GANGA 55th Issue | Page 2

East Kolkata Wetland is one such unique NEWS:- urban ecosystem present in the eastern low Floods in India, 2016 lying areas of Kolkata. This ecosystem with This year after severe drought and water its poor residents were silently providing crisis in summer monsoon, rain brought invaluable ecosystem services to the people floods in different parts of the country. of Kolkata till it was discovered by City Worst is Bundelkhand in Rajasthan. After Ecologist, an 4-5 years of severe drought it faced one of unparallel eco-system scientist. He made the its worst flood in decades. Most villages in so called mainstream society aware of this Bundelkhand unique natural economically productive excessive rain but some villages have also sewage treatment system . With EM bypass been devastated by destructive floods. one of the main artarial roads of Kolkata Around 48 villages along the Ken River bordering this ecosystem, real estate sharks have been devastated by the floods. Paddy slowly fragile crops have been badly damaged and some ecosystem along with its poor residents for fields have been so badly affected that for high growing even the next rabi crop will be Dr.Dhrubajyoti trying value to land. Ghosh, devour The this septuagenarian have been affected by Dr. Ghosh was fighting an unequal battle difficult. with this powerful lobby since long. As of July 19, local media and authorities Unfortunately a large number of people in have reported more than 76 people dead, the city are unaware about this ecosystem. 202 injured, 13490 evacuated and around Recently, 19000 the International Union of buildings partially damaged or Conservation for Nature (IUCN) conferred destroyed in the states of Assam, Andhra Dr. Ghosh the prestigious Luc Hoffman Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, Award for his invaluable contribution. At Maharashtra and Rajasthan. this juncture this is a true morale booster in In Uttarakhand after the devastating forest this crusade. fire, monsoon rains on 1st July’16 triggered landslides in different parts of the state. About 30 people have been feared dead from different areas of the state, following 2 Integrated River Basin Management Society