Locals worried about encroachments on Kopai river bank

There's growing concern among villagers around Kopai river in Santiniketan in West Bengal amid the threat of encroachments on the banks of the river.

Santiniketan:Huge tracts ofKopai river bed in West Bengal which cradles famous poet Rabindranath Tagore’s Santiniketan are allegedly being encroached by real estate brokers, local residents said.

Locals residents Shyam Besra and Sona Murmu claimed that Kopai River is illegally put on sale for construction of resorts and coffee houses. “We have protested against this several times. The administration is reluctant to act. We use this river for various purposes. But everything is getting spoiled. Capitalists from outside are taking control of everything these days,” they said.

The deputy chief of Rudrapur village panchayat, Ronendranath Sarkar said that selling river banks is completely illegal. “We will not allow this to happen. We will look into the matter and if necessary we will take legal steps,” he said. Bolpur’s sub-divisional officer, Manas Halder also said that selling river banks and river beds are illegal. “I have instructed the Bengal Land Reform Officer to conduct a probe and submit a detailed report on this count,” he said.

A local resident said the district administration remains mute despite raising the issue. Villagers living adjacent to the river utilise it for fishing or bathing purposes. Kopai river will lose its charm and beauty if this continues, they added.

Sources said resorts, flats, restaurants and coffee houses are increasingly being constructed here. The huge influx of tourists in Santiniketan has led to the boom. Sources said brick walls with boards displaying "site for resorts" have been spotted. The riverbank is under the jurisdiction of the state land and revenue department, according to sources.