Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief and West Bengal Chief Minister (CM) Mamata Banerjee lashed out at municipality chiefs over their “poor performance and service” in the first review meeting on Monday.
Banerjee started the meeting stating that she will sound bitter because for her common people are important. She said, “This is the worst performance of municipalities, I don’t know why it happened. A gang has grouped and they are taking money and making outsiders settle here. They want to change the identity of Bengal, but I will not allow this…There are dirty roads and nobody looks into it. Should I sweep the roads now?”
Banerjee announced the formation of review committee constituting of CID officers, Vigilance officers and ADG law and order to monitor the performance of politicians and officers. Banerjee said, “Some people think that they will stay for two years and go, but now all their work will be reviewed and monitored by one committee of ADG LO, CID officers and Vigilance officers.”
Chairmen of all municipalities, mayors of corporation, district magistrates, police chiefs attended the meeting.
She also said that along with the review committee, there will be no local tender. For any local work, tenders will be centrally assigned. For this, too, she formed a committee with secretary of land department, irrigation department, DG, ADG LO.
Banerjee said that all these things will be sorted first, and only then will she think of the civic polls, due next year.
She has directed the Howrah police to enquire on Howrah land cases immediately. “My words may be bitter but remember municipalities give service to people,” she said.
WHY THE OUTBURST?
Sources told News18 that the review comes in the wake of the TMC’s poor performance in the urban areas in the polls. Of the 121 municipalities, the BJP has been ahead in 69, while in Kolkata, of the 144 wards, the BJP has been ahead in more than 40. The TMC scored more overall seats than the BJP in the Lok Sabha elections,
A review by Banerjee has revealed that government properties have been encroached upon with the help of one section public representatives and bureaucracy. These “outsiders”, according to sources, have not voted for the TMC.
The survey also pointed out that bad municipal management by councillors and chairman of municipalities, who are unpopular for their cut money, made people turn away from the TMC.
Consequently, Banerjee made it clear that she will not tolerate these practices.
The BJP though has stated that Banerjee has said this because she knows her end is nearing. Samik Bhattacharya, BJP MP, said, “They have done badly, that is why she is scolding her people, but urban people have understood the TMC.”
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