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Kolkata, Nov 19 (IANS) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has written a letter to the Enforcement Directorate (ED), demanding a comprehensive investigation by the central agency to unearth the alleged nexus between Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders and sand smuggling mafias in West Bengal.
BJP MLA from Asansol (South) Agnimitra Paul accused Tarun Chakraborty, councilor of Ward No. 87 of Asansol Municipal Corporation, of actively aiding and abetting unauthorized extraction of sand from Damra Ghat on Damodar River and collecting significant amounts of money from the operation.
The fashion designer turned politician has also mentioned several alleged sand smuggling gangs in her letter to the ED.
“Due to illegal sand mining, Damodar river is losing its course. Many places have become dangerous. Many people are losing their lives while bathing,” Paul said on Tuesday evening.
Elaborating on the letter written to the ED, she said, “Due to the continuous movement of sand-laden lorries and tractors, roads in various villages are being destroyed. The environment is being polluted dangerously. I would immediately request the ED to intervene in this matter.”
The development follows the arrest of a businessman Arun Saraf by the ED in a sand smuggling case in the state, the first such arrest in West Bengal.
Following this, the ED has conducted searches at various places including the residence of a businessman in Asansol, focusing on the illegal sand mining network.
This time MLA Agnimitra Paul has directly accused the Trinamool councilor on the sand smuggling case.
Responding to BJP MLA’s allegations, TMC councilor Tarun Chakraborty has denied involvement in illegal activities.
Terming the allegations as baseless, the TMC leader told media persons on Wednesday, “We have been watching sand being taken out from Damra Ghat since childhood. Sand is still being taken out from Damra Ghat. Local poor and unemployed people, especially the youth, carry sand on bicycles, rickshaws or tractors. I have no connection with it.”
He claimed that a letter has already been written to various authorities regarding illegal sand mining from the ghat.
–IANS
SH/SNJ/SKP