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- Administration Seals Dooars Resort Over Alleged Government Land Encroachment, BJP Targets Former TMC Minister’s Aide
The West Bengal administration has sealed the Grand Dooars Eco Resort in the Meteli block of Jalpaiguri’s Mal subdivision, alleging that it was built by encroaching on government land and a riverbed.
Joint team seals disputed resort premises
A joint team comprising officials from the Meteli Block Administration, the Land and Land Reforms Department, and the police visited the resort and placed an official government notice at the property, formally taking it under administrative custody.
Officials allege illegal government land encroachment
According to Meteli Block Land and Land Reforms Officer (BLRO) Santosh Lohra, the resort had allegedly encroached on more than one acre of government land. The Mal subdivision administration had served a notice to the resort authorities on July 1, directing them to vacate the land within 10 days. After the deadline expired, officials initiated the sealing process.
Eviction deadline expired before administrative action
The action has triggered a political controversy, with the BJP accusing the previous Trinamool Congress government of allowing illegal construction.
Nagarkata BJP convenor Dipankar Dhar alleged that the resort is owned by Soumen Malakar, who he claimed was a close aide to former West Bengal minister and MLA Shovandeb Chattopadhyay during the Trinamool regime. He questioned how a former minister’s aide was allegedly able to construct such a large resort on government land.
Demand grows against other illegal resorts
Dhar also demanded that the administration take similar action against other resorts allegedly built illegally across the Dooars region. Administrative sources said further legal proceedings are underway in connection with the alleged encroachment.
