Five Years On, Howrah Student Awaits PM's Response To Botanical Garden Degradation

Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose Indian Botanical Garden in Shibpur, Howrah, is one of the popular tourist attractions in Kolkata. It shelters The Great Banyan tree, considered the largest in the world, with more than 330 metres in circumference. This garden is also famous for its enormous collections of orchids, bamboo, palms and plants of screw pine. Built during British rule, this garden is gradually losing its significance due to the interference of humans. The plight of this garden was noticed by a fifth-class student in Howrah city. She expressed her problem and asked for a solution in a letter written to the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi five years ago. Now, the Lok Sabha Elections 2024 results are out, NDA is expected to make government soon and yet the student has not received her due reply.

The botanical garden built on 270 acres of land during the British period is now known as Acharya Jagdish Chandra Bose Botanic Garden. Subalakshi Roy Chowdhury, a resident of Howrah witnessed the degradation of the Howrah Botanical Garden in her childhood. In her letter, she complained that the trees worth lakhs of rupees are being wiped out from the park. Vehicles are entering freely thus infusing carbon in the garden. In her letter, she stated that until a few years ago all those reservoirs used to have stagnant water. The water from the river used to enter the tide and the polluted one exits through the ebb. However, Subalakshi Roy Chowdhury claims that due to the indifference of the authorities, the lock gate is useless and the water entry and exit route is closed. The reservoir has turned into a sinkhole, she added.

At the time of writing the letter, Subalakshmi was in fifth grade. She is now in class 10 and still waiting for the reply. In this context, while talking to Local18, the student said,

“The situation has not changed and the letter has not been answered till today. I was in the fifth standard to present the 10th standard. No work, only regret and despair at the end of five years.” The schoolgirl is hopeful that the problem will be solved when the new government comes into power.