Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari slammed the previous regime over 5,000 destroyed waterbodies while inaugurating major lake restoration projects ahead of Kolkata civic polls.
Qalam Times News Network
Kolkata, October 12, 2026
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari launched a sharp attack on the previous Trinamool Congress administration on Monday, holding its local representatives accountable for the deliberate destruction and filling up of over 5,000 waterbodies across Kolkata and its adjoining areas. Speaking at a Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) event in Tollygunge ahead of the municipal elections scheduled for late November, the Chief Minister highlighted his government’s developmental milestones while criticizing former councillors for compromising environmental safety for real estate interests.
Urban Renewal and Lake Restoration Efforts
Chief Minister Adhikari emphasized that the loss of traditional waterbodies spanning from Joka and Haridevpur up to Barasat and Madhyamgram under the KMDA zone severely damaged Kolkata’s ecological balance. Highlighting immediate remediation efforts, he inaugurated the rejuvenated “Shiva Jalashay” and “Shakti Jalashay”—two sprawling reservoirs in Ward 114 under Borough XI spanning four and three acres respectively. Jointly funded by the Central and State Governments through allocation packages of ₹5.79 crore and ₹3.58 crore, these projects saved local wetlands from illegal encroachment. Supported by a special ₹500 crore Central NDMF grant allocated to KMC’s drainage division, the state is actively upgrading civic infrastructure alongside eco-friendly conservation.
Flanked by Urban Development Minister Agnimitra Paul and local Tollygunge MLA Papiya Adhikari, the Chief Minister praised their relentless public service while dismissing critics on social media as political irrelevancies rejected by the electorate. He also took a veiled swipe at former leadership regarding religious celebrations, noting that citizens no longer require political permission to observe Durga Puja according to the traditional calendar.
