Take stern action against sand & coal mafia: CM

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday instructed the police to take stern action against sand and coal mafia.

She was holding the administrative review meeting at Loko Sanakriti Mancha here on Thursday afternoon.

She asked the district administration to install watch towers and CCTV cameras to spot illegal sand mafias and coal miners. She said that anyone involved in the matter will not be spared and alleged that some policemen are also involved in it. "Burdwan is a peaceful district. It is the rice bowl of Bengal and people here are peace loving. But the sand mafia and illegal coal miners are creating troubles in Burdwan, Asansol and Birbhum. Stern action will have to be taken against them. Some policemen are involved in the matter and anyone caught will not be spared," she maintained.

She asked the police to keep a tab on the local clubs and keep information about the temples, mosques and churches. "Police should keep an eye on the outsiders," she said. She maintained that in the name of preservation of cows known as gauraksha, some people are giving cows to local people. "This has happened in North 24 Parganas and the administration should keep an eye on them. The administration will have to be kept informed before any such step is taken by anyone," she said.

Earlier, in the gathering at police lines, Mamata Banerjee said that without the participation of women, no social function is complete. Whether it is Durga Puja or Eid, women play a major role and without their participation, no function is complete," she said.

She also distributed tree saplings among the young mothers of girl children under Sabuj Shree project. "The mothers should look after them like their daughters and the saplings will grow into a tree one day," she said.

Banerjee maintained that like Kanyashree, Sabuj Sathi will get world recognition someday. "The state government is committed to help girls and ensure that they get higher education. We have different scholarships for students who want to pursue higher education," she said.

Meanwhile, the district administration congratulated her for bagging the award by United Nations for Kanyashree Prakalpa.