Page 30 - Namami gange 31st edition-16 printing

series Wetland series

east Kolkata Wetlands

The East Kolkata Wetlands (EKW), extent. The EKW nurtures the list of ‘Wetlands of International
located on the eastern fringes of world’s largest wastewater fed aqua Importance’ on 19th August 2002.
Kolkata city bordering the Salt Lake culture system. Sewerage that is
township on the one hand and the sent to the wetlands are subjected This manmade wetland is serving
new township at Rajarhat on the to solar purification followed by enormously for the ecological
other, forms one of the largest natural oxidation by which the balance of the entire city and
wetlands in India. The wetland water becomes conducive for algal considered as the kidney of Kolkata.
is spread over an area of 12,500 and plankton growth which are In 2020, according to an exploratory
hectares and consists nearly 254 the primary feed of fishes. The survey conducted by Zoological
sewage fed fisheries distributed goods and services provided by Survey of India and Botanical Survey
across the districts of South and the EKW include, in addition to of India, a total of 1925 species
North 24 Parganas. East Kolkata fisheries, a very cheap, efficient including 1288 species of fauna and
Wetlands are known for its unique and eco-friendly system of solid 637 species of flora were compiled
characteristic of being a sewage waste and sewer treatment system in the ‘Biodiversity Profile of East
fed wetland which are naturally for the city of Kolkata, habitat for Kolkata Wetlands’. The steps are
nourishing the piscicultural as well waterfowl and home for a large being taken under Namami Gange
as agricultural activities and in turn number of flora and fauna. This Programme to protect Wetlands in
enhancing the livelihood in greater Wetland was included in the Ramsar the Ganga Basin.

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