East Kolkata Wetlands

The East Calcutta Wetlands, also known as the East Kolkata Wetlands (22 0 27’ N 88 0 27’ E), are a complex of natural and human-made wetlands lying east of the city of Calcutta (Kolkata), West Bengal in India. The wetlands cover 125 square kilometers, and include salt marshes and salt meadows, as well as sewage farms and settling ponds. The wetlands are used to treat Kolkata's sewage, and the nutrients contained in the waste water sustain fish farms and agriculture.

The name East Calcutta Wetlands was coined by Dr. Dhrubajyoti Ghosh, who reached this incredible but neglected part of the city searching the answer to a question: What exactly happens to the city sewage? These natural water bodies which were known just as fisheries provided the answer. Devised by local fishermen and farmers, these wetlands served, in effect, as the natural sewage treatment plant for the city. The East Kolkata Wetlands host the largest sewage fed aquaculture in the world.

The East Calcutta Wetlands were designated a "wetland of international importance" under the Ramsar Convention on August 19, 2002.

Flora

There are about 100 plant species, which have been recorded in and around the East Calcutta Wetlands. These include sagittaria montividensis, cryptocoryene ciliata, cyperus spp., crostichum aureum, lpomoea aquatica, etc.

Several kinds of water hyacinths grow across these wetlands. Local farmers and fisher folk use water hyacinth to create a buffer between land and water to minimize erosion.

The area is also home to large numbers of coconut and betel nut trees. Many varieties of vegetables are farmed here, including cauliflower, eggplant, pumpkin, sunflower and sacred basil. Tracts of land are dedicated to paddy cultivation as well.

Fauna

Numerous species of fish are farmed in the sewage fed ponds called bheris in the East Kolkata wetlands. These include silver carp, tilapia, The area is also home to marsh mongoose and small Indian mongoose. Palm Civet and Small Indian Civet are significant in and around East Calcutta Wetlands. Approximately 20 mammals are reported from this region. Snakes found in the East Calcutta Wetland include Checkered keel back (Xenochrophis piscator), Smooth water snake (Enhydris enhydris), Buff striped keel back (Amphiesma stolata), and Bronze back tree snake (Tendrelaphis pristis).

Controversy

Recently illegal landfills are on the rise and the wetlands are being slowly assimilated in the mainstream city. This unprecedented land development and urbanization are creating concerns about the impact on the environment. This is because the wetlands serve as a natural sponge absorbing excess rainfall and doing its bit to reduce pollution.

Microbial Biodiversity

Microbial Diversity is an integral part of biodiversity which includes bacteria, archaea, fungi, algae, protozoa and protists. East Kolkata Wetland shows an immense diversity of flora and fauna both at the macro and micro level. Microbial richness of a region is its unseen asset that needs to be explored and conserved. Soil samples collected from ECW shows the presence of various new strains of microbes which are not only ecologically important but also have commercial value. These include Actinobacteria which are responsible for the degradation of nitrophenol, nitroaromatic compounds, pesticides and herbicides; Proteobacteria related to the bioremediation of heavy metals, degradation and recycling of woody tissues of plants, oil contaminated soil and toxic compounds and nitrogen fixation along with the cyanobacters; other bacteria playing important roles in metal accumulation, oil degradation, antimicrobial compound production, enzyme production etc.

Sources

Urban Wastewater: Livelihoods, Health and Environmental Impacts in India: The Case of the East Calcutta Wetlands by Gautam Gupta, Jadvpur University (see: www.iwmi.cgiar.org/.../Urban%20Wastewater%20WS_Kolkata.pdf ) S.Ray Choudhury, A. R. Thakur. Microbial Genetic Resource Mapping of East Kolkata Wetland. Current Science, Vol. 91, No. 2, 2006 25 July.

External links

• East Calcutta Wetlands (World Wildlife Fund, India)
• East Kolkata Wetlands (New Agriculturist)
• Facebook Group dedicated to East Kolkata Wetlands
• India – East Calcutta - Making the Most of It: Wastewater, Fishponds, and Agriculture

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