Two days after bulldozers were pressed into action in different parts of Calcutta and rest of Bengal to clear encroachments, chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday announced she was not in favour of using bulldozers.
"My policy is not to allow settlers and then use bulldozers. I want restrictions to be imposed from the beginning," she said at the state secretariat in a televised meeting with state ministers, bureaucrats, police and hawkers’ union representatives.
Carrying on with her strong stance against unauthorised occupants and their links with the local police and party bosses, Mamata threatened action.
“Any local councillor or leader in whose areas public space is occupied by hawkers will be arrested,” she said. “One local leader, we got him arrested in Dabgram-Fulbari.”
She continued to fume over Calcutta’s pavements being occupied by hawkers and encroachments.
“Look at Hatibagan, there is no space left for the pedestrians and vehicles. Just because they can raise money from these people does not mean they can hand over the entire road to anyone. Learn to control your greed,” Mamata advised her party leaders.
“In front of the zoo, the pavement is completely occupied and they have spilled on the road. It is a security hazard. Same with the Grand arcade. Several important people visit the Grand hotel. It is a security risk.”
In two consecutive meetings now, Mamata has accused her party leaders, along with the opposition BJP, of illegally selling government land.
During Thursday’s meeting, she accused the BJP’s ideological parent, the RSS, of filling up a pond in Asansol and erecting a three-storey building.
“I am not saying this without evidence. How could they fill up a pond? Check the papers and find out what happened there,” Mamata instructed the government officials.
Mamata also accused the BJP of running the most number of “illegal parkings”. The chief minister asked Calcutta police chief Vineet Goyal to submit a list of illegal parking in the city.
“The police and local politicians sell parking spots. We will find out if these spots can be legalised. If that is possible, fresh tenders will be floated,” Mamata said.
She also expressed her displeasure with buildings in Siliguri coloured red and saffron.
“Even the Metro stations have been painted saffron. Why? I don’t use my party colours. We have the state colour [white and sky blue]. Send the colour samples to these places,” she said.
On Wednesday, leader of Opposition in the state, the BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari, had alleged Mamata’s bulldozer action was limited to areas like Gariahat and Hatibagan in the city area, while other parts like New Market, Rajabazar and Kidderpore were spared.
Mamata, during Thursday’s meeting, instructed Calcutta police, mayor Firhad Hakim, the municipal corporation and others to carry out a survey in Hatibagan and the Grand hotel arcade.
“Don’t take bulldozers. Find out how it can be sorted. If necessary, they have to be shifted. Why are we not building markets for them?” Mamata said.
The chief minister suggested that buildings be identified or built for the hawkers to keep their wares during the night.
“It is not possible for the hawkers to take their wares back home. Many of them live in far-off areas. Buildings should be identified close to the hawking zones so that it is convenient for them,” she said.
The urban and municipal secretaries were asked to visit all districts and identify zones where such buildings can be constructed.
The chief minister said the government has failed to explain the state’s position on unauthorised occupation to the high court.
“A meeting should be arranged with the chief justice so that we can explain the government’s stand,” said Mamata.
