RAMSAR RITES: The East Calcutta Wetlands, off EM Bypass. Picture by Sanat Kumar Sinha

The contract for preparing a comprehensive management plan for the East Calcutta Wetlands, off EM Bypass, has been awarded to Wetlands International (South Asia), almost five years after the site won Ramsar recognition.

A management plan is a must for a site recognised by the Ramsar bureau.

“The firm will start work soon and will have to prepare the plan in six months,” the state environment secretary, M.L. Meena, told Metro on Thursday.

The management plan will take into account aspects like land use, bio-diversity, water treatment in the catchment areas, sewerage, fishery, livelihood schemes and awareness generation, said the chief technical officer of the East Calcutta Wetlands Management Authority, Nitai Kundu. “It will be drawn up in consultation with all the stakeholders. We are looking forward to specific programmes from the firm, with respect to wetlands management.”

Environment activist Subhas Dutta said: “The wetlands made it to the Ramsar list in 2002 but the ecosystem is still being systematically violated. The government should ensure that a proper management plan is drawn up and that all norms are strictly enforced.”

Dutta is on the committee recently appointed by the chief secretary to advise the government on the conservation of the 12,500-hectare East Calcutta Wetlands.

Wetlands expert Dhrubojyoti Ghosh stressed that ownership issues related to the wetlands should be resolved. “The plan should also give due importance to the interests of the local community.”

“We have asked the agency to start working with an open mind and suggest what will be best for the conservation of the wetlands. We will share their findings with experts,” said secretary Meena.

The organisation, which has been involved in the preparation of comprehensive management plans for Ramsar sites like Chilika, Loktak and Wullar, outbid others in the global tender by quoting a price of Rs 25 lakh.