Mamata proposes clusters to regulate illegal cracker units
Statesman | 24 May 2023
With deaths at repeated illegal fire cracker factories in Egra and Budge Budge, chief minister Mamata Banerjee today spoke at length on dedicated clusters to regularise illegal cracker factories to curb the menace.
She expressed her ire in front of the council of ministers during her cabinet meeting held today over the growing incidents of deaths in unauthorized crackers factories and formed a committee headed by the chief secretary. She asked the proposed committee to explore ways of forming clusters to rein in on the mushrooming growth of illegal cracker units and submit the report in two months.
Miss Banerjee, claimed a source, while expressing her anger over the deaths, made it clear to her council of ministers that such incidents would have to be stopped and asked officials to explore cluster formation, which would manufacture and sell green crackers to make it economically viable, adhering to the rules of National Green Tribunal.
It will also offer families an alternative to eke out livelihood. âMany rural households are involved in this trade and once an incident happens, innocent people, who work in those factories suffer casualties and their families bear the brunt.
Hence, we have taken a decision to explore ways on setting up clusters to regularize the illegal cracker factories by giving them expertise to manufacture legal green fireworks to earn a living,â said Firhad Hakim, Kolkata mayor and municipal affairs minister.
Once the study on clusters would be completed, the government would offer lands away from habitation to set up the proposed clusters. With an eye to generate employment opportunities in the state, the government also took another decision to regularize coal mines in the Eastern Coalfields that are either facing closures or have been left abandoned.
Besides, the government today also decided to offer vested lands kept with the state to ECL and Eastern Railways respectively for mining so that local economy registers growth and employment is generated.