The character of Salt Lake is changing fast. It is not the quiet residential township it used to be and is transforming into a noisy and chaotic place. And it is the landlords who rent their space out to commercial establishments who have a lot to do with the change.
The observation came from Rajesh Chirimar, a resident of GC Block who is the councillor of Ward 39, at a meet-the-councillor interaction with residents of BA Block.
“Salt Lake was built as a residential area but its character is changing rapidly. I feel sad to see such chaos, disturbances and the emergence of a new class,” said Chirimar, who is also mayor-in-council member of the Bidhanngar Municipal Corporation (BMC). The interaction had been organised at the community hall on Sunday by the Salt Lake City BA Block Residents’ Association.
One of the reasons for changing face of the township, Chirimar said, was because landlords misuse norms. “New multi-storeyed buildings coming up require the ground floor to be the parking space but they are openly being used for commercial purposes. Some are turning the terraces into cafes,” he said. “This is not acceptable.”
He mentioned a rooftop restaurant in the block and wondered if the owners had gone through the formalities. “Do they have approvals and papers? The BMC is trying to ascertain this,” Chirimar said, adding that he had asked the BMC commissioner to issue notices to a few establishments in the block to stop commercial activity.
The residents too shared their grievances. Sisir Mukherjee, a retired teacher, complained of how an online grocery service and a restaurant in the block were littering roads and walls. “They also run their business late into the night, causing us problems,” he said.
To this, Chirimar asked residents to boycott such trouble-making enterprises. “Stand united. Don't keep silent and don’t look the other way,” he said. “Some properties have also transformed into salons and spas. While I am not against these, a few of them are dubious,” he said, referring to the arrest of the operators of a spa in the block a few months ago.
Dry leaves heaped near a park opposite BA 53
“Be prudent in choosing your tenants — especially when he runs a commercial establishment. Make some effort to understand the nature of his business and how its activities can affect you and your neighbours. A satellite township, originally designed essentially as a residential place, cannot become a business district,” he said.
Dark stretches & dirty parks
Residents raised the issue of trees blocking streetlights and some dark spots in the streets, that the councillor promised to look into.
Moumita Sarkar sought regular upkeep of the children’s park and complained that passersby urinate in front of the electric transformer room next to the park. Chirimar admitted that the park’s beautification work had got stalled due to red tape. “I will try to revive it,” he assured.
When the issue of damaged roads came up, the councillor said repairs would commence once funds get released. “But let me know whenever a service provider digs up roads. You may ask them for permission letters from the corporation and if they fail to produce them, inform me,” he said.
Swapan Debnath requested the councillor to install signboards to help visitors locate addresses. “I have already received a letter from the block association about this and will try and address it,” he said.
Check for mosquito dens
Chirimar asked residents to inspect rooftops periodically and check for leaks or water accumulation around overhead tanks. “Such practices will stop the spread of mosquitoes and protect you from dengue and malaria,” he said.
“If you are old, infirm and unable do this yourself, inform me through the councillor’s WhatsApp group and we will do the job for you,” he said. But he urged residents to use the group responsibly. “The group is an interactive platform for you to flag issues, not for sending ‘good morning’ messages and other forwards,” he said.
The councillor also asked residents to stop accepting plastic bags from vendors. “Please also segregate bio-degradable and non-biodegradable wastes in separate containers,” he said.
Secretary of BA Block, Prasenjit Saha, thanked the councillor for his proactive approach. “The councillor is always there to help with any problem,” he said. Block president Arunava Das added that just as residents had civic rights, they also had duties. “If our neighbourhood has to be improved, we should also take responsibility for it.” he said.
Do you think Salt Lake is changing its character?Write to The Telegraph Salt Lake, 6 Prafulla Sarkar Street, Calcutta 700001 or email to saltlake@abp.in