Illegal pond filling sparks controversy in Balurghat
BALURGHAT: The illegal filling up of a pond in Balurghat town has triggered public outcry and drawn attention to violations of administrative regulations. The incident came to light on Monday afternoon in Ward 20’s Yuva Sangha Para area.
According to reports, a 17 acres wetland owned by locals Kamal Nath and Kadambini Nath was being filled with soil for several days. Acting on complaints from local residents, a special delegation, including the Executive Officer of Balurghat Municipality, rushed to the spot and immediately halted the work.
Municipal sources revealed that while the wetland is officially registered as residential land on paper, discrepancies exist in the land classification as per BLRO (Block Land & Revenue Office) maps. Until the legality of the land is verified, all filling activities have been suspended. The accused property owners, however, claimed the land had always been residential. According to them, the pond was created after soil was removed from the plot for agricultural use. Now, they plan to refill it for development purposes. Bhakti Debnath, a representative of the property owners, stated: “The land is entirely residential. It was converted into a pond after soil excavation. We intended to refill it for sale but the municipality has stopped the work.”
Municipal Chairman Ashok Mitra took a firm stance, saying: “The municipality will not tolerate the filling of ponds within urban areas. We are committed to conserving wetlands and will take strict action if necessary. Future steps will be taken in coordination with BLRO records.” Ward 20 Councillor Kuntal Sarkar added: “Upon receiving the complaint, the property owner was informed in the morning. Later, the municipal authorities intervened and stopped the pond filling.”
Local residents expressed mixed reactions. While many praised the administration’s decisive action, others called for a thorough and impartial investigation. Residents also voiced concerns over the increasing trend of wetland encroachments, which they claim disrupt natural balance and deplete groundwater levels.
