Kolkata: Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim on Monday took to the streets near Majerhat Bridge and stopped a goods vehicle loaded with construction waste that was allegedly set to be used for filling up waterbodies.
The Mayor was on his way to Behala to attend the administrative meeting of Borough XVI.
In Kolkata, many old buildings are being pulled down and new ones are replacing them. However, there has been a tendency among many people to dump construction wastes in water bodies and fill them up.
“We have come up with a plant for the treatment of construction waste and all waste should be carried there. Still, I have witnessed here that multiple goods vehicles loaded with construction waste are using the Majerhat Bridge to travel to Behala and its adjacent areas in the south. I will ask the Police Commissioner to take strong measures in this area and stop such vehicles carrying construction waste to fill up water bodies. I have personally stopped one such truck and handed it over to the police,” Hakim said.
The tendency among a section of people to fill up water bodies needs to be stopped. “The KMC cannot fight a lone battle to curb pollution and prevent the filling up of water bodies. The police need to step up their vigil for preventing water bodies from getting filled up,” he added.
The Mayor said that he would bring this matter before the notice of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.