Sudipta Adhikary and Paramita Bhattacharyya
Abstract
Rabindra Sarobar is an important urban lake ecosystem in south Kolkata, which is used for recreational, cultural and institutional purposes. This case study aims to explore the episodic pollution pressure of Chhath Puja in terms of the relationship between ritual activities, solid waste, organic offerings, plastics, noise, crowd pressure, and lake-governance issues. The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has imposed regulations on ritual access and designated areas, waste disposal and water quality monitoring, which offer an important governance framework. However, the non-compliance reported shows that there is a difference between regulation and implementation. The study suggests a management framework for lakes for the festival that includes carrying capacity assessment, source segregation, real-time lake monitoring, community participation, and post-festival ecological assessment, among others.