Zilla Parishad faces protests while inspecting plaints of illegal quarrying

Cooch Behar: On receiving complaints of the embankment of the Raidak River being damaged owing to illegal quarrying, Chaiti Barman Barua, Karmadhakhya of Health and Environment of Cooch Behar Zilla Parishad, on a visit to the area faced protests from locals.

Barua, who is also the Tufanganj-II Block president of Trinamool Congress (TMC) visited the Gaydarchar area of Raidak River in Mahishkuchi-II Village Panchayat of Tufanganj-II block on Thursday morning.

However, during her visit, Chaiti Barman Barua ran into protests with the locals shouting “go back” slogans.

The incident stirred up a commotion in the area, prompting the intervention of the Boxirihat police. Chaiti Barman Barua was subsequently escorted away from the site.

Chaiti Barman Barua explained: “Recently I received complaints about the dam being damaged due to illegal quarrying.

So I went to inspect. On my way back, some people, including local Panchayat members, stopped me and began protesting. We have no objection if local people work and earn their livelihood.

However, those protesting were actually involved in illegal quarrying and they attacked me. It is disheartening that a Panchayat member would attack me.”

However, local Panchayat member Basanti Barman denied any attack, stating: “She was not harassed; the local people only asked how they would survive if quarrying is stopped. Local residents complain that poor people work and earn a living in the areas she visited.”