UDAIPUR, September 2 (TIWN):Under political pressure administration cannot act in this need of the hour in order to save the rare species N-Nigricans turtles and fishes in Kalyan Sagar. Quite surprisingly the high level administrative meeting did not pay the least attention to bring back the biodiversity of the Kalyan Sagar . As part of temporary solution Fire Service is doing the spinning operation. But nothing will happen unless the water of the lake is totally drained out and fishes are shifted to nearby lakes . Experts also said that the administration should also acquire more paddy lands nearing the Kalyan Sagar to extend its length. But development committee has no intention to bulldoze the cemented embankments, the root of all problems.

    It is learnt from a top level Gomati District Level official that considering the recent deaths of fishes (continued on Monday as well) a high level meeting was held in the Conference room of DM Gomati Office on August 31st. The meeting started at 3pm and DM Gomati Sonal Goel ,Sevait of Mata Tripureswari Temple, Chairman of MataBari Development Committee MLA Madhab Saha, SDM Udaipur Aijt Debnath, who is the Secretary of Development Committee by virtue of his post, Deputy Director of Fishery Swapan Das and officials of RD,PWD and TSECL were present on this meeting. The main agenda of the meeting was to discuss on the contuous increase in pollution level in Kalyan Sagar but according to TIWN sources the discussion of the meeting was surrounded about the development activities to be taken place ahead of Diwali Utsav, termed as the Kumbha of North East.

Every year ahead of Diwali development activities are taken place place in MataBari though the development committee does not look after this activities throughout the year. Only when Diwali knocks at the door, administration gets busy and some special persons(?) are given contract for various development works surrounding Diwali Festival. And as usual in order to allocate these city tracts to those special persons(?) the high level administrative meeting simply ignored the main problem of Matabari and Kalyan Sagar. So many times experts suggested to break cemented embarkments of Kalyan Sagar but due to some mysterious(?) reasons neither administration nor the Development committee is willing to take any step towards this.

      In the month of June a six members foreign turtle experts cum environmentalists visited MataBari and Kalyan Sagar as the news of the death of N-Nigricans spread. The foreign experts were led by Director of Turtle Island, a Turtle Research & Conservation Centre, Austria Dr Peter Praschag. Dr Peter Praschag has done his Phd on N-Nigrican turtles. After his close observation Peter told TIWN," The cemented embankment is the biggest hindrance to the normal life cycle of N-Nigricans. These embankments must be destroyed immediately and the administration should take adequate steps to provide these rare species turtles the seemingly required environment. " Peter also suggested the Forest Department officials to clear the pollutants from Kalyan Sagar as these may be fatal to N-Nigricans and fishes. That was in June and in August we have witnessed deaths of more than 300 fishes within a span of one week.

     The tourists and devotees hoped that MataBari Development Committee will now arise from its slumber and bull-doze the cemented embankments. But to utter vexation the committee has not even discussed on this issue in the crucial meeting held on 31st August. Reacting to this issue a top level official told TIWN," As per the proposals of the experts and environmentalists DM Gomati Sonal Goel was ready to start the destruction of cemented embankments. But under political pressure (critics say from Chairman Madhab Saha) DM had to sit back from her decision." The official also told TIWN," Issues that should have been highlighted have been consciously neglected in the meeting. Instead of destroying the cemented embankments of Kalyan Sagar the Committee has decided to lay tiles in the north bank of Kalyan Sugar( in front of the cafeteria to Dhanya Manikya Mukta Mancha) involving a cost of Rs 70 lakhs in the name of beautification. It is clear that instead of destruction of cemented embarkments more and bricks chips and cement will be invited."

    However, a few steps have been taken. These are :-

1) Installation of Air Water Machines in Kalyan Sagar that will cost Rs 40 lakh

2) Construction of a drain on the eastern bank of Kalyan Sagar connecting the lake; RD has already asked for sanction of funds

3) Setting up of underground electric cables, water pipelines to be looked after by NBCC

4) Ban on throwing of puffed rice and biscuits in Kalyan Sagar

Due to political and administrative foolishness of erecting cemented embankments, Tripura’s future generations maynot be lucky enough to see almost extinct Bostami N-Nigricans Turtles and fishes in this “divine waterbody” Kalyansagar.