Solid waste management plant faces land hurdle in Malda

Statesman News Service

MALDA, April 12: The CPI-M-led Old Malda Municipality is finding it difficult to tackle the movement launched by the locals against the alleged land acquisition bid for the setting up of a solid waste management plant here. The state environment department has given green signal to the unit and, in the first phase, allotted Rs 2 crore for it. The locals, it may be recalled, has launched an agitation to stop acquisition of vest land for the establishment of the chemical unit. The land in question has been occupied by businessmen and some downtrodden families.Today, the CPI (ML) Liberation submitted a memorandum to the Malda district administration, alleging that the OMM authorities are evicting poor families for the materialisation of the chemical unit project. It was also learnt that some of the people, who are likely to be affected, had applied to the concerned department seeking deed of rights for living here. Trouble broke out after the OMM authorities issued a notice to the locals, instructing them to vacate the land with immediate effect. Asked to comment on the issue, the CPI-M’s Malda district secretary, Mr Jiban Moitra, said people have occupied the land illegally.