KOLKATA: Jharkhand and West Bengal administration came eyeball-to-eyeball on Saturday over the colouring of Massanjore Dam that lies on the border of the two eastern states.
Though located in Dumka district of Jharkhand, the dam is under the jurisdiction of West Bengal irrigation department. Besides providing irrigation to Birbhum, Burdwan and Murshidabad districts of West Bengal, the dam also attracts tourists from across the state.
Recently, the West Bengal government allocated Rs 1.82 crore for renovation, building of staff quarters and painting the dam and buildings. As per West Bengal government norms, government buildings are painted in blue and white. Accordingly, the buildings and the dam were also being painted in the de facto 'official colours'. Though the TMC administration paints government buildings in blue and white, there is no official notification making blue and white as 'official colours'. Accordingly, BJP leaders from Jharkhand came to the site on Saturday and stopped all painting works claiming that the West Bengal government was attempting to propagate its political agenda by painting 'Trinamool Congress colours' on a dam that was in Jharkhand territory.
All works on the dam has been halted and workers asked to return back to Birbhum district headquarters Siuri. Also, Jharkhand government's name and government emblem was pasted on that of West Bengal government name and logo at a gate at the entrance of the dam. Sources revealed that Jharkhand BJP leaders organised a meeting three days ago and decided not to allow blue and white colouring of the dam calling it 'official colours' of the TMC government in West Bengal. Their opposition to the colours was also expressed to the West Bengal irrigation department.
"Though Massanjore is administered by West Bengal, but it is situated in Jharkhand. West Bengal government is colouring this dam for their political purpose. This is not a place for politics. We'll not allow blue-white colour of the Trinamool Congress on the dam," Dumka district BJP President Nibash Mondal said. However, TMC Birbhum district TMC President Anubrata Mondal said that blue and white is West Bengal government colours and not 'TMC colours'. "Not only West Bengal BJP, but Jharkhand BJP is also afraid of Mamata Banerjee. I think they are fools. They should know that blue and white is not Trinamool Congress colour. If West Bengal government maintains this barrage, officials have right to paint it in official blue and white colours."
While work has been halted, a breakthrough is being negotiated. "We are keeping a close watch on the situation. If needed, administrative talks will be arranged between Jharkhand and our state to solve this problem," a senior government official said. "This is sad and shocking. How can a group of people led by BJP stop work at the dam? This has never happened before. BJP is trying to instigate tensions like they are doing in Assam," state irrigation minister Soumen Mahapatra said.