Calcutta's sorrow

There is growing evidence that therecent outbreak of the malaria (plasmodium falciparum) epidemic inCalcutta is related to the cloggeddrainage system of the city. And thisis because the state government hasbeen reclaiming the East CalcuttaWetlands since the '60s. Some citizens, at the initiative of therenowned geologist and senior environmentalist, Subrata Sinha, areprobing the epidemic.

Sinha says that most of the malaria cases come from old settlements -Calcutta's core corporaiion area -where water stagnates after heavyshowers. "These areas are in the middle of Calcutta's saucer and are serviced by a century-old, brick sewerlines, which have been for long in astate of disrepair. Even at the heightof summers, these are almostclogged,- he says. Comparatively,new settlement areas like Jadavpurand Tollygunge do not face such dire conditions.