Killing of a canal- why environmentalists are opposing a multi-crore drainage project in Kolkata  

Kolkata Municipal Corporation and Kolkata Environment Improvement Investment Programme consider the Churial Canal, which stretches across six wards of the city, “as simply a drain”, say activists and have devised a project to carry sewage using pipelines along the canal.

  Kolkata

A few meters away from Thakurpukur Cancer Hospital in the southern fringes of Kolkata, about a dozen earth movers are working on constructing a pumping station which will move wastewater from one end of the Churial Canal to another. For the past few years, laying of sewage pipes along a 2.7 km stretch on the bed of the canal and construction of the pumping station have evoked concerns among environmental activists and a section of locals.

Churial is a 16 km natural canal which originates at Behala in the south of the city and culminates in the river Hooghly at Budge Budge in South 24 Parganas district.

A few weeks ago, a group of experts and environmental activists released a research report titled ‘Killing of The Churial Canal: Social & Environmental Impacts of ADB financed KEIIP Project’. The 50-page report published by advocacy groups Amra Ek Sachetan Prayas and Growthwatch raised questions over the laying of sewage lines through micro-tunnelling and construction of the pumping station in a waterbody that has existed naturally and is connected to a river.

Activists pointed out that the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) and KEIIP (Kolkata Environment Improvement Investment Programme) consider this living canal - stretching across six wards of the city - "as simply a drain" and have devised a project to carry sewage using pipelines along the canal.

Jayanta Ghosh, who resides in an area adjoining the Churial Canal, says because of its connection with the river, water in the canal would increase and decrease daily during high and low tide. Mr. Ghosh said a few decades ago, even small boats would ply in the canal. However, the current project may turn it into just another drain, he said, adding that the local population would be impacted by the canal's slow death.

Another issue pointed out by the locals and activists is micro-tunnelling, which involves laying of drainage pipes underneath the canal bed. The bigger immediate concern, however, is the shrinking of the canal bed due to the construction activity. With parts of the canal being covered after laying of the pipes and construction material and debris strewn along the banks, encroachers are taking over the canal, they lamented. Land which was earlier with the government is slowly changing hands and being transferred to private owners, Mr. Ghosh said.