A resident of Baishnabghata Road near Garia called mayor Firhad Hakim during a phone-in programme on Saturday to narrate how a water body in his locality was being grabbed and residents’ attempts to stall it have been in vain.
The water body is part of Ward 100 of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation.
Timir Mukherjee said the pond was being filled up despite an inspection by a KMC team earlier this year followed by another one by their counterparts from the environment department.
“We have been residing in this area for several years... We have the relevant old records from 1928,” Mukherjee said.
“The environment department officials had clicked pictures during their earlier visit. Despite that, the pond is being filled up,” Mukherjee said.
This is the third complaint in a week to the mayor about such alleged attempts.
Last Saturday, a Bosepukur resident had alleged that some realtors were trying to fill up a water body on Dharmatala Road in Kasba. A resident of Gitanjali Park in Haltu in the southeastern suburbs had lodged a similar complaint on the same day adding that some realtors were taking advantage of the lack of a proper signboard saying the water body belonged to the KMC.
On Saturday, Hakim instructed his officers to visit the spot next week and follow it up with necessary steps.
“Please check why the water body is being filled up even after we have said not to do so. If required, we will have to draw up an FIR against the concerned officer-in-charge of the police station,” Hakim said.
The mayor later asked the municipal commissioner to send a letter to the police commissioner.
Last week, Hakim had said ponds under the KMC would have notice boards set up in front of them declaring them as water bodies. This time he went a step further. “No one can fill up ponds illegally. We will have to serve notices and wherever constructions have come up, we will have to demolish them,” he said.
“Law implementing agencies can’t afford to sleep... If required, I will move the high court with Pukur Banchao Andolan.”