Kolkata: For conservation of waterbodies in the wake of rapid urbanisation in the city, Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) geo-tagged more than 8,000 waterbodies in the city using satellite surveys coupled with ground verification.
According to KMC, such a move is part of its battle against unauthorised filling up of waterbodies in the cities. Total water area of 17130045 sqm was geo-tagged. This was also done to upgrade the civic body’s inventory of water bodies which includes un-mapped water bodies of wards 142, 143 and 144 (added areas).
Further, it was learnt that the Environment department resolved 25 waterbody related issues, including relocation of water bodies in the last one year with the guidance from the Water Body Management Board.
The civic body has filed as many as 870 police complaints against illegal filling up of water bodies so far under West Bengal Inland Fisheries Act, 1984 and West Bengal Town and Country (Planning & Development) Act,1979.
The KMC also has the power to take over management control of ill maintained water bodies invoking 17A West Bengal Inland Fisheries Act, 1993 (Amended) for its restoration to maintain ecological balance of nature. So far, KMC has taken management and control of 310 water bodies and efforts are on to promote pisciculture in these.
The civic body also cleaned and restored 25 waterbodies belonging to the state utilising revenue funds to prevent environmental degradation.
Various schemes have been undertaken for rejuvenation of waterbody under KMC revenue fund, 15 Finance Commission and AMRUT 2 scheme. About Rs 20 crore will be utilised for the same.
Few of the works include rejuvenation of the waterbody at Convent Road, and restoration & beautification of ‘3. No Jheel Sarsuna’, Behala. Other water bodies include Bikramgarh Jheel, Ukil Bheri, Bhairabi Pulur, among other water bodies.