there has been a consistent drop in the
ago, the numbers has become 1670,
average seasonal rainfall in India during
which also warned that all the remaining
the monsoon months of July-August. The
would be wiped out in next 10 years, if
study also warns of extreme weather
the filling rate is same. It has been
patterns in future. The study found a
shown that 45-52% of the present day
significant decreasing trend in the mean
metropolitan area was covered with big
rainfall during the monsoon period. It also
waterbodies, marshland, creeks
shows
canals, according to the Kolkata maps of
that
changes
in
atmospheric
conditions have led to higher frequency of
1893.
extreme
are
disappeared with faster urbanisation.
increasing the risk of drought and flood in
Two main causes of this filling up of
central India.
water bodies are; 1) urbanization in main
weather
events
which
These
water
bodies
and
have
Kolkata Municipal area and 2) filling up
In 2014 new Government has come to
Centre. The name of the Ministry also
changed to Ministry of Water Resources,
River
Development
&
Ganga
Rejuvenation but water crisis has not
changed yet, rather it is on the increasing
trend simultaneously with the increase in
population.
of waterbodies in the fringes has been
converted into farmlands. Kolkata has
already
suffered
a
drop
in
its
underground watertable. Perhaps more
importantly, the loss of waterbodies has
left very few outlets for storm water
drainage and waterbodies are crucial for
Kolkata to accommodate excess rainfall.
These
NEWS:-
waterbodies
are
helpful
for
End of Kolkata Waterbodies
underground recharge and disappearance
A survey conducted by South Asian
of waterbodies is also affecting the bio-
Forum
(SAFE)
diversity. Birds and aquatic creatures’
revealed that Kolkata had lost 46% of its
loss their ecological niches due to filling
waterbodies since 2006, which is faster
up of waterbodies.
for
Environment
than any other metro in India. From
(Source: TOI-03.02.2016)
3874 ponds, lakes and canals 10 years
2
Integrated River Basin Management Society