Raipur. In view of the continued inaction of Raipur’s District Wetland Conservation Committee and its failure and inability to protect the ponds (wetlands), Raipur’s social worker and ENT specialist Dr. Gupta has written a letter to the Vice Chairman of Chhattisgarh State Wetland Authority cum Chief Secretary of Chhattisgarh demanding that Raipur’s District Wetland Conservation Committee be dissolved and a high-level committee including scientists be constituted to evaluate the condition of the ponds.
If the ponds are dying, then what is the need for a committee?
Dr. Gupta said in the discussion that despite the existence of the District Wetland Conservation Committee, all the ponds are being destroyed, so what is the need for the District Wetland Conservation Committee? It has not even inspected all the ponds despite orders for years and the reports of the three ponds whose incomplete investigation has been done have also been suppressed. It is worth noting that the District Collector is the Chairman of the Wetland Conservation Committee and the District Forest Divisional Officer is the Member Secretary.
How do they kill ponds and destroy the birds’ habitats?
Dr. Gupta said that if you want to kill a pond with clean water, then build a retaining wall around it – this stops the seepage (permeation) of water and the pond slowly dies. All the ponds are being killed by building this retaining wall. Karbala pond already has a retaining wall and it is reported that a new retaining wall will be built now. Even in the middle of the pond, where there is a lot of biodiversity, trees and plants, and where birds live throughout the year, their home will be destroyed and a statue will be installed. Water has already been stopped from flowing by making a concrete paver pathway on the embankment of the pond.
May 2023 investigation report not yet
Dr. Gupta said that in May 2023, the Wetland Authority had ordered the investigation of all the ponds (wetlands) of 2.25 hectares or more area in Raipur district, which include Budha Talab, Telibandha, Maharajbandh and Karbala Talab. Despite this, in July 2023, a limited committee was constituted by the Collector Raipur under the chairmanship of the then Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) to investigate only three ponds Karbala, Jhaanj and Sendh. The committee had to find out the highest average flood water level (HMFL) from December 2000 till date, which was not even attempted. According to the rules, any permanent construction work is prohibited beyond 50 meters from this level.
During investigation, crores of rupees worth of work was found in the name of beautification
Dr. Gupta said that it is very unfortunate that despite the Raipur administration and the then DFO having full knowledge, permanent construction works worth crores of rupees such as construction of paved paths from CSR funds of 1.13 crores continued in Karbala pond without any hindrance in the beginning of 2024. While the investigation was going on in Sendh reservoir, works worth 17 crores were done in the name of beautification and till now no report has been submitted to the Wetland Authority.
