State of Wetland Transformation and Ecological Concerns – A Case Study of Chatra Wetland, English Bazr, West Bengal

Abstract

Chatra Beel, one of the largest wetland with more than 100 ha water cover area, is located at the south western outskirts of English Bazar town of Malda District, West Bengal. It acts as the kidney of English bazar urban area with its multifarious usabilities both from ecological and economic perspectives. Till 1970 Chatra Wetland was not a wetland, people own the land for agricultural purpose, orchard, mango garden etc. In the post Farakka barrage period (1974 on ward) due to construction of afflux embankment, NH34, embankment and railway line embankment natural drainage line have severely being obstructed leading to creation of this wetland. So, this is not a natural wetland. But for the last three (3) decades or more this area remained as a wetland and the physico-hydrological and ecological characteristics, have been generated as part of natural processes. Now after years of retention of wetland characteristics the area is now undergoing reclamation process for human occupation, essentially built up area, as spill over of English Bazar urban area. This definitely puts a question up from ecological perspective but at the same time there are strong reasons and explanations in support of this conversion since originally this region was not a wetland at all. Owing to the impact, the entire situation places a very interesting case. Therefore it will be attempted through this work to identify the nature and degree of consequences of human intervention leading to resultant effects on the natural ecological system of Chatra wetland.