Dhapa, India
Dhapa is a locality on the eastern fringes of Kolkata, India. The area consists of landfill sites where the solid wastes of the city of Kolkata are dumped. "Garbage farming" is encouraged in the landfill sites.[1] More than 40 per cent of the green vegetables in the Kolkata markets come from these lands. There are four sectors in Dhapa for dumping garbage that are filled with 2,500 tonnes of waste per day.[2]
Geographical Location and Extent
Dhapa is located near the Parama island on the Eastern Metropolitan Bypass, on the eastern side of Kolkata. The Eastern Metropolitan Bypass lies on the east, Beleghata/Tangra/Sealdah on the west, China Town on the south and the Metropolitan Cooperative Housing Society on the north. The closest landmarks near Dhapa are the ITC Sonar hotel & Silver Spring housing which fall on the east side, Milan Mela ground or the permanent trade fair ground which is on the south side and Mathpukur five point crossing which is on the west side. In the West side of Dhapa an oldest and important landmark exist which is the Awatar Bhavan that has Dhapa Post Office in it. It also has the St. Thomas school. This building was once built by Late Yadunandan Singh in the year 1920 and is currently owned by his son Shatrughna Prasad Singh. Apart from that some other old landmarks are Dhapa Kutchery also built by Late Yadunandan Singh in 1920's.
Jurisdiction and Other Government Bodies
Dhapa under the administrative jurisdiction of South 24 Paraganas and is under the Tiljala Police Station. A small police outpost - the Parama Investigating Centre is also an intermediary Police Station that handles minor and petty cases which is positioned on the Parama Island - a roundabout that connects the EM Bypass with Gariahat and Park Circus. The local court is the District Sessions Court (South 24 Pgs) near Bhavani Bhavan at Alipore. The area falls under ward 58 of the Sonarpur Constituency.
The Kolkata Municipal Corporation is responsible for providing the basic civic facilities and amenities to the residents of the place like Water, Drainage, Sanitation, Garbage Collection, Anti Malarial and Health Care programs. The Calcutta Electricity Supply Corporation (CESC) provides electricity to the area as well as to entire Kolkata as the sole electricity provider.
Pollution in Dhapa
Dhapa has been a major victim of Air and sound pollution. In 1986 the pond next to the Dhapa Post Office was filled by the city garbage. As a result, the at least 65% of the population above the age of 35 are infected by the exposure to tuberculosis. Now this pond is the current day Dhapa Saag bazaar which is a money minting ground for politically supported mafias. They use this ground for snatching (Hafta) money from the poor peasants.
Demography
Majority of the people living in the place are either migrant casual laborers who work in tanneries of China Town or are employed in small factories nearby. Some of the inhabitants are peasants and farmers who work in the fields that line the EM Bypass. These farmers came from Medinipur, Durgapur, Bihar and Orissa and were settled by the help of Late Yadunandan Singh. The majority of the population is poor and some live below the poverty line. Recently new population has migrated in the Hatgachia area. Also the family of Patwas have moved here from Bihar who have minted the money in jewellery business. Singh family of Late Yadunandan Singh is remembered for the landlord like status in the area and the old peasants still remember him for his philanthropic works like providing farming opportunity and building homes of Oriya Para, Uttar Bari, Dakshin Bari and Janakalyan School. This family is know to be highly educated in the area. His grandson Shantanu Singh runs an Engineering consultancy in New Jersey, USA in the name of YN (Yadunandan) Enterprises.
Schools
The area has several schools like the Harvard House High School (ICSE), St. Thomas School (ICSE), St. Patrick Day School (Primary), Janakalyan School (West Bengal Secondary Board) and a number of small primary and secondary schools affiliated to the local state board (West Bengal).
Crime and criminal activities
The place was once notorious for criminal and anti-social activities as illegal drugs, liquor and other contraband objects were sold openly. There were various mafia groups who fought among themselves while trying to control the illegal liquor trade (hooch, desi). During the decades of 80's and 90's this area was once ruled by notorious criminals like Shiv Narayan, Ganesh, Jhantu and Tarak. However, with the arrival of new Officer in Charge things were under control by the year 2000. In 2013 this area suffered a major blow when the councilor Mr. Sambhunath Kow was charged with non intentional murder of a local mafia named Adhir Maiti. People are still in a dilemma that why judgement has not been done to state if the councillor is guilty or not. Time is passing by and the councillor and his family are victim of the law and order situation where a final judgement has not passed yet.
Notes
- ↑ United Nations Environment Programme article
- ↑ "Vegetable lots to litter zone..." The Telegraph. 30 October 2003