[Reader-list] Environmental Problems In Metropolitan Calcutta Municipalities

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Environmental Problems In Metropolitan Calcutta Municipalities 

V Ramaswamy, Calcutta


In August 1995, at a meeting organised by the Dept. of Environment, Govt of West Bengal, representatives from the various municipalities in the Calcutta Metropolitan Area spoke about the principal environmental problems in their towns.

Bansberia   

We are at the northern extreme of the Calcutta Metropolitan Area. Major highways, such as the G.T. Road, Assam link road pass through our area. Earlier, on both sides of the highway, we had good drainage. Now there is the major problem of ash from the power plants. The place is densely built up. There are many cattle sheds. The rural milieu that prevailed earlier is now gone. Gardens, trees have given way to urbanisation. the problem of thermal ash is particularly inconvenient. We can't sleep out in the open because of this. The Dunlop carbon black factory also emits dust. On this though, there has been some amount of local agitation, and they have effected some improvements. But not so with the power plant authorities. The municipality is having to spend enormous amounts for drain clearing because of this. Drainage on the two sides of the G.T. Road needs to be restored to its earlier health. Pollution from the power plant and from Dunlop's carbon black factory needs to miti
gated.


Uttarpara-Kotrung

Environmental pollution is a key problem of the municipalities. Through CUDP 3etc, the earlier poor physical infrastructural situation of the municipalities has been improved - roads, drains, sanitation etc. Yet, in a small township such as ours, there is just no vacant or open space. Population has been growing, the whole place has been built up on, density is high. A green area has become a concrete jungle. Secondly, in Hooghly district, from Uttarpara to Bansberia, we are all situated along the river. The banks of the river are getting inundated. In many of the municipalities, there is no proper sewerage system. Wastes are simply dumped into the river. The Supreme Court has issued notice to several municipalities. This lack of sewerage systems and the consequent pollution of the river is the key environmental issue for our areas. Uttarpara is like the middle of a bowl, a low-lying area. The earlier catchment areas that permitted drainage are now built up on by industries.
 This has also brought us industrial pollution. Industrial effluents are also dumped into the river. Mother Dairy, Dankuni Coal Complex, Hindusthan Motors - all are ultimately dumping their effluents into the river via the canals.

Where do we release our sewage? We do want to stop the pollution. We have written repeatedly to the State Pollution Control Board (SPCB). We have asked for technical know-how and advice with schemes to keep the river clean. There has not been any response whatsoever. Once in a while, they issue warnings, of action to be taken against us.

The next issue is garbage clearance. Earlier, this was being taken care of within the municipality itself. The lands in our area are low-lying. So people would take the garbage for land-levelling. Now, all land has been built up on. we do not have place for a garbage dump. We need a spot nearby where garbage can be dumped. We cannot afford to buy land at current market rates from the municipality funds. Recently a Minister advised us to acquire 10-15 acres of land nearby; he said the government would finance this. With the help of technologists, garbage can be converted to organic manure. The idea is good, we are very enthusiastic. But where's the land nearby?

Drinking water is another issue. We have taken up an action programme on this. We have about 16,000 holdings in the municipality. 9,000 holdings have water supplied. The rest have to depend on street taps. We are relying on deep tube wells. But this is despite the major Srirampur project, which was supposed to provide water to 7 municipalities, from Bhadreswar to Uttarpara. We get water only for 6 hours. The underground reservoirs constructed - including ours - are non-functional, cracked and sinking. As regards water supply from the river, water pressure in a remote area such as ours is very weak. So unless the underground reservoirs work, we suffer. And thus the need to run our own deep tube wells. But when so much money was spent on the reservoirs, it is absurd to have such a situation.

Then there is the problem of smoke nuisance. Coal fires are very common as there is no other fuel for the common people. The whole area gets very suffocating. The Dankuni Coal Complex nearby is to supply domestic fuel gas to Calcutta city. When we are so close to that complex, and we have this acute problem of cooking fuel, shouldn’t this gas be supplied to our municipality as well? Cheap alternative fuel will wipe out this problem of smoke nuisance.


Konnagar

Uttarpara and Konnagar are neighbours. Our critical problem is space. With the influx of refugees, vacant lands were occupied. This is now causing problems. With low-lying land having been built up on, we now have flooding and water-logging. There is no master plan for drainage. During the rainy season, the situation is extremely difficult.

We also have several large industries in the area, e.g. ICI, Hindusthan Motors. There are acid factories. Noxious fumes are emitted from the ICI factory; near Rishra, the trees do not bear any fruit. The local people also experience difficulty. The acid factories also emit fumes.

Then there is the problem of garbage disposal. We have no dumping ground. This is a big problem. 

Industrial effluents are dumped into the river. This calls for attention. There are brick kilns, which too dump their wastes in the river. Air and river pollution, population density and resultant congestion and the consequent susceptibility to environmental hazards - these are the key challenges.


New Barrackpur

Our problems are very much the same as those highlighted by others. In addition, we have a large stretch of railway tracks running through our municipality. And there are shanty settlements along these tracks. There are some 2.5 kms of rail tracks running through our place. These settlements are unserviced, with no toilets and sanitation. As a result neighbouring areas are affected. Diarrhoea, gastroenteritis, chicken pox are spread in the municipality from these settlements. Then there are the canals, belonging to the Irrigation Dept. There are settlements along the canals. These canals are part of the sewage outfall system. The Fatesha and Noiai canals are filling up. They have not been excavated for some 15-20 years now. During the rainy season, there are over 1,000 families in areas that get flooded. Diseases break out.

We have no dumping ground for garbage. In some parts, we are temporarily managing by filling in low-lying areas; but in the long run we will have problems. So this has to be taken up now.

Through the CUDP 3, IPP health programmes, and the municipal health departments we are somehow managing. But the pollution/environmental health problems are straining our abilities to cope.

The Fatesha and Noiai canals need to be re-excavated immediately. Similarly, taking a number of municipalities simultaneously, a common dumping ground can be found.

We have earlier presented our difficulties to the govt. We hope a joint approach to tackling these problems can now emerge.


North Dum Dum

Our problems too are like those mentioned by others. Our main concern is regarding the lack of a garbage dumping ground. The municipalities of Dum Dum, North Dum Dum, South Dum Dum and New Barrackpur, as well as some others, face this problem. And one municipality, by its own efforts and with its limited resources, can't buy the required land. We have talked to CMDA about this, about whether this matter can be taken up through the Mega City plan. At the moment, about 75 % of the local garbage is cleared, with 25 % remaining uncleared. 

The other major problem is the lack of a proper drainage system. During the rainy season, there is a lot of waterlogging, with stagnant water accumulating. The issue of the two canals mentioned earlier is vital. We have raised the question of re-excavation of the Bagjola canal for a long time. If immediate action on this is not taken up, several of our municipalities will be in deep trouble soon.

There is no industry in our area, so industrial pollution is not a problem for us.


Panihati

Drinking water is our major problem. We rely on deep tube wells - this despite the trans-municipality project, under which water comes to us from Baranagar-Kamarhati. But this supply is extremely inadequate. Water does not reach the western side of the B.T. Road. Nor will that scheme be very helpful for the two sides of the rail line.

Ours is an extremely densely populated area, with over 3 lakh people. Rainwater has no chance for percolation. Waterlogging results. There is no proper drainage system. Panihati municipality is not a planned one. Roads are very narrow. Even when we build drains, due to the heavy lorry traffic, these do not last beyond 1-2 years. We spend lakhs from our resources on drains. There is also lack of public awareness. People dump their rubbish in high drains and consequently these get clogged.

The Ganga Action Plan was meant to help Panihati in terms of a sewerage system. But this has not been very effective. The factories in our area are largely closed. The Bengal Chemical acid factory emits fumes; they say they'll install a purifying tower. Across the river, we can see the rapid erosion of the banks. In a year's time, this will wipe out the road as well. This calls for attention.


Dum Dum

The problems mentioned by the various speakers are our problems too. In particular I could mention that our role should be to keep the municipality pollution-free; but we are helping to pollute. We don't have a garbage dump. The sewerage system is collapsing. The Bagjola canal needs re-excavation. Then there are insanitary latrines. We had earlier converted service privies to sanitary latrines. Yet where the poor people live there are pit latrines. And unless these are converted these are going to cause a lot of problems. Recently Dr Sankar Sen, Power Minister and Dr Deb Kumar Bose, Chairman of the SPCB visited our area (Dum Dum, North Dum, South Dum Dum, Rajarhat), and we discussed the possibility of joint programmes of our municipalities. All vacant lands in our area have been built up on. The sewerage and garbage problems are critical.


Garulia

The problems are known to all. In the last decade, environmental awareness has grown. This meeting is very timely and relevant. We cannot see any improvements in our area. There are some small tasks which can be taken up without much effort, but which could have a major impact. In our area, CESC's ash (which is in Bhatpara municipality, strictly speaking) covers us with dust. In the last ten years, we have written some ten letters to CESC. And finally issued them a notice. Yet the problem persists. I am sure this can be dealt with technologically. We have also contacted the SPCB, but to no avail.

Smoke nuisance from coal ovens. Fumes from buses and lorries. I had recently been to Madras, and found that the auto-emission situation there is much better. So in our area too things could be better. Why can't we take this up?

Cattle-sheds are being shifted out from Calcutta. But they are all moving to our area. Pig farms too - a potential encephalitis hazard. We have issued notices etc - but in the absence of a plan, a proper scheme, what can be done? Where will they be relocated? What about the requisite police arrangements? The institutional power to act is lacking.

To restore the ecological balance, and to mitigate air pollution, open spaces are needed. We need to acquire land for this. But the Land Acquisition Dept is so inertia-ridden that many public welfare oriented programmes come to nought. The legal system is also a hinderance, with litigation impeding us. So how does one act?

Noise pollution on the highways is acute. We are now aware of some of the consequences of this. Yet the problem seems to be worsening over time. What are the measures to combat or control this?

Many of the problems in our area are still at a small scale. Compared to other places, with early resolute action we can achieve a turn-around.

Rajpur-Sonarpur

Ours is a huge municipality, 97 sq kms, with a population of over 3 lakhs. Some CMC areas are also inside our municipality. The Tolly's Nullah carries Calcutta's rubbish into our municipality. 8-10 kms of this Nullah lies within our boundaries. Carcasses. The entire stretch of the Nullah from Tollygunge to beyond Garia is stagnant and foul. And on both sides of this there are shanty settlements.

In Garia and Baruipur some new factories have come up for lead and arsenic extraction. The local people there are agitating against this. The SPCB has closed down 9-10 units. The workers and owners are pressing us to permit these to be re-opened. But the local people are against this. This has caused a law and order problem for us. Such factories in a congested area like ours - a serious problem. 

Then there are the garages on both sides of the road, which too are polluting. In Garia, land is very expensive now, what with the EM Bypass, Patuli township etc. High rise buildings are coming up, without any proper drainage arrangement. They dump their water in surrounding areas inhabited by poorer people. This has lead to a law and order problem. We do not get any river water, and so use groundwater. But this is arsenic contaminated - till as much as 250-300 feet.

The SPCB is not taking up our problems effectively, despite all our efforts to inform them.


Budge Budge

There are 20 wards in our municipality. This is an industrial belt. On the main road (MG Road), tankers abound. One can hardly move. Vehicle fumes. The CESC project. The IOC bottling plant. The vehicular load is very high, and consequently air pollution is bad.

There is no proper drainage system, and there have been no improvements carried out in the last 15-20 years. Public and private oil companies, the five jute factories - all dump their effluents in the river. We had hoped that the Ganga Action Plan would help improve matters. But this has just not materialised. Drinking water is a problem. Budge Budge and the neighbouring Pujali NAA and Maheshtala can together have a booster system installed to improve the water situation. We are unable to go in for deep tube wells because of lack of resources.

On both the sides of the roads there are garages, which are a source of noise pollution. With the increase in number of cars, their horns, and the garages - the situation is hellish.

Our three municipalities have to depend on just 1 crematorium, in Budge Budge. An electric crematorium is needed. This is a long-standing requirement, and has not been taken up at all. This will help to reduce the river pollution. The industrial pollution of the river calls for action. We have informed the SPCB, but to no avail. The crude privies are also a source of pollution.


Hooghly-Chinsura

We are the district headquarters, so we have plenty of roads, drains etc. We are aware of environmental problems through the mass media. We have open drains in our municipality. This breeds mosquitoes. This calls for attention. Ours is an old town. The existing underground drainage system is very old and clogged. Water-logging results.

Bally

We have a population of over 2 lakhs. Our municipality has a special problem on account of its peculiar situation: one part from the river to the GT Road; one from the GT Road to the rail line; and one beyond the rail line. This causes a lot of problems in municipal management of drainage, and water supply, including drinking water supply. We get our water from Srirampur municipality. The water pressure has come down drastically. As a result we are unable to supply water to many holdings.

Our sewage was earlier flowing into the river. Thanks to the Ganga Action Plan, this is now going to the panchayat area. There is a law and order problem on our hands because of waterlogging due to low-lying lands being built up on.

The GT Road has become hellish. The stretch from Bally to Howrah in particular. Buses, lorries, repair garages. The width of the road has been reduced thanks to these garages.

The railway colony is a major part of our municipality. There are cattle sheds here. We have to take the responsibility to deal with their wastes. This fills up our high drains. 

If we take an average per capita garbage at 600-1,100 gms, then for us this works out to 100 tons per day. This has to be taken out to the dump, 8-9 miles away. Several trips a day. A massive cost.


Maheshtala

The seven irrigation canals here are stagnant. Mosquitoes and related diseases abound. This is overlooked. The canals are full of hyacinth. We have a population of 3.25 lakhs, within a 50 sq km area. Calcutta's solid wastes come into our area (in the Garden reach, Brace Bridge, Metiabruz areas).

The cow slaughter-house has not been improved since the British period. The stagnant wastes from here enter the drainage system, and during the rains this spreads everywhere. There are massive diarrhoea problems. There is no solid waste management, and consequently no health infrastructure commensurate to the situation we face.

The growth happening nearby, in Budge Budge: about a 100 factories, each with between 50-300 workers (aside from Bata); there is no monitoring of factory wastes for their pollution content.

The CMWSA's surface drinking water facility only partially covers our area. So we need to run deep tube wells. Environmental pollution and health hazards in such fringe areas of Calcutta Corporation need to be improved for better living conditions in our area.


Pujali NAA

Our area has been a NAA only for a year and five months now. Earlier it was a panchayat area. So there was no infrastructure developed. We have water scarcity. Our rural area is very poor. Health problems come up due to open defecation along the roads. We made a meagre effort by installing 200 sanitary latrines. Then along the river there are 25 brick kilns. Some years ago the SPCB had asked them to install chimneys of at least 65 feet height. They have not done this. Coconut and areca trees in the area are affected. Otherwise our area is still green, rural, full of trees. Pollution is not a problem for us.

Baidyabati

In Sheoraphuli railway station and bazaar as well as in the railway basti, there is indiscriminate garbage disposal. Installing covered vats would be helpful. Then there is open defecation in the drains. This is a source of polio. When the garbage is taken in lorries, these should be covered - so that the garbage does not spill all along the way. 

The Srabani Mela that takes place in our area is a major pilgrimage. Visitors drop flowers, pots etc in the drains. Stagnant water accumulates, which is a source of malaria. There are cattle sheds and piggeries in our area. There is all their effluent. The pigs may also be a source of encephalitis. 

When drinking water is provided for marriages and other public functions, is it possible to have this chlorinated? The sanitary inspector in the municipality has the full power to take action against food adulteration; but this power is not exercised. A lot of unhygienic food is sold by vendors.


Bhadreswar, Champdani, Baidyabati

Whether the Action Plan is being properly taken up or not by the implementing authority - this is important to ascertain. For instance, under the Ganga Action Plan, they were supposed to install sanitary latrines. But earthen service privies were installed.

Population pressure is growing. Earlier, there were natural outlets for the city - in the river, in vacant lands. These vacant lands have been built up on, and that too in an unplanned manner. Add to that the role of promoters. And cattle sheds. In Bandel, there are cattle sheds along the railway tracks. There are also unauthorised settlements. The canals are choked. Despite the huge amount of expenditure on CUDP, IPP etc, the basic unplanned nature of things continues. Factory wastes, cattle shed wastes, service privy wastes, slaughter-house wastes - all are dumped into the river.

GT Road is today in bad shape.


Rishra

We have chemical factories on both sides of the road.  These emit fumes. A disaster in the making. Local authorities do not have the ability to cope with this. ICI's rubber, chemical and phosphate factory - this regularly emits gases. The United Vegetable factory - some time back, a boiler there burst, some people were killed, and we were hard put to control the resulting situation. Air and water is being polluted. The jute mills and the textile mills are also generating fine particles which cause respiratory problems. We have highlighted our problems in a note, and we would also like to invite you to visit us and discuss matters with us.


Paschim Banga Vigyan Mancha

Our organisation has some 40,000 members, throughout West Bengal. We have 18 district committees, zonal committees and unit committees. We have a close link with the municipalities. The problems expressed by the municipalities today - we have been raising awareness on these issues for years now.

There are a lot a canals in the area, used for both sewage and irrigation. These are causing problems. This is one of the key issues.

Industrial air pollution is another key problem. Here there are both large industries, in the Barrackpur, Naihati, Rishra, Hooghly, Garden Reach, Tangra-Tiljala areas, as well as small-scale units, like battery manufacture, acid processing, gold smelting etc. There are also small concentrated pockets of industry in the municipal areas. These small-scale units must be a major focus area for action. The lead smelting units in Tiljala face a technology gap. The existing institutions are unable to provide this. We try to bring together the industries and scientific-technological institutions. Three units in Tiljala were thus helped to install the requisite devices. The acetylene gas factory in the Budge Budge-Birlapur area - is another example of a polluting unit. The Supreme Court, SPCB are all taking up this matter now. But these units are not getting the requisite technology. For both large and small units, there needs to be an action plan for the best available technology. 

Regarding vehicular air pollution, we have undertaken awareness programmes with the Calcutta Corporation, Calcutta Police and others. But when there is such a concentration of traffic in the city and the municipalities, what can be achieved?

Water-bodies are being filled up. In Behala, we were able to save 9 such water-bodies from the clutches of the promoters. In the Tiljala-Kasba areas there are some water-bodies. Elsewhere these are either no longer there, or are threatened. In the municipalities as well, both within their boundaries as well as in surrounding areas, there are water-bodies. These need to be protected and saved. The municipalities are highly congested. Therefore whatever water-bodies and open spaces still exist need to be conserved.

Then there is the issue of arsenic contamination of water, in the Sonarpur area as well as in parts of North 24 Parganas. Piped water supply needs to be made available there immediately.

Regarding garbage, CMC is collaborating with Excel Industries and with Western Paques for utilisation of the garbage. Such recycling should be taken up in the municipalities as well. The whole question of recycling needs to be looked at by CEMSAP. Small decentralised programmes need to be taken up. Similarly with sewage. There is a need to look at the possibility of bio-treatment and recycling, for algae and manure production. This would turn out to be much cheaper than conventional sewage treatment plants. So this option is especially relevant for the municipalities.

All the municipalities face similar problems. Today, only some 10-20 % of these have been touched upon. There are many more problems. To really do justice to the existing situation, it is necessary to have local meetings; we can bring together 2-3 municipalities and involve local youth associations. We can mobilise our orgnisation's infrastructure for this.

Finally, one might mention the need for attitudinal/behavioural changes in people - for instance in regard to garbage, storage of water (which breeds mosquitoes) etc.


Concern for Calcutta

We are a citizens' group. Our experience is of working in Calcutta. The problems that exist and their magnitude all call for wide-scale collaboration of the citizens with the authorities. Otherwise nothing can be achieved. So a citizen' action plan is needed. 

We work on the issue of parks. Earlier, when Calcutta was a more planned city, there were many beautiful parks. Now these are degraded. They are the lungs of the city. They need to be saved. It is the joint responsibility of everybody to save these parks from destruction, degradation, and the clutches of promoters and anti-socials. They also need to be beautified. We are working with CMC on this. Regarding garbage collection, we are happy that CMC is now talking about house-to-house collection. We can see some success, e.g. at Russel Street. But we can also see that where the people of the neighbourhood take the initiative, then the programme is successful. We are trying to motivate citizens to take the initiative and plan and collaborate with the CMC.

Then there are the market-places. Thousands of people come here everyday. But even in a major market like New Market there are no toilets. This leads to a major public health and sanitation problem. These markets are controlled by the Corporations / municipalities. Yet they ignore this aspect. We are working with Sulabh International for a toilet complex in New Market. When new markets are set up, this aspect should be incorporated in the plan.

Regarding vehicular air pollution, there is genuine ignorance and lack of awareness among many drivers. There needs to be a sincere attempt to communicate to such people.

Finally, the question arises as to who will implement improvements. Will the agency responsible for this have the requisite power and mandate to do so?  


Summing Up by the Principal Secretary, Dept of Environment, GoWB

One can list the various problems raised, in terms of those common to all, and those which are specific to some.

Common problems : Filling up of low-lying areas and water-bodies by human settlements and industries; garbage dumps, disposal, recycling; Ganga Action Plan consequences; industrial wastes; household smoke nuisance; drainage channel re-excavation; river bank erosion; conversion of dry latrines; building byelaws, town planning actions; awareness campaigns at all levels. 

Special problems : Fly ash; encroachments on railway land; cattle sheds; noise pollution; employment problems from closure of polluting units; arsenic in drinking water; lack of electric crematoria; traffic circulation; population growth and distribution; slaughter house-related problems;  problems of spill-over in the CMC fringe areas; brickfields; technologies accessible to small-scale units for pollution control; hazards from chemical industries in congested areas.

Water, drainage, sanitation, traffic - these have been the conventional areas of infrastructural programmes, for which development programmes exist. Our role is to look explicitly at the overall environmental situation; at problems arising from the implementation of existing schemes; at those areas that have tended to be ignored. Existing programmes need to be strengthened. There should not been any conflicts or competition between the existing programmes and our work.

The municipalities have certain powers - to issue trade licenses, health licenses, for building sanction etc. They have conservancy and water departments. The existing powers and means need to be used.  There should not be a dependence on external assistance on aspects that fall well within the existing powers of the municipalities. Existing powers should be sought to be strengthened and implemented. There are also a number of developmental programmes being undertaken in the municipal areas. CMDA, IDSMT, UBSP, NRY, etc. There is a need for area-wise consolidation and combination of these schemes for achieving maximal impact. Now these are undertaken in an ad hoc manner, with no comprehensive impact in an area. A ward as a whole, or a larger area, needs to be specifically taken up through these various schemes. Environmental initiatives can then be converged into this. I believe the Municipal Affairs and Urban Development departments are trying to achieve such coordination. W
e would thus have an effective framework to bring about improvements in living conditions. I believe the Municipal Affairs Dept and the Urban Development Dept are trying to achieve such coordination.