Fog in the way of arsenic free-water plant

Statesman News Service

KAHALA (Malda), Jan. 15. — Heavy fog today caused the chief minister to cancel the inauguration of an arsenic-free drinking water plant here. Coupled with that, the CM also had to cancel his plan to campaign for the ruling government in the forthcoming elections, at Kahala in Ratua that is about 45 km north of Malda town. Authorities said the chief minister’s helicopter failed to locate the venue, where the programme was supposed to be held owing to dense fog and so, returned without any notification. The inauguration of the arsenic-free drinking water project in the English Bazaar scheduled for tomorrow has also been cancelled now, officials informed. Mr Sailen Sarkar, the minister for food processing industries and horticulture, informed the assembled audience: “The CM’s helicopter tried to land twice, but, due to the foggy weather, we are sorry to inform that the minister had to return.” Even during a trial run yesterday, the pilot had failed to locate the venue that was actually a field surrounded by mango orchards. At last, the administrative officials shifted the venue to someplace seven kilometres from the earlier venue. The entire plan for the conference was overhauled to suit the security needs and convenience of the CM. But, today again, allegedly, the pilot failed to detect the venue. However, during the long speech to pacify the crowd that was growing impatient every minute after waiting for the CM to arrive for a long time, many locals alleged that the Mr Sarkar had got wind of the CM’s cancellation of the programme much before. But, Mr Sarkar allegedly did not disclose the news to the assembled audience. Nearly after a wait of an hour and a half, Mr Sarkar allegedly disclosed the information of the CM’s cancellation of the visit with apology and requested thousands of people to return home peacefully. The enthusiastic CPI-M workers were shocked on receiving the information. The point to be noted here is that in the run-up to the elections, in order to rival Union minister, Mr Priya Ranjan Das Munshi in his own parliamentary constituency, Mr Sarkar, also elected from Ratua, politically master-minded programme the whole drinking water project quickly. “Don’t think that the project would not be executed because the CM did not arrive. The water project will be completed within a three year’s time-frame”, Mr Sarkar said to the gathering. Laying the foundation stone for the arsenic-free drinking water project, the minister announced: “Rs 23 crore has been allotted for this drinking water project for the benefit of over 50,000 people residing in Ratua and the construction of the project will be initiated soon”. #

Pic. Collected