EGRA: CM Mamata Banerjee on Saturday apologised for the illegal cracker factory explosion at Egra that killed 11 and admitted that the tragedy would not have happened had there been timely intelligence inputs and action by local police.
“I bow my head before all of you and apologise for this incident,” she told relatives of the victims, adding, “Unlike others, I am not here to do politics. I have come here to offer you some help. Life has to move on despite personal grief and tragedies.”
The CM, who flew to Egra early in the morning despite inclement weather, met the families of the victims and handed them over compensation cheques of Rs 2.5 lakh each and appointment letters as home guards to the next of kin of the deceased. She also asked East Midnapore district magistrate Purnendu Majhi to ensure that the victims’ children go to school.
“This incident has opened our eyes. Anything other than non-green firecrackers are banned in Bengal. But a few people still make the illegal ones for greed. He (Egra main accused Bhanu Bag) died and took so many lives along with him,” the CM said and reiterated that a committee headed by chief secretary HK Dwivedi would submit to her in two months a report on how illegal firecracker units can be migrated to green cracker clusters away from residential areas.
‘Cracker-makers can’t lose livelihood’
Stating that her government wants illegal cracker manufacturers to shift to making green crackers, CM Mamata Banerjee said on Saturday, “A lot of people work in these illegal firecracker units. We have to ensure that they don’t turn jobless overnight. Their lives cannot be wasted. So we want these manufacturers to shift to green crackers.”
The CM also urged locals to inform police about illegal cracker units. “If any illegal firecracker is being made, immediately report it to the OC. And if the OC fails to act, leave it to me, I will change the OC in a couple of days. We have changed the local OC (of Egra police station). I am told he did not act despite being informed,” she said.
Urging those who have been given jobs as home guards to “join from tomorrow itself,” CM Banerjee said, “When people die, they leave behind their families. Those left behind have to battle grief and economic hardship. A lot of people have exploited this for politics. But I have not come here to do politics. I have only come here to extend a helping hand.”
Stating that proximity to the Odisha and Jharkhand borders make policing tough in the area, the CM told the police to keep an eye on the borders and seal them if necessary.
“Try to deploy those who have got jobs as home guards today along the inter-state borders so that they can get familiar with the area and directly inform the police (about any untoward incidents),” the CM told the police brass.
“I bow my head before all of you and apologise for this incident,” she told relatives of the victims, adding, “Unlike others, I am not here to do politics. I have come here to offer you some help. Life has to move on despite personal grief and tragedies.”
The CM, who flew to Egra early in the morning despite inclement weather, met the families of the victims and handed them over compensation cheques of Rs 2.5 lakh each and appointment letters as home guards to the next of kin of the deceased. She also asked East Midnapore district magistrate Purnendu Majhi to ensure that the victims’ children go to school.
“This incident has opened our eyes. Anything other than non-green firecrackers are banned in Bengal. But a few people still make the illegal ones for greed. He (Egra main accused Bhanu Bag) died and took so many lives along with him,” the CM said and reiterated that a committee headed by chief secretary HK Dwivedi would submit to her in two months a report on how illegal firecracker units can be migrated to green cracker clusters away from residential areas.
‘Cracker-makers can’t lose livelihood’
Stating that her government wants illegal cracker manufacturers to shift to making green crackers, CM Mamata Banerjee said on Saturday, “A lot of people work in these illegal firecracker units. We have to ensure that they don’t turn jobless overnight. Their lives cannot be wasted. So we want these manufacturers to shift to green crackers.”
The CM also urged locals to inform police about illegal cracker units. “If any illegal firecracker is being made, immediately report it to the OC. And if the OC fails to act, leave it to me, I will change the OC in a couple of days. We have changed the local OC (of Egra police station). I am told he did not act despite being informed,” she said.
Urging those who have been given jobs as home guards to “join from tomorrow itself,” CM Banerjee said, “When people die, they leave behind their families. Those left behind have to battle grief and economic hardship. A lot of people have exploited this for politics. But I have not come here to do politics. I have only come here to extend a helping hand.”
Stating that proximity to the Odisha and Jharkhand borders make policing tough in the area, the CM told the police to keep an eye on the borders and seal them if necessary.
“Try to deploy those who have got jobs as home guards today along the inter-state borders so that they can get familiar with the area and directly inform the police (about any untoward incidents),” the CM told the police brass.
