Apprehending as usual illegal construction at Baranagar, West Bengal, ignoring disasters and biodiversity

Posted on 13th February, 2022

Updated on 21st May, 2022

See the following video for viewing the current state of “D” (21, Joy Narayan Banerjee Lane), involving another illegal construction:

The following letter has been sent to the following dignitaries:

1.The Honourable Governor, Government of West Bengal

2. The Honourable Chief Minister, Government of West Bengal

3. Prof. Saugata Roy, Honourable Member of Parliament, Dumdum Parliamentary Constituency

4. Ms. Mahua Moitra, Honourable Member of Parliament, Krishnanagar Parliamentary Constituency

5. THE HONOURABLE DISTRICT MAGISTRATE, NORTH 24 PARGANAS

6. THE SUPERINTENDENT OF POLICE, NORTH 24 PARGANAS

7. THE JOINT COMMISSIONER, BARRACKPORE CHARGE 

8. THE CHAIRPERSON, Baranagar Municipality

Sub.:- Complaint against apprehended illegal construction situated at 23, Joy Narayan Banerjee Lane, Baranagar, Kolkata – 700036.

Dear Sir/Madam,

This is to bring in your kind attention regarding the apprehended ‘illegal construction’ to be erected at 23, Joy Narayan Banerjee Lane, Baranagar, Kolkata-700036. This is to inform you that the said building is intimately attached to another partitioned residence at 23/1, Joy Narayan Banerjee Lane, Baranagar, Kolkata- 700036.

Please note that the undersigned are the residents of a land (Owner: Dr. Debaprasad Bandyopadhyay) scheduled as “1 Cottah 7 chattacks 24 sq. ft., Dag No: 6434, Khatian Nos. 6911, 6963, 6964 Hal 12662, J.L. No. 5, Holding No.165, Moza: Baranagar, P.S.: Baranagar, Dist. 24 Parganas (North)” adjacent to the land whereof the said illegal construction is being carried out. 

An effortless view of the said apprehended illegal construction will Prima facie reveal that the said building is being constructed in violation of Municipal Corporation Act and statutes thereof as such massive construction cannot be legally sanctioned on a land connected with just a 4ft. Road. Further information is received that the said illegal construction will end up in a four-storied apartment.

Please note that the said apprehended illegal construction will affect the rights, interests and peaceful possession of the undersigned and other persons of the vicinity and above all, the biodiversity of the habitat. According to the 2011 Census, Baranagar had a density of population of 10,967 per km². In the case of natural disasters like earthquakes or structural fire, there is no place for escaping from one’s residence due to such an increasingly high density. Furthermore, in the context of anthropogenic glocal heating, this town, situated near the river Hooghly, is a vulnerable climate zone. It is to be noted in this regard that North 24 Parganas belongs to a “High Damage Risk Zone” (Zone IV) in terms of the seismic zoning.  

Therefore, it is humbly submitted that immediate steps to be taken from your end to stop any such illegal construction. 

I am also anticipating sponsored goons’ attack for this type of protest against illegal construction. Especially, the so-called “Social Worker” Sri Swapan Chakraborty alias “Motada” (once associated with the INC and the CPIM in their respective regimes, and now working for the TMCP. No ideological perspective is found in this context.) is instrumental in this type of cases. Me and my family are lacking security.  

Thanking you in anticipation,

Yours faithfully,

Dr. Debaprasad Bandyopadhyay

Mrs. Rupa Bandyopadhyay

Mr. Akhar Bandyopadhyay

On Behalf of the Once In A Blue Moon Academia⤡

बहुजनहिताय बहुजनसुखाय च॥

(“For the happiness of the many, for the welfare of the many”)

This is also to be noted that there was an attempt to destroy part of the same residence with the same wall in 2015. An RTI (along with a complaint letter) was filed but no authorities have not responded till date. A sorry state of affairs indeed! The RTI (along with the complaint letter) is being attached as follows:

A GENERAL DIARY (GD) WAS ALSO MADE ON 21/02/2022 IN THIS MATTER AT THE BARANAGAR POLICE STATION UNDER THE BARRACKPORE POLICE COMMISIONERATE, THE SCANNED COPY OF WHICH IS PROVIDED AS FOLLOWS:

SURPRISINGLY, MR. SWAPAN CHAKRABORTY ALIAS “MOTADA”, WHOSE NAME FOUND MENTION IN THE ABOVE GD, SUDDENLY BREATHED HIS LAST, FOLLOWING A MASSIVE CARDIAC ARREST, IN THE LATE HOURS OF 21/02/2022.

Two copies of the above letter (one addressed to the Chairperson and the other to the PWD S.A.E.) was submitted to the Baranagar Municipality on 18/05/2022, the receipt copies of the same are being provided as follows:

On 20th May, 2022, another GD was filed at the Baranagar Police Station, focusing on the recent deliberate obstruction of maintenance work at the portion A (see above photos) by Mr. Sanjay Nandi and Mr. Sandip Das (living at portion B). These two persons are using filthy language (verbal violence) and making physical threats to stop maintenance work within the common passage and shared part of the residence A. The copy of the GD is attached as follows:

Following the filing of the GD, Mr. Biman Ghosh from West Bengal Police inspected the place, as instructed by the Baranagar Police Station.