A festival to celebrate the Hooghly, which aims to draw more people towards the river, was held at the Prinsep Ghat on Saturday.
Despite the Hooghly flowing by Calcutta’s western boundary, both authorities and citizens have neglected the river for years, often treating it as a dumping place.
In 2022, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) ordered the state government to create an account and deposit ₹3,500 crore, which will be used for solid and liquid waste management. The order also mentioned that 1,490 million litres of sewage remained untreated every day.
A former official of the Calcutta Port Trust stated that untreated sewage continues to be released into the Hooghly River by all cities and towns that have developed along its banks. The Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port serves as the guardian of the ghats adjacent to the river and the riverbank.
Engaging more people with the river could raise awareness and build public opinion in stopping waste disposal into the river, he said.
The festival on Saturday featured skits, musical performances, and dance acts. Initially established in 2019, the festival takes place at various ghats each year, aiming to raise awareness about the ghats situated along the river.
The River Festival is organised by Kult X, an NGO that wants to create a platform to showcase the works of talented artists.
Laily Thompson, the founder director of Kult X, said they were planning monthly performances to increase engagement with the river.
“Because of winter and the pleasant weather, we can organise the festival outdoors. It may not be possible to do so during summer or monsoon, which is why we are considering whether monthly festivals can be held,” Thompson said.
“We are in talks with the Calcutta port authorities (who are the custodians of a large number of buildings along the Hooghly) about using some of them,” she said.
A 4.5km walkway along the river, between Prinsep Ghat and Armenian Ghat, is now open to visitors. But a bus terminus near Baja Kadamtala Ghat and numerous stalls and structures hide the river from the view of those travelling on the road.
“If you have to attract more people to the river, people should be able to see the vast expanse of the Hooghly while commuting on Strand Road. The beauty of the river will draw them to the riverfront,” said an official of Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC). The civic body had built walkways along the Hooghly.
The annual festival was earlier held at Champatala Ghat and Natherbagan Ghat. The visitors are told the history of the ghats, Thompson told Metro.
On Saturday, several country boats sailed on the river with messages to keep the river clean.
Kult X also trains traders and others who live along the river on how to keep it clean.
Joginder Kumar, a river ambassador at Champatala Ghat, said he completed the training about a year ago. “We talk to people and convince them not to pollute the river. Most people listen to us,” said Kumar.