Tension gripped Tiljala and Tangra localities on the eastern fringe of the city after a police team began a sealing drive against illegal tanneries operating in the area on Tuesday.Local Trinamool Congress MLA Javed Ahmed Khan, who blamed the local police administration for not taking adequate measures against the illegal units, blocked the EM Bypass for nearly an hour protesting against the drive. “We oppose the move as the government was directed to shift all the illegal tanneries to the Calcutta Leather Complex (CLC) in Bantala, but it failed to do so. The plots reserved for tanneries in the CLC are gradually being sold to IT companies,” said Khan.On the contrary, a few residents of Tiljala alleged that there are two tanneries owned by Khan on G J Khan Road. “The tannery beside Khan’s office at 1, G J Khan Road, is owned by him on a fake name. He began the protest against the sealing drive because of his own vested interests,” said a local on condition of anonymity. The Kolkata Municipal Corporation has, meanwhile, disconnected water and electricity supply to the illegal tanneries. “We had been repeatedly urging the local administration to take action against the illegal units. We did not renew their trade licence after the Calcutta High Court ordered the government to relocate all the tanneries and leather units to the CLC,” said Mayor Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya. According to sources, an inspection team had found at least 68 tanneries operating on the eastern fringes of the city, despite a ban by the High Court. “We have been raiding the illegal units in the area for the last two days. Till now, we have sealed 15 tanneries. Today, we sealed several tanneries on Matheswartala Road and the Raicharan Ghosh lane,” said Swapan Pal, Officer-in-Charge, Tiljala police station. Official records reveal that 532 tanneries were initially operating in Tiljala, Topsia and Tangra. But after the court’s directive, nearly 250 units shifted to the CTC, while the rest continued their operation within the city limits.
