Chief minister Mamata Banerjee today came down heavily on the underperforming civic bodies on a range of issues from alleged land encroachments to issuing of trade licences, garbage clearance and issues dealing with public services, which she alleged were not being taken care of and issued a stern warning to the alleged “non-performing” officials to either mend ways or face the consequences.
In a hard hitting message to the chiefs of around 121 civic bodies in the state, which was also attended by the three ministers from Howrah, along with state municipal affairs minister Firhad Hakim and power minister Aroop Biswas at Nabanna today, Miss Banerjee first pulled up the authorities of Howrah Municipal Corporation as being the worst non-performing civic body. There are rampant allegations like land encroachments, unauthorized parking, irregular clearance of vats, mushrooming of unauthorized highrises under the nose of the SDO.
Miss Banerjee said the irregularities were rampant and continuing for years, without adhering to the necessary guidelines. The SDO, who is supposed to conduct proper monitoring, was inactive for reasons best known to her. She directed that SDO should be issued show-cause notice.
“I won’t tolerate any wrongdoing. Those, who are sitting idle without taking care of the guidelines, deliberately to help some unscrupulous elements. They are giving a bad name to Bengal,” said Miss Banerjee.
She was particularly scathing on the encroachments of government lands, which she alleged was being done in exchange of money and an unholy nexus was at work in collusion with some of the civic authorities, police and politicians. She directed Howrah city police to take necessary steps to put a stop on such irregularities immediately.
She also directed that funds would henceforth be disbursed through centrally and the trade licenses would be issued online to avoid alleged irregularities.
Coming down heavily on the functioning of Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation, she said it had also indulged in alleged irregularities giving little respect to the guidelines and here too land encroachments were going on unchecked with the police looking the other way. Government money was being siphoned off by some unscrupulous elements in cahoots with government officials, she said.
She praised civic bodies like KMC, Uluberia, Baidyabati, Basirhat, Nabadwip, Uttarpara, North Dum Dum for good performance, while contai, Dalkhola, Howrah, Panihati, Coopers Camp and Suri received severe criticism.