Kolkata, Feb 2 (IANS) Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, on Monday, alleged that land mafias backed by the ruling Trinamool Congress have filled a massive pond in Bhangar area of South 24 Parganas district.
Sharing a video clip of the incident on his official X account, LoP Adhikari alleged that it was another example of illegal filling of protected East Kolkata Wetlands.
He said this allowed illegitimate warehouses to be established without any permission like the ones in Anandapur area in southern outskirts of Kolkata where a massive fire broke out recently killing 27 people.
“Another Anandapur in the making under your nose, CP @KolkataPolice? What is unfolding in Bhangar right now is nothing short of a criminal conspiracy against the people and the environment, and the TMC Government is the biggest facilitator,” LoP Adhikari added.
“In the pitch-black cover of night, TMC-backed land mafias are brazenly filling up a massive public pond at the entrance to Bijoyganj Bazar in Bhangar; South 24 Parganas district. This is no ordinary water body, it is situated in a land officially recognised as belonging to the Hospital and the Health Department. Yet, dumpers loaded with soil and JCB machines are operating with complete impunity, destroying a vital water resource and an absent administration is looking the other way,” Adhikari, the BJP MLA from Nandigram, said in a post on X.
According to BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, this is a not an isolated incident and a part of a series of similar incidents which allowed illegal warehouse to come up in the wetlands.
“This is not an isolated incident. This is the exact same dangerous template that created the man-made disaster in Anandapur just days ago,” he said.
The BJP Nandigram MLA also said, “In Anandapur, illegal filling of protected East Kolkata Wetlands allowed illegitimate warehouses to spring up without any permission, license, or administrative supervision. The result? A horrific fire that trapped and killed dozens of poor workers, turning sleeping quarters into death traps. The TMC regime watched silently while mafias converted wetlands into illegal godowns and now they are repeating the same crime in Bhangar.”
He also criticised the Trinamool Congress-led state government for failing to control the situation which has unfolded over several years.
“Here too, literally a foundation is being laid for unauthorised constructions, unregulated activities, and zero oversight from Government departments. When the inevitable accident happens; a collapse, a fire, dangerous waterlogging, or worse, who will answer for the loss of innocent human lives? Mamata Banerjee? Her Ministers? Her local goons posing as “party workers”?” LoP Adhikari asked.
He concluded by saying, “This is not governance, this is Mafia Raj. This is systematic destruction of water bodies, environment, and public safety for personal profit and political patronage. The TMC has blood on its hands already from Anandapur, there shouldn’t be more from Bhangar.”
There was no official reaction from the Trinamool Congress over LoP Adhikari’s allegations.
–IANS
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