West Bengal: After clearing encroachments in the region, West Bengal's environment department has disbursed Rs 2 crore to Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation (BMC) to begin dredging work at Bongheri Bheri, a component of the Ramsar-recognized site East Kolkata Wetlands.

According to a senior government official, the police and BMC have already demolished the unlawful settlements along the entire occupied stretch near Chingrighata crossing, and the corporation would commence dredging work soon.

"The environment department has already given Rs 2 crore to the BMC, which is in charge of the water body. Encroachers have been removed, and restoration work on the bheri will begin soon. The agency is confident that the encroached belt will be restored to its former configuration," he said.

The waterbody is divided into two halves, each covering 50 acres: Boro Bongheri Bheri and Chhoto Bongheri Bheri.  They are all part of the 31,000-acre East Kolkata Wetlands,  also a Ramsar site.

Under the Ramsar Convention, often known as the 'Convention on Wetlands,' an intergovernmental convention established by UNESCO in 1971, a Ramsar site is a wetland of global importance. Environmentalist S M Ghosh praised the environment department's initiative.

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