The North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal is part of the Ganga-Brahmaputra delta. This extremely fertile area has been formed by the silt carried by the Ganga and Brahmaputra. As a result, the land here is flat and low-lying in nature. Many active rivers and tributaries flow through this region.
Earlier this region was a vast land full of canals, wetlands and forests which was directly connected to the Sundarbans of South 24 Parganas through waterways, mangroves and tides. In the delta region, because the flow of rivers slows down and changes course from time to time, huge wetlands and water bodies are often created.
One such wetland is the Vartir Beel of Barasat, which in ancient times had an area of two and a half lakh square kilometers. From these wetlands, rainwater and tidal water used to flow through various natural canals and later through artificial channels made during the British period, and merge with the larger rivers.
At present the Lavanyamati river / Noai canal is one such connecting water transport system, where due to the presence of tidal movement and potable water, settlements grew along the riverbanks.
Collapse After Partition
The British used these canals or small rivers as a drainage system and also for transporting rice and jute produced in this fertile region. But after Partition, this system completely collapsed.
Millions of refugees from the new country East Pakistan came and settled here, and various slum areas developed along these canals, rivers and railway lines. Overnight, due to the pressure of heavy population, the local agricultural system declined and agricultural land decreased.
Various small cottage industries appeared such as vest factories. The polluted water from these factories and all the garbage of the slum dwellers were dumped into the Lavanyamati river / Noai canal.
A severe environmental degradation began, which continues to worsen every day.
Now this polluted river or canal has become normal in our eyes.
Municipal Pollution Load
This 35 kilometer long Lavanyamati river / Noai canal now receives polluted water from six municipalities:
- Barrackpore
- Panihati
- Khardah
- New Barrackpore
- Madhyamgram
- Rajarhat Gopalpur
It also receives waste from gram panchayats such as: Amdanga, Suli, Nilganj, Ichhapur, Rajarhat, Bilkanda and Chandigar.
This river now functions as the dirty drainage system of a sixty-five square kilometer area.
A Political and Social Question
Any ruling government remains too busy every five years with four elections, so even if there is some intention to work, they do not get time to look into this matter.
Because rivers, canals and trees do not vote.
And the local youth are busy with the desire to become rich very quickly by overtaking everyone. With the desire to prove themselves different from others. With the desire to pretend false victory even after falling behind in the rat race.
Do they have time to look towards these rivers and canals?