Order of the National Green Tribunal regarding protection of a waterbody, Kolkata, West Bengal, 07/02/2023
Order of the National Green Tribunal (Eastern Zone Bench, Kolkata) in the matter of Subhas Datta Vs State of West Bengal & Others dated 07/02/2023.
Grievance in the application is against failure to conserve and maintain a large water body in Kolkata at the Western side of Science City, at 8, 19 and 20, East Topsia Road, Kolkata which is the buffer zone of the East Calcutta Wetland, only Ramsar site of the state. The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) has given a license for use of part of the water body for commercial purposes.
The NGT said that it was clear from the joint committee report that the West Bengal Pollution Control Board has granted consent which requires all precautions to be adopted. The SPCB should maintain due surveillance and Calcutta Boating and Hotel Resorts (P) Ltd., the Project Proponent must follow best practices necessary for protection of water body which may be overseen by the State PCB and Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC). One such measure can be floating water mixing devices driven by solar panel for enhancement of oxygen in the lake, the tribunal suggested.