Statement Of Objects And Reasons. - The wetland in general is of great ecological significance for human life. It acts as regulator of water regime, source for underground water recharging, mechanism for waste water treatment, air quality purifier and store of water for fire-fighting However, of late, there is an increasing pressure on land for human settlement due to urbanization, leading to filling up of the wetlands and East Kolkata wetlands has no exception.

2. The East Kolkata wetlands, situated in the eastern fringe of the city of Kolkata was declared as a Ramsar Site in 2002, in " consonance with the Convention on Wetlands held in Ramsar, iran, in 1921, to which India was a signatory. The .said East Kolkata wetlands is a unique example of usage of the sewage water of the city for the purpose of pisciculture and farming. The shallow waste water fish ponds within the East Kolkata wetlands behave like "Oxidation Ponds ". These ponds reduce the bacterial load substantially before it is discharged into the Kulti outfall. This is in fact an inexpensive method of treatment of the city sewage. The need for the conservation and management of the East Kolkata wetlands area, which is under wise use, cannot therefore, be over emphasized.

3. Considering all these aspects, it has been felt necessary and expedient to provide for conservation and management of the East Kolkata wetlands and for matters connected therewith and incidental thereto.

4. As the West Bengal Legislative Assembly was not in session, and as it was necessary to take immediate action in the matter, an Ordinance, namely the East Kolkata Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Ordinance, 2005 (West Ben. Ord. VII of 2005), was promulgated.

5. The Bill seeks to replace the said Ordinance with certain modifications by an Act of the State Legislature.

6. The Bill has been framed with the above objects in view.

Sd/-

Manabendra Mukherjee

Member-in-charge.

Kolkata, The 23rd December, 2005

Statement of Objects and Reasons

In the East Kolkata Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Act, 2006 (West Bengal Act No. 7 of 2006) (hereinafter referred to as the said Act), the provisions of section 13, inter alia, empower the Accountant-General, West Bengal, to conduct the audit of the East Kolkata Wetlands Management Authority (hereinafter referred to as the Authority).

2. While entrusting the audit of the Authority upon the Accountant-General, West Bengal, in accordance with the provisions of the said Act, certain practical difficulties have been cropped up inasmuch as the Authority is enjoying the status of a body corporate and the provisions of the Comptroller and Auditor General's (Duties, Powers and Conditions of Service) Act, 1971 (56 of 1971), spells out that the Comptroller and Auditors General of India can undertake the audit of any such authority only on the request of the Governor of the State.

3. With a view to removing such difficulties, it has been felt necessary to incorporate an enabling provision in section 13 of the said Act retrospectively authorising the Governor of the State to entrust the audit of the Authority on the Comptroller and Auditor-General of India since its inception and to make some consequential changes therein to make such provision consistent with the provisions of the Comptroller and Auditor-General's (Duties, Powers and Conditions of Service) Act, 1971.

4.The Bill has been framed with the above objects in view.