The disputed plot on the Bypass at Tiljala, which residents claim used to be a water body. Picture by Sanjoy Chattopadhyaya

The civic body, acting on a complaint from residents, has intervened to stop the alleged illegal landfill of a seven-bigha water body on the Bypass, in Tiljala.

Following an inspection on May 24, mayoral council member (environment) Sushil Sharma ordered developer Benimadhab Saha to stop filling up the pond in ward 57.

Saha, however, denied any landfill. “It was a plain land which I have divided into 80 plots. All have been sold. Some of the buyers have started constructing houses,” said Saha.

The developer’s claim was rubbished by Sailendra Nath Patra, from whom Saha had bought the plot.

“I had sold it to Benimadhab Saha as a water body. I am not responsible for what he is doing with the plot after the sale,” said Patra

Local residents said that soon after buying the pond, Saha had filled up around 20 per cent of it. “How can he deny the pond’s existence? I have been seeing it since my childhood,” said Pratap Nayak, a resident of the area. His words were echoed by another resident, Manoj Barman.

The residents brought the matter to the notice of the environment department of the Calcutta Municipal Corporation, the chairperson of borough VII and Tiljala police station.

The complaint was followed by the May 24 visit of mayoral council member Sharma and his colleague Abu Sufiyan. They were accompanied by the local borough chairperson Lakshmimani Banerjee.

“Apart from issuing the stop-work notice, I have asked the engineers of my department to prepare a map of the plot. Tiljala police station has been asked to ensure that the landfill does not resume. We will demolish the buildings that have come up illegally,” said Sharma.

Saha alleged that he had been framed by local CPM leaders, whom he refused to “satisfy”. Lakshmimani denied the charge, saying: “None of our party members is involved in the shady deal.”

Sharma said that once the pond is restored, the civic body will start pisciculture there along with self-help groups or the state fishermen’s cooperative society.