The East Kolkata Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Bill and subsequently Act were passed which paved the way for establishment of the East Kolkata Wetlands Management Authority (EKWMA) for conservation and management of the EKW. 10 years since, the EKWMA has largely been ineffective in preserving the wetlands.

Percentage of land in Bhagabanpur mouza (a rural administrative area) that is partly or completely under water for most of the year. This has dramatically reduced from 88% in 2002.

illegal plastic recycling units have sprung up in recent times.

+ illegal leather-processing units boil leather waste in huge cauldrons, emitting noxious fumes. It is then spread to dry and subsequently shipped to tea gardens as manure. “Leather units release effluents into the sewage canals that feed the bheries which harm the fish. The air pollution around the cauldrons is also intolerably high.