New Delhi, Aug. 29 -- Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Saturday announced an additional Rs 5 crore for the beautification and development of Tarapith in Birbhum ahead of Kaushiki Amavasya, one of the temple town's biggest annual religious gatherings. He said the government would make special administrative arrangements to ensure a hassle-free experience for pilgrims and tourists expected to arrive from Bengal, other states and abroad.

Assistance camps will be established every 5km, equipped with police booths, temporary health facilities, ORS and drinking water, along with Baul music programmes. Adhikari assured that there would be no shortage of funds and announced plans for helicopter flower showers during the festival. Following an administrative meeting with district officials, he praised Birbhum police, citing the seizure of Rs 220 crore from an individual and the impounding of 252 vehicles.

He also expressed concern over reports of hotels locking their gates from outside after a recent fire, calling the practice dangerous and directing officials to address it immediately. Adhikari asked the district magistrate to explore plans for a large government tourist lodge offering affordable accommodation to middle- and lower-middle-class pilgrims.

He said development plans were also discussed for Suri Medical College, Deocha-Pachami, national highways and railway infrastructure. A concrete roadmap for the Deocha-Pachami coal block project would be announced in the last week of September, he said. Adhikari alleged that tribal land in Deocha-Pachami had previously been allotted to TMC leaders in violation of rules and claimed that some jobs had been secured using such land documents. He said the allegedly illegal pattas and jobs obtained on their basis had been cancelled.

He also visited the family of former Rampurhat TMC MLA Asish Banerjee, who died an unnatural death on August 16, and offered condolences. Adhikari assured the family of all possible assistance, saying they had expressed faith in the state administration. Adhikari said he had shared his phone number with Banerjee's wife for direct contact in case of any difficulty. He added that the investigation into alleged corruption in the Tarapith Development Authority would continue.

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.