KOLKATA: The Trinamool Congress Government in West Bengal has failed to attract any big industry to the state during the last three years and now an industrial group has complained of being harassed by TMC leaders and threatened to close down its steel plant in the state.
The Shyam Group of Industries has lodged a complaint with the police alleging that they are being harrased by two local TMC leaders.
They have also informed Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee about the situation.
“Some anti-social elements are disturbing our plant operations and also influencing the local people to create nuisance inside our plant premises,” the group said in their written complaint to the police.
“TMC local leaders Alok Das and Chanchal Chatterjee are at the helm of these rebellious activities, they have also threatened the lives of our senior officials and are also asking for ransom and special privileges,” they alleged in their complaint.
The Group has a steel plant at Jamuria in Bardhaman district and falls within the Lok Sabha constituency of BJP MP Babul Supriyo.
In the complaint, the Group has urged the police to treat the complaint as FIR and register cases against the leaders. But no action has been taken yet.
Sources said the two leaders have been issued show cause notices by the party and a probe was ordered.
In 2008, the Shyam Group had bought land at Jamuria to set up a steel plant and captive power plant. In three phases, the Group was planning to invest `9,000 crore and it has invested `2,000 crore in its first phase.
However, after threats to its senior officials and attempts to interfere in hiring of labourers by local TMC leaders, it is doubtful whether the Group will invest the remaining amount in this project.
The Group’s vice-president Ratan Chakraborty on Friday told Express, “We have lodged a complaint with the police. The plant is still functioning, but work at the railway siding had be stopped. We have also written to the Chief Minister and we have faith that she will initiate some action.
“This incident was unexpected and we tried our best to negotiate with the local leaders. A meeting was held with district INTTUC president Prabhat Chetterjee. Alok Das was present and threatened our officials during that meeting itself,” he complained. According to sources in the factory, 50 per cent of the production has been reduced as supply of raw materials was affected due to harassment.