Brief reporting on Sonai River/Khal in ... - India Water Portal

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Goddess and different religious activities sharply indicated about the necessity of maintenance of wholesomeness of water. Water courses have their own purifying system, but excess pollution load in the rivers or in any water course may not find their way to purify water in natural course. Water is regarded as man’s best friend in the physical environment. It serves him in many ways. As an article of physiological necessity, it has a high place in the healthy maintenance of the body. It is required for life processes, for the proper functioning of the organs. Much of the ill health in the underdeveloped countries is largely due to lack of safe drinking water. There can be no stage of positive community health and well-being without safe water supply. Wetlands are the treasure house of biodiversity and provide an array of benefits to mankind. Biodiversity, both floral and faunal, is very high in the wetlands. It is interesting to note that wetlands exhibit more or less all taxonomic groups beginning from algae to angiosperms in its floral diversity. Similar is the case with faunal diversity in wetlands. They are not only important for the survival of the fishes, birds, turtles, crocodiles etc., but also are habitants of many insects during reproductive phase of their life cycle. West Bengal October 16 2001 To define wetland, it is relevant to quote 1990 International Union For Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources which reads – “Over fifty separate definitions of wetlands are currently in use with broadest, provided by the RAMSAR CONVENTION, defining Wetlands as : Area of marsh, fen, pitland whether natural or artificial, permanent or temporary, with water that is static or flowing, fresh, brakish or salt, including areas of marine water the depth of which at low tide does not exceed six metres.” The convention on wetlands is an inter-governmental treaty which is known as RAMSAR CONVENTION established in 1971 and provides the framework of International Cooperation for the convention of wetlands. Wetlands perform certain functions, essential for supporting animal and plant life, and maintaining quality of environment. Functions : 1. Flood Control 2. Ground water recharge and discharge 3. Shoreline stabilization 4. Sediment, nutrient, toxicant retention Generate product : Wildlife, fisheries and forest resources Ecosystem attributes : Biological diversity and culture heritage. Whether a wetland performs certain functions, yields specific products or possesses certain attributes is determined by the interactions and the biological, chemical and physical characteristics of the site. All characteristics may or may not be present in each wetland. There has been increasing awareness of the serious consequences of wetland transformation and the resulting losses not only for wildlife but also for the wellbeing for the human communities.
West Bengal October 16 2001 Sonai which was a flowing “stream” almost a century ago, is now waiting to breathe her last as during decades she had none to look after and save her from human lust for land. In the absence of adequate constitutional safeguard together with the presently existing clumsey and weak law framework and consequent breakdown of traditional biophilia among people, a destructive property right evolved gradually on Sonai turning her into a stretches of ponds with intermittent blockades of construction, brick-fiends, roads and playgrounds. The land records of the plots which defines the bed of Sonai reveals private and common users’ right of ownership land being recorded. These records of right are not very old. Historically it is well known the property right regime on wetland and rivers in India and West Bengal changed from private a common property management of these resources to direct government ownership and/or control. In the case of Sonai, historical indifference up to this point of time kept her fate sealed even though the eco-necessity of her restoration is growing day-by-day due to growing urbanization of the locality through which Sonai flow. It will be not our of place to note that in the State of West Bengal, the land-cadastre is extremely faulty, unreliable and corrupt and no state government had even undertaken the task of making it proper, objective and scientific. Faulty and corrupt records of rights is a hindrance to restoration of Sonai and to the preservation and maintenance of WB rivers and wetlands in general. From the point of view of Constitution, private property rights is no longer deemed as sacred as it was before the 44 th Amendment of the Constitution. Article 300A of the Constitution declares the authority of law and personal property right. Sonai once restored to life may be a significant source of income and livelihood for a vast number of fishermen, a useful sewage and detoxification of polluted water, a vital player in ground water recharge and discharge, in maintaining open space, and generating oxygen and recreation facilities and also in developing ferry service and in fulfilling irrigation needs. The corresponding laws in all these matters provide ample and strong ground for abolishing and/or restricting adverse landed property right on Sonai. Moreover the conversion of possession rights into ownership rights, which actually happened in case of Sonai needs to be scrutinized and waived at all costs in the greater public and regional development interests. Thus whether Sonai officially exists or not is a dubious question and reflect an overall apathy to environment and concerned matter on the part of those who raise it. The various documents and profiles that have been enlisted below proves in letter and in spirit the actual existence of Sonai and the need to waking up her to a dancing life. We need to dream a little. Whether Sonai officially exists or not is a dubious question and reflect an overall apathy to environment and concerned matter on the part of those who raise it. Environment includes everything that surrounds us, the air that we breathe, the water we drink, the hills, the seas and even all manmade objects. 01 Published in West Bengal December 2002 Article titled “City holds international conference on sustainable environmental sanitation and : While right to water as a basic human need has now been accepted as a human right, the fulfillment of the same for all the people, particularly those in the developing countries, is yet to be achieved to the fullest extent.
Page 1 and 2: Brief repo
Page 3 and 4: 8 Serious efforts of local people f
Page 5 and 6: 11 SUSTAINING CALCUTTA PRESENT STAT
Page 7: Law is born out of social, economic
Page 11 and 12: FOREWORD ……………………
Page 13: Discussion held between Dr. U. N. B

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