Kolkata, July 5 -- The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) will undertake a detailed scrutiny of mutation certificates and sanctioned building plans issued for properties in the East Kolkata Wetlands (EKW).

The civic body's buildings department has begun identifying projects that require fresh verification. Officials will examine whether land records were altered or misrepresented before mutations and building permissions were granted and whether completed structures conform to the plans originally sanctioned.

The review follows the constitution of the SIT after the Taratala warehouse collapse, with investigators expanding their focus to commercial developments that have come up across the city's eastern fringe over the past several years.

Officials suspect that portions of protected wetland were gradually converted for commercial use before civic clearances were obtained. Warehouses, storage facilities, vehicle workshops and other business establishments are among the constructions that will be examined during the probe.

Spread across nearly 12,500 hectares, the East Kolkata Wetlands are protected under the East Kolkata Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Act, 2006. Recognised as a Ramsar site, the wetlands naturally treat much of Kolkata's wastewater while supporting thousands of people dependent on fisheries and agriculture.

Investigators are also examining whether irregularities in the approval process allowed projects to bypass restrictions meant to protect the ecologically sensitive area.

Several localities, including Mukundapur, Anandapur, Chowbaga, Uchhepota, Jagatipota and Bantala, are expected to come under detailed scrutiny because of rapid commercial development in recent years.

The civic body will compare official records with the existing structures to identify discrepancies and fix responsibility wherever violations are found. The exercise is also expected to help detect cases where protected wetland land may have been converted or commercialised in violation of planning norms.

Authorities said the findings would form the basis for further legal and administrative action against those responsible for unauthorised construction.

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.