Forest Ministry orders removal of brackish‑water farms, re‑planting plan

Kolkata, July 19 – In a decisive move, West Bengal’s forest ministry has ordered the shutdown of all illegal brackish‑water fish farms that were set up by felling mangrove trees in the Sundarbans. Minister Manoj Uraon instructed senior forest officers to conduct a ground‑level survey across South and North 24‑Parganas, close the farms with police support, and immediately begin re‑planting mangrove saplings on the cleared sites.

The department estimates that about 1,600 acres have been converted into these unauthorised ponds, with the bulk of the activity centred in the South 24‑Parganas region. The target is to finish the identification, demolition and re‑vegetation phases before November.

A joint task force comprising forest officials and district administrators will oversee the restoration, while a robust monitoring framework will be put in place to prevent any repeat offences. Environmental activists have welcomed the decision, highlighting the role of mangroves as a natural barrier against cyclones, tidal surges and coastal erosion.

Since Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari’s administration took charge, the state has intensified actions against illegal structures around Sundarbans tourism sites, exemplified by the recent demolition of an unauthorised café on the Matla River bank.