- विज्ञापन -
Kolkata: As the annual Ganga Sagar Mela approaches, BJP leaders in West Bengal have raised allegations of financial irregularities concerning infrastructure work at Sagar Islands. The district BJP leadership claims that funds from two sources—the state Department of Sundarban Affairs and the MP Local Area Development Fund (MPLAD)—have been used for the same project, which involved constructing a 2.5 km road on the island.
The issue came to light when two plaques, placed at different points along the road, made contradictory claims about the funding of the project. The original plaque, installed after the road’s completion, stated that the project was funded by the Sundarban Development Authority and completed on June 18, 2018. However, a new plaque claims that the project was funded by the MPLAD funds of local Trinamool Congress MP Bapi Halder and was implemented during the 2024-25 financial year.
BJP leaders suspect that this discrepancy indicates significant funds misappropriation either at the Sundarban Development Authority or through MPLAD funds, with the two plaques serving to cover up the irregularities. While MP Halder was unavailable for comment, state Sundarban Affairs Minister Bankim Chandra Hazra denied the allegations of fund mismanagement and stated he would resign if proven wrong.
The BJP has criticized the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government for corruption in development projects, pointing out that the contradictory plaques not only differ on the funding sources but also on the timeline of the project.
The Ganga Sagar Mela is scheduled to begin on January 10 and will run until January 18, 2025.
