On January 26, 2026, a massive fire tore through a warehouse in Anandapur, killing over 25 people overnight on Republic Day. This disaster revealed a major problem: illegal buildings spreading in the ecologically sensitive East Kolkata Wetlands near Kolkata. Experts say these wetlands clean over 900 million litres of sewage daily and save the city huge water treatment costs. But rapid illegal development threatens this natural filter and the local ecosystem. The East Kolkata Wetlands cover about 12,500 hectares and support much of the city's fish and vegetable production. Partha Pratim Biswas, a construction engineering professor at Jadavpur University, warned, "If this space shrinks our ecosystem will also be destroyed." Many buildings, including warehouses, have been built under weak law enforcement because the land falls under gram panchayats, slowing action. Political leaders traded blame after the fire. Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim said, "We did not stop it because closing down commercial spaces like this indiscriminately can stop the income of many poor people." Opposition leader Suvendu Adhikari called the fire a "man-made disaster caused by illegal warehouses operating without fire safety norms, NOCs, or audits in the East Kolkata Wetlands." Communist leader Sujan Chakraborty also condemned the illegal constructions. The warehouse had two godowns: one for Wow! Momo and another for a decorator. Two top Wow! Momo executives were arrested, along with the other company's owner. BJP demanded a Supreme Court-monitored probe and questioned why the CEO of Wow! Momo is yet to be arrested. Rescue efforts continue as West Bengal faces growing pressure to control illegal constructions and protect vital wetlands.