Javed Ahmed khan, Trinamul Congress MLA from Ballygunge and leader of the Opposition, Calcutta Municipal Corporation, met readers of The Telegraph on Friday to answer their queries. Participants included Ashok Hore, Ehsan Ali, Mohammad Sarique Ehsan, Robin Banerjee, Mohammad Mustakin, Dilip Bose and Tarique Siddique

Ehsan Ali: A few weeks ago, I saw some people filling up a 15-cottah pond in Tiljala Lane. Similar attempts were made during the tenure of former MLA Rabin Deb. At that time, due to his intervention, the pond was not filled. Deb had then announced that the pond or any other pond in the area cannot be filled. What is your stand?

My stand is the same. No pond or waterbody in the area can be filled. Give me the details of this pond and I will take up the matter with the higher authorities. I will also write to the municipal commissioner. I would like to add that if the residents of this area want to organise a protest movement against illegal filling of ponds, I am with them.

Mohammad Sarique Ehsan: Around 150 small tannery-owners on Tiljala Road have paid an advance for purchasing plots in the upcoming leather complex at Karaidanga, in Bantala. The minimum land required for any establishment is 40 sq mt. But a few tannery-owners do not have the financial capacity to pay the price. What can they do?

The Supreme Court had directed that all the tanneries be shifted to Bantala. The state government is asking you to form cooperatives for purchasing the plots. However, if you give me the details, I will try to help you get through to the leather export council.You should not waste time in completing these formalities. I will also take up the matter with industry minister Nirupam Sen.

Robin Banerjee: The condition of Sunilnagar Bazar, off Picnic Garden Road, is getting worse. There was a proposal to construct a multi-storeyed market complex on the 10-cottah plot. Following persuasion of former MLA Rabin Deb, then mayor Prasanta Chatterjee laid the foundation stone of the proposed market complex in 1998-99. It was planned that the Calcutta Municipal Corporation (CMC) will construct the market complex. A corpus to the tune of Rs 12 lakh was also collected from the MLA and MP?s local area development funds. What is the current status of the project ?

Let me clarify two things ? first, the proposed land is a disputed plot. And the money collected from MLA and MP?s local area development funds cannot be utilised for the construction of the market complex.

I will like to inform you that about seven years ago, a trust called Ananda Arati Trust was formed. It was decided that the CMC will construct the market on the plot, which belonged to the trust, and the trust would get a floor after the market is constructed.

During the tenure of Trinamul Municipal Corporation board, MLA Rabin Deb had approached the CMC for taking up the construction. But his proposal was rejected when it was found that the trust was formed after the plot was vested with the government.

Mohammad Mustakin: The pressure of the filtered water supply in the Jhowtala area is so low that we have to collect water after midnight. Is there any solution?

I am trying hard to solve the water problem in the area. But it seems that the present Left Front board in the CMC doesn?t want to improve the water supply situation.

Tarique Siddique: Allama Iqbal Urdu CMC School is in a bad shape. There are around 1,528 students but the school doesn?t have the basic infrastructure. There is no drinking water. There are just two toilets. The teachers are not getting their salary according to the CMC payscale. They get a stipend of Rs 2,500 per month. Recently, we took up the problems with the mayoral council member (education) Kalyani Mitra. But she refused to listen and asked us to take this problem to former mayor Subrata Mukherjee. Does that imply that the CMC has no responsibility?

It is definitely the civic body?s responsibility to settle the salary of the teachers. And the problem related to basic infrastructure will be settled soon.

Dilip Bose: The low-lying areas in the Tiljala-Topsia area get flooded regularly. The area needs a lifting station. Can you do something?

Three lifting stations are being planned at GJ Khan Road, Chowbhaga and Naskarhat. Partial desilting of the Chowbhaga drainage canal and a storm water channel has been carried out. But you have to wait for two years for the lifting stations to be commissioned.

Concluded