Kolkata, Feb 23 (NationPress) The Calcutta High Court has mandated that the Union Ministry of Home Affairs be included as a party in the ongoing case concerning unlawful constructions within the East Kolkata Wetlands, according to court sources.

Justice Amrita Sinha of the Calcutta High Court expressed her frustration regarding the state government's and Kolkata Municipal Corporation's handling of the situation. The court noted that, if deemed necessary, central forces may need to be deployed to remove the illegal structures from the wetlands.

This issue arose following claims that over 500 unlawful constructions had emerged in the East Kolkata Wetlands, allegedly after the ecologically sensitive wetland areas were filled in violation of environmental regulations.

Justice Sinha’s Bench has held several hearings on this matter previously, highlighting concerns about the alleged inaction and insufficient responses from state and municipal authorities.

The court had earlier instructed the municipal authorities to identify and remove illegal constructions in the wetlands with police assistance. However, reports submitted indicated that demolition efforts were incomplete and many unlawful structures remained unaddressed.

During the latest hearing, the District Magistrate of South 24 Parganas presented a status report to the court detailing the current conditions in the affected regions.

After reviewing the report, Justice Sinha voiced her strong discontent, stating that despite numerous reports, there had been minimal visible progress. She underscored her desire for actual action rather than additional reports, stressing the need for compliance with the court’s orders.

The court emphasized that its primary focus was ensuring the effective execution of its previous orders and the removal of illegal constructions from the designated wetland area.

Justice Sinha warned that if state authorities failed to carry out the demolition, the court would collaborate with the central government and consider involving central forces to enforce compliance.

Furthermore, the court pointed out that despite repeated judicial directives, both the state government and municipal corporation had not taken adequate and timely actions to remove the illegal constructions.

Justice Sinha cautioned that if improvements were not seen, the court would not hesitate to order the deployment of central forces for the demolition of these illegal structures.

During the proceedings, representatives for the East Kolkata Wetlands informed the court that notices had been issued regarding illegal constructions and that formal orders for demolition had also been made.

However, the court stressed that merely issuing notices was insufficient; actual demolition and restoration must be executed promptly.

Consequently, the court directed that the Union Ministry of Home Affairs be included in the case, stating that if the state government could not enforce the court’s orders effectively, the responsibility could be shifted to the Centre to guarantee compliance.

The next hearing has been scheduled for March 16.