By IANS,
Kolkata : A Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) leader Saturday criticised West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s decision not to allow any further land acquisition in Rajarhat area on Kolkata’s north eastern fringes, saying it will only help promoters and cripple a showpiece urban township process set rolling by the previous Left Front regime.
“Because of her decision, the Rajarhat plan will fall on its face. I can’t find any rationality behind her decision. Many of the projects are nearing completion but they would all now be stalled. This is almost killing the project,” said CPI-M leader and former state housing minister Gautam Deb.
On Friday, Banerjee had announced that her government would not go on with any further acquisition for the new Town project. “We have decided that we will not acquire land area of 1,687 acres. We will withdraw the notification given by the previous government,” she said.
Citing rapid urbanisation, Deb said the township was essential. “By 2026, the urban population will grow by 1,10,41,000. Keeping this in perspective, how will this urbanisation be accommodated? The New Town project was put up keeping in view the economically weaker sections of the society, which form a large part of the population.
“A solid waste management plant, a 220 KV electric sub-station, all is now jeopardised. What does her announcement mean? It means the waste management plant will not come up. The sub-station will not come up. The people will ultimately suffer.”
Deb also said that the decision would result in promoters and builders making huge profits by grabbing those lands. “The promoters will make profit of around Rs.10,000 crore. They are now rejoicing. In the name of farmers and at the cost of the project she is providing dividends to the promoters. This will be a scam of unprecedented magnitude.”
He also reiterated that the acquisition was peaceful and the land losers were adequately compensated.
The new town christened Jyoti Basu Nagar is a fast-growing planned new city neighbourhood of Kolkata and located in North 24 Parganas district. It has been planned as a residential-cum-industrial hub.