Nitai Kundu，  Saila Ghosh，  Mousumi Pal，  Baishali Bagchi

Institute of Environmental Studies and Wetland Management

 

East Kolkata Wetlands (EKW) is widely acclaimed by urban planners and ecologists for its unique role in urban waste recycling through a natural process developed by the local people. The gradual eastward slope of the wetland area, surrounding the city of Kolkata on the eastern side, creates a natural drainage system for the city.

Initially the eastern side of the city, i.e. the salt-water lake, provided a natural stock for fishes. The local people were not the legal owners of the area. They were only dependent on the catch in this salt water, which was actually a spill area of the river Bidyadhari. Since, the increasing flow of sewage in the lake affected the amount of catches in this spill area of the river, the traditional practice of fish harvesting came to be threatened. But, the fishermen, in the face of a threatened livelihood, and taking the advantage of newly built underground sewer system in Kolkata with its disposal in Salt Lake area, developed a unique system, by which, the sewage is first stored in shallow tanks and then allowed to decompose under the sun, creating photosynthetic algae, which in turn provide very nutritious fish food. Thus, the sewage is recycled, and the clean water is discharged in the river Bidyadhari.

The system provides a total and comprehensive system of waste management. In recognition of its unique character, EKW has been declared as a Ramsar Site (August 19, 2002) by the ‘Ramsar Convention Bureau.’ It recognizes the EKW as world-renowned model “of a multiple use wetland.” The site’s natural resource recovery systems, developed by the local people, have saved the city of Kolkata from the costs of constructing and maintaining wastewater treatment plants. Considering the importance of the wetland Communication, Education and Public Awareness (CEPA),  the newly set up ‘East Kolkata Wetland Management Authority’ has decide to set up a ‘Nature and Wetland Interpretation Centre,’ along with a Wetland Park for dissemination of the lessons of EKW Ecosystem, by involving local stakeholders.

This paper tries to provide a detailed idea regarding the development and management of the said project, which aims at raising public awareness regarding the necessity as well as the advantages of EKW. The authority hopes that this project of the Wetland Park will work out as an example of conservation of the wetlands along with its habitats in India.  

 

Key words: East Kolkata Wetlands; natural resource recovery system

Nitai Kundu，  Saila Ghosh，  Mousumi Pal，  Baishali Bagchi

印度湿地管理和环境研究中心

 

东科卡塔湿地(EKW)，由于它在通过地方群众开发的一个自然过程来处理城市废物方面所起的独特作用而得到城市设计家和生态学家的广泛支持。该湿地区内逐渐朝东的斜坡，围绕在科卡塔城市的西边，创造了一个自然的排水系统。

起初，城市的东边，如盐水湖，是一个自然的鱼类资源库，但地方群众并没有合法的利用，他们仅仅靠在此地盐水中打捞而生。这里实际上是彼得亚得哈里河的一个泻洪区。随着湖中污水排放量的增加，严重影响了这一区域的捕获量，传统的渔业受到了威胁。然而在威胁面前，渔民利用新建的地下排水系统和拥有盐水湖的优势，发展了一个独特的系统，通过该系统污水首先被储存在浅槽里，然后在太阳光下被分解，生成光合作用的藻类，提供营养非常丰富的鱼类食物。这样一来，废水得到了再循环，净水被排放到比德亚得哈里河。这一系统提供了一个完整的废水管理的综合系统。鉴于对其独特性的认可，东科卡塔湿地已经被拉姆萨尔公约局于2002年8月19日宣布为国际重要湿地，确定东科卡塔湿地为世界多用途湿地的典范。此地由地方群众开发的自然资源恢复系统把科卡塔市从建设和维护废水处理装置的大量花费中解救了出来。

考虑到湿地交流、教育和公众意识的重要性（CEPA），为了让地方群众参与传播东科卡塔湿地的生态系统经验和教训，新成立的东科卡塔湿地管理权利机构已经决定建立自然和湿地宣教中心及湿地公园。

本文试图阐述上述项目发展和管理的详细思路，其目的在于提高关于东科卡塔湿地重要性和必要性的公众意识。主管部门希望湿地公园的这个项目能够成为印度相同生境湿地保护的范例。

 

 

 

关键词：东科卡塔湿地     自然资源恢复系统