The Story of River Piyali
Kidney of Kolkata
River Piyali is a tributary of the mighty River Matla, which also runs through the Sunderban National Park. Any alteration to the quantity and quality of the river Matla has an effect on the biodiversity of the world's largest delta and mangrove reserve, which is home to the Royal Bengal Tiger and numerous other endangered species.
The closest metro city to the River Piyali is Kolkata, a 300-year-old city with the highest population density in India. The wastewater from Kolkata's households is discharged into the River Bidyadhari via the River Piyali. That is why it is also known as Kolkata's Kidney.
Why the “Kidney of Kolkata” is in trouble?
This article is about the River Piyali and how the Kidney of Kolkata is in trouble due to increased pollution load from Kolkata, which has expanded its border by 200% since independence (1947). Also, as a result of the rapid urbanisation caused by the influx from both the east and west sides of the city (Bihar, Jharkhand, and Bangladesh), the population density has increased exponentially. As a result, the amount of wastewater that is not flowing out of the Piyali River has increased, causing heavy siltation. The river's depth is decreasing due to siltation. As a result, whenever there is heavy rainfall, the river floods.
The flow of water from the River Piyali to the River Matla is controlled by a single dam, known as the Killa Dam or Dongjorai Dam. As the volume of flow has increased dramatically, this gate, which was designed nearly 50 years ago, is no longer capable of controlling the water flow. This dam is also in charge of keeping sea water out of the Piyali River. River Matla is linked to the Bay of Bengal through River Bidyadhari and also directly. (See the MapWalk)
Because of the increased flow from River Piyali and sometimes from Matla, the pressure on Killa bridge is enormous and may cause irreversible damage to the gate. If this gate is damaged, sea water will intrude into the River Piyali, causing severe damage to agriculture production along the river's banks. It will also reduce the possibility of catching sweet water fish in the river.
Polluted water from the Piyali River will also mix with the Matla River, causing harm to the ecosystem of the Sunderban Mangrove Forest and its inhabitants.
As a result, the Piyali River is extremely important, and it requires immediate attention to halt the degradation and, if possible, reverse the trend of degradation toward sustainability.
What is the current status of the river ?
This river and its banks are currently used as a picnic area. Tourists can take a boat ride and purchase freshly caught river water fish to eat on the riverbank. The river's water is used for irrigation and fishing by the locals.
This river's water is already contaminated with pollutants that farmers can use as fertilizer. When wastewater from the city is discharged into rivers, it mixes with the water and raises its chloride concentration, which, when it falls below a certain level, is very helpful for fertilization.
Despite the fact that this river supports the livelihood of the locals, it has become incredibly unhealthy and is slowly but surely eroding away due to the rise in population density and the river's importance as a tourist destination. This river is Kolkata's kidney, and if it loses all of its depth, all of its water supply, and all of its water quality suffers as a result of pollution, we must stop overusing the river's water for these unintended purposes.
How we can save the river?
First and foremost, the Killa Bridge must be repaired immediately. If this bridge is smart and healthy, one of the major issues of mixing good and bad water will be avoided. Then Kolkata's waste water (bad water) will be prohibited from mixing with River Matla's good water. Again, saline water from the River Matla (bad water) can be kept from mixing with inland water from the River Piyali (good water).
Second, the River Piyali needs to be desilted in order to avoid flooding during the monsoon and quickly drying up during the dry season.
Finally, the tourist influx on the river banks must be regulated in order to control the pollution caused by the tourists. The large sound from the soundboxes, as well as the disposal of plastic glass and plates, can disrupt the river's biotic and abiotic ecosystems.
If you want to visit this river then the next question is important for you else you can download the mind map of river Piyali for a summary of what I had explained in this post.
How to visit River Piyali from the city Airport?
Towards River Piyali : A bridge on River Piyali Upstream
Towards River Piyali : Road to Killa Bridge/Dam
The clickable version is reserved for paid members only.
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River Piyali
