The godowns destroyed in the fire were on land that borders, or is part of, the East Kolkata Wetlands, an ecologically protected area where illegal construction and encroachment have become routine.
Water bodies have been filled and converted to land, and garages, showrooms, warehouses, tin-and-iron structures, small and large shops, and concrete buildings for residential as well as commercial use are abundant in these parts.
The area’s proximity to EM Bypass — barely a 10-minute drive — makes it a top
target for land sharks. Environmental activists allege that the government’s lax enforcement of laws against illegal construction has emboldened such activities.
Charred remains in the godown of the fast-food chain on Tuesday Bishwarup Dutta
Under the state government’s own submission before a Calcutta High Court bench, there are at least 500 cases of illegal construction or land-use conversion in the Wetlands, according to a state official. “In very few cases, illegal constructions have been removed or water bodies restored,” the official said.
The entire Karimpur mouza, where the fire-ravaged godowns were located, falls within the notified East Kolkata Wetlands area, a senior state official said. The Wetland management authority’s website shows over 30 registered encroachment cases till 2021.
“Any structure that came up in the notified area after 2006, when The East Kolkata Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Act came into force, is illegal. The Act does not have retrospective effect, so pre-2006 structures are not considered illegal under this law,” said an authority official.
For structures built before 2006, “the local panchayat determines whether permissions were granted,” said a state environment department official.
Urban development minister Firhad Hakim, who visited the site, said the structure had been there since 2006. “It is a devastating fire. The structure has been there since 2006. I’m not in a position to comment on whether it came up on the Wetlands,” Hakim told reporters.
Fire brigade officials confirmed that neither godown had a fire licence. “We did not find any fire safety measures in place either,” said Ranvir Kumar, director-general of West Bengal Fire and Emergency Services.
The East Kolkata Wetlands, a Ramsar site, consists of three zones: human settlements, agricultural land, and water bodies. Conversion of water bodies into agricultural or habitation plots is banned. The Wetlands encompass 254 sewage-fed fisheries covering 37 mouzas (30 full and seven partial).
A member of the Wetlands authority said that the shrinking Wetlands pose a threat to the whole of Calcutta. They act as natural drainage systems, carbon sinks, and wastewater treatment facilities. Hundreds of crores would be needed to build drainage pumping stations if we allow the wetlands to shrink.
“Under the impact of climate change, we will face more storms and intense short-duration rainfall. The Wetlands naturally absorb huge volumes of water. Without them, the city will suffer increasingly. It’s time we protect them,” the member said.