The East Calcutta Wetlands were designated a "wetland of international importance" under the Ramsar Convention on August 19, 2002. The wetlands cover 125 square kilometers, and include salt marshes and salt meadows, as well as sewage farms and settling ponds. The wetlands are used to treat Kolkata's sewage, and the nutrients contained in the waste water sustain fish farms and agriculture.

The land filling and stealing of EKW water body is done by Govt and private parties uncontrolled. Over the years in the last 25 years illegal landfills are on the rise and the wetlands are being slowly assimilated in the mainstream city. This unprecedented land development and urbanization are creating concerns about the impact on the environment including MLW disposal of major part of Kolkata city. Capacity of Dhapa MSW disposal  yard  is over long back and now it is encroaching the EKW water body. In short  time Dhapa dump yard will cover the major part of  EKW but no one is thinking for the loss of  MLW dump yard ie EKW. Government have no realistic plan or program for disposal of  MSW & MLW of the large metropolitan city Calcutta .

Municipal Solid waste dump yard can raise vertically like hill as it is happening in Dhapa dump yard. But MLW( liquid) dumping can’t rise vertically and will spread horizontally when filled to its capacity.  In few decades major part of the  EKW will become greater Dhapa and the  problem of MSW dumping will be solved temporarily  This will be  at the cost of MLW disposal  wet land and it will make the city roads filled with MLW when the  drain manholes will overflow making the city not fit for living with associated spread of diseases .

State Govt is a part of this stealing of EKW as we can see in different clearances/ decisions including allowing the private party to allow land filling,  stating the insufficiency of present law to stop the land encroachment & development. This will have environmental impact which will affect  the people in this region directly and  indirectly the whole mankind .  We request the GOI, WBGOVT and international organizations to wake up to solve the problem of MSW & MLW of city of Kolkata and save the Ramsar Site- East Kolkata Wetland,  (Ramsar site No. 1208) from vanishing. 

Somendra mohan ghosh 

Environmentalist & Green Technologist 

smggroup@yahoo.com