WHAT ARE OUR IMMEDIATE GOALS?

• To have the pond and its surroundings renovated. (proposed work plan given below)
• To continue to prevent unholy elements from setting up chains of illegal shops and to turn the area into a garbage dump.
• To prevent goods vehicles, buses, and autorickshaws (believed to be the second-worst polluter) from setting up parking zones in our predominantly residential locality.
• To prevent foot paths and public thoroughfares from being used as dumping ground for construction material.
• To continue to raise Residents' awareness about civic rights, environmental pollution, and security concerns; encourage more and more citizens to join us.
• To continue to closely interact with public representatives and administration officials so that all of the above could be realized.

PLAN FOR RENOVATION OF THE POND: AS PROPOSED BY US

1. Encroachment through illegal land filling
2. New salballah piling - 37m (120ft), done on Dec - Jan 2006
3. Old salballah piling, done during road extension nearly 10 years back
4. Telephone exchange
5. Temporary bamboo fencing to protect the pond

Listed in order of priority, below is a schematic estimation of the work that needs to be done to complete* the renovation of this pond and its immediate surroundings.

*Shalballah piling along parts of the Northern and Eastern perimeters of the pond, up to a length of 37m (120 ft approx.) has already been done in Dec - Jan 2006 with funds (Rs 2 lakhs approx.) allocated by the Hon'ble Member of Legislative Assembly, Dhakuria Bidhansabha Kendra.

Schedule of proposed work in order of priority:

1. To clean the surface of the pond so that clear water is visible. This work consists of two stages, listed according to order of complexity:-

• Removal of heavy vegetation (water hyacinth, weeds etc.) about 1 ft thick, plus materials like plastic bottles, bags etc. from the Eastern half of the pond - 7400 sq ft (approx.)
• Removal of light vegetation (mostly algae, some water hyacinth, weeds etc.) plus plastics etc. (as above) from the Western half - 6100 sq ft (approx.)

2. Restoring the perimeter of the pond.

Salballah piling, including fixing of drum sheets along the perimeter of the pond (Western, and parts of the Northern and Eastern sides) - 230 ft

3. Development of the bank of the pond with earth filling and dressing.

This, so as to have a 7-8 ft wide strip of land outside the perimeter of the pond. - 2600 sq ft (approx.)

NB. Certain areas along the eastern bank have been illegally encroached upon through land filling. These encroachments will have to be rectified at this stage for successful completion of the next stages and also for long term success of the project.

4. Wire net fencing with gates along the outer perimeter of the pond bank - 420 ft

We suggest a gate each in the south-eastern and south-western corners.

5. Gardening, providing benches, electrification along the developed bank of the pond - lump sum

We suggest setting up of an 'Eco Awareness Corner' (details given below) in the area currently occupied through illegal encroachment (South-eastern part of the bank) - 800 sq ft (approx.)

A narrow path can be maintained down the center of this developed pond bank with flower beds on either side. Also, the benches need to have corrugations or ridges at intervals to discourage lying down.

6. Provisions for long term maintenance of the pond

Eco Awareness Corner

This can be a show-case project accomplished at minimal cost but with far-reaching effects. It will consist of, among other things an herbal garden (which was originally a brain-child of the Hon'ble President of India, Sri A. P. J. Abdul Kalam) in the south-east corner of the pond. At present, this area serves as a 'sub-station' for supply of building materials. In total disregard to all civic norms, the latter remains dumped on open streets throughout the year, and at considerable danger to pedestrian and vehicular traffic. Also, the area itself was created out of land filling and encroachment into the water body. The Eco Awareness Corner cannot be set up if this anomaly is not rectified at Stage 3 of the project.

Proposed site: now illegally encroached upon

Rare plants of medicinal value, like those grown at the insistence of President Kalam at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi, and also at the Raj Bhavan, Kolkata, at the insistence of the Hon'ble Governor of West Bengal, Sri Gopal Krishna Gandhi, can be grown and maintained by appropriate authorities and in consultation with botanical experts. We can, if approached, help seek such expert opinion.

The idea behind developing this herbal garden is to educate the millions of people regularly using this road, plus the local residents. With the help of proper display plaques the vital role played by plants in nurturing and preserving the human civilization will be demonstrated. This will also give an extended opportunity to put up display boards with specific eco-awareness messages, like -

• Urgent need for conservation of ground water through projects such as this.
• Harvesting of rain water collected on roof tops.
• The role of plants in reducing air pollution.
• Need to keep the neighborhood clean and reduce / avoid public health hazards through careless littering.
• Messages on vector borne diseases and its prevention.
• On the need to develop Kolkata into one of the cleanest, greenest and most beautiful cities on the planet (a tag she richly deserves if only the authorities and the citizens can work together through projects such as these).

Artist's impression - the pond after renovation and setting up of Eco Awareness Corner.

Read ahead > Page 3 of Book 1 / Read Back > Page 1

The second booklet from Parivesh Suraksha Committee, which is now Jadavpur Central Road Parivesh Samiti following registration on 19th Feb 2007. Among other things (a brief history of the movement, ill effects of diesel and noise pollution, the need to unitedly confront widespread hooliganism) this booklet includes proposed work plan for renovation of the pond. Published in Mar 2007, this has been preceded hopefully by a Bengali version.