CM warns of strict action against land scams

Siliguri: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has ordered strict action against government officials of North Bengal involved in land scams. She has ordered the Principal Secretary of Land and Land reforms department to conduct an investigation into all such cases.

Addressing the gathering at the government benefit distribution programme at the Kanchenjunga Stadium in Siliguri on Tuesday, the Chief Minister stated: “Some BLROs in association with miscreants are indulging in such spurious deals involving land. I have directed the Principal Secretary of the Land Reforms department to investigate the matter and take stern action if any officials are found involved. No one will be spared.”

There have been several complaints of harassment over issuing of land related documents for a long time.

Currently, the state government is providing land documents (Pattas) in the entire state. During the processing, names of some BLROs came to the forefront allegedly involved in corruption.

The Chief Minister said: “When money is recovered from the house of a political leader, media persons come out with it but if a government official takes bribes, it gets suppressed. In our state if any government official takes bribes he will be expelled. The government will take strict action against them.”

Meanwhile, the CM said that all eligible people will get land documents. She made an announcement of changing the names of ‘Basti’ area and Refugees. “From now onwards, the Basti (Village) areas will be named as ‘Uttaran’ and Udbastu (Refugee) Colonies will be named as ‘Sthayi Thikana’,” stated Banerjee.

The CM added: “Labourers of tea gardens residing in Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Jalpaiguri, Alipurduar all will get patta. We are giving Rs 1500 to each tea garden labourers of closed tea gardens. Farmers will also get patta.”