent helipad. At now, the government has passed a new project named ‘Khel Nagari’ that is planned to be constructed over the entire land, which will include an international stadium, Tennis court, gymnasium, shopping complex, and housing complexes. This project has been given to the ‘Housing Infrastructural Development Corporation’ (HIDCO) and Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) to implement the aforesaid project.

Due to this project (including the ongoing contractions of it), the entire ecosystem of Dumurjola shall collapse and it will also affect the pollution level of the city Howrah and surrounding townships. Large tree species like Mango, Bottle-Brush, Palash, Krishnachura, Radhachura, etc can be found here, which happen to be the natural habitat and home of numerous bird species, such as Cuckoos, Doves, Kingfishers, Orioles, Parrots, Herons, Owls, Shikras, Barbets, Drongos and various migratory birds such as Amur falcons, Taiga Flycatcher, Siberian Bluethroat; mammals such as squirrels, mongoose, foxes and rare Fishing Cat, Fitch; while fishing cat and fitch are critically endangered. This is the responsibilities of the state to protect and improve the environment and safeguard the wild life, as mentioned in the Article 48a of the Indian constitution. Many aquatic flora and fauna, insects, and plants have formed this ecosystem, thereby making this area a complete and diverse biological hotspot, an ‘Oasis in the city of Howrah’. While we are already experiencing such pollution leading to create an attacking ground of diseases like Covid-19 by weaken us further.

We all know that in an industrial city like Howrah, with a high population and high level of pollution are inevitable problems, maintaining the balance between atmospheric oxygen and carbon dioxide is a standing issue and the trees and natural environment of Dumurjola takes a very important role in this process. If this project is implemented, the scenario of pollution in Howrah would be the same as that of Delhi, the most polluted urban centre of India. Moreover because of these possible environmental issues, destroying a natural environment within such vicinity of the urban area has been forbidden by the National Green Tribunal Act of India, 2010. This project is violating that law as well.

Another major environmental vandalization has been done by doing the concrete construction of natural Waterland’s sides which affects the aquatic ecosystem. Now the remaining natural ponds are being started to fill during this project and 50% of filling is done already. These types of activities hamper not only the ecosystem but also constrain to maintain the groundwater level. It should be remembered that the aquatic ecosystem and the terrestrial ecosystem are mutually dependent and also equally important to maintain a healthy ecosystem.

Dumurjola has its importance in the dominion of social and civil life as well. This open ground, the ‘Heart and Lungs of Howrah city’ is used by the local residents for morning-walk, jogging, and other physical and cultural activities. Children come to play. In the time of the COVID-19 pandemic, we all have learned how important these physical activities are, both for old-age people and the young generation. Children of the city still know how a field looks like, because of Dumurjola ground. This project will cost their childhood. All these are clear violations of Article 21 of the Indian Constitution.

The ground of Dumurjola is a part of our life. But the steamroller of ‘development’ is about to smash this piece of green and destroy the primary elements of our existence.