Gradual Building of the Wetlands

Kolkata grew to be a large urban and trade centre virtually without any proper sewerage and solid waste management system causing frequent drainage congestion, resulting in health impacts. A committee established to look into alternate solutions to the drainage problems, recommended transferring all wastes to salt lakes, as the city had a natural eastwards elevation. The wetlands were nearly 8.5 feet below the highest point of the city. This recommendation prompted construction of a series of sewers and pumping stations towards the salt lakes. In 1864, a portion of the salt lakes was acquired for dumping solid waste. The first attempt to fresh-water aquaculture was in 1918. Subsequently, construction of waste water channels in the city, increased access to waste-water, which in turn encouraged others to adopt waste-water aquaculture. This served as the foundation behind the building of the wetlands.

                  Pumping stations transfer sewage from Kolkata city to EKW

The solid waste dumping area on the western periphery of the wetlands were converted to horticulture since 1876. The whole area has come to be recognized officially as Waste Recycling Region.

Garbage farming