Kolkata: Ten years after it was put on hold, the project to restore Bikramgarh Lake will finally be taken up by the KMC. MMiC overseeing the KMC environment department, Swapan Samaddar, said the civic body received Rs 3.5 crore from the Center under AMRUT for the work.
The 14-acre water body, the second largest in south Kolkata after Rabindra Sarobar, was, until three decades ago, the pride of the neighborhood and a favorite pit-stop for migratory birds in winter. But six acres have been lost owing to persistent neglect by KMC and the greed of land sharks, who are eyeing more of the water hyacinth-filled jheel. “Encroachments started around 1995, when garages illegally operating on a plot at the Golf Green-Prince Ghuman Md Shah Road crossing were evicted as Bharat Petroleum started constructions. These unauthorized garages then filled up almost a bigha of the jheel to relocate there. None of the garage owners is from the locality but they went ahead with the fill-up with political support despite local resistance,” claimed Jiban Bose, a Bikramgarh resident.
Though residents of the area initially failed to save the water body, they were determined to fight it out and formed a platform. Their campaign caught the govt’s attention and Rs 2 crore was sanctioned for the lake’s restoration in 2014. “A compromise was reached that constructions already carried out on reclaimed land would be overlooked, as demolishing those would lead to legal, political and social problems,” said Dipak Bhattacharjee, then secretary of the now-disbanded Save-the-Jheel Committee. “Saal logs were piled up along the bank of Bikramgarh Jheel to prevent further encroachment. We were mistaken. This activity has continued and recently gained steam.”
The portion of the jheel that was filled up for the garages were reportedly further encroached on, now housing over 33 car workshops. Houses in the bank, clubs and local businesses have also been eating into the water body.
Several residents reached out to TOI, pointing at the urgent need to save the water body. “An adjoining marshy plot, again a portion of the jheel, was taken over by the KMC in 2003. But in the absence of restoration, promoters are now trying to develop the plot with fake documents,” alleged Bikramgarh resident Biswajit Dey.
According to Trinamool councillor Tapan Dasgupta, who has been making every effort to save the water body, said the KMC environment department should utilize the funds for the lake restoration without delay.
The Bikramgarh Jheel has a micro-climate that keeps the entire neighborhood cool during summer. This, along with the Royal Calcutta Golf Club and Golf Green, acts as the lungs of the area. “In 2014, the CM herself had said the jheel needed to be taken care of. Despite that, it is being deliberately neglected, and encroachment is being allowed,” said a KMC environment department official.
The 14-acre water body, the second largest in south Kolkata after Rabindra Sarobar, was, until three decades ago, the pride of the neighborhood and a favorite pit-stop for migratory birds in winter. But six acres have been lost owing to persistent neglect by KMC and the greed of land sharks, who are eyeing more of the water hyacinth-filled jheel. “Encroachments started around 1995, when garages illegally operating on a plot at the Golf Green-Prince Ghuman Md Shah Road crossing were evicted as Bharat Petroleum started constructions. These unauthorized garages then filled up almost a bigha of the jheel to relocate there. None of the garage owners is from the locality but they went ahead with the fill-up with political support despite local resistance,” claimed Jiban Bose, a Bikramgarh resident.
Though residents of the area initially failed to save the water body, they were determined to fight it out and formed a platform. Their campaign caught the govt’s attention and Rs 2 crore was sanctioned for the lake’s restoration in 2014. “A compromise was reached that constructions already carried out on reclaimed land would be overlooked, as demolishing those would lead to legal, political and social problems,” said Dipak Bhattacharjee, then secretary of the now-disbanded Save-the-Jheel Committee. “Saal logs were piled up along the bank of Bikramgarh Jheel to prevent further encroachment. We were mistaken. This activity has continued and recently gained steam.”
The portion of the jheel that was filled up for the garages were reportedly further encroached on, now housing over 33 car workshops. Houses in the bank, clubs and local businesses have also been eating into the water body.
Several residents reached out to TOI, pointing at the urgent need to save the water body. “An adjoining marshy plot, again a portion of the jheel, was taken over by the KMC in 2003. But in the absence of restoration, promoters are now trying to develop the plot with fake documents,” alleged Bikramgarh resident Biswajit Dey.
According to Trinamool councillor Tapan Dasgupta, who has been making every effort to save the water body, said the KMC environment department should utilize the funds for the lake restoration without delay.
The Bikramgarh Jheel has a micro-climate that keeps the entire neighborhood cool during summer. This, along with the Royal Calcutta Golf Club and Golf Green, acts as the lungs of the area. “In 2014, the CM herself had said the jheel needed to be taken care of. Despite that, it is being deliberately neglected, and encroachment is being allowed,” said a KMC environment department official.
