Ahead of the festivities of Durga Puja, Tripura Chief Minister Prof. Dr. Manik Saha on Wednesday directed the Police to take strict actions against individuals found forcefully collecting Puja subscriptions by stopping vehicles on road in the state.

Dr Saha said this while inaugurating the 'Fish Transshipment Yard' located in Nagicherra, on the outskirts of Agartala city on Wednesday.

“I feel very bad when I see people collecting Durga Puja subscriptions by forcibly stopping vehicles on the road. This activity is completely illegal. It's disheartening to see people using the pretext of puja to collect money. What kind of culture is this? We witnessed such practices during the previous government. I've informed the police that our government will not tolerate such actions and directed them to take strict measures. This has become a bad habit,” said Dr Saha.

The 'Fish Transhipment Yard' was constructed at an expenditure of around Rs. 3.50 crore with the assistance of the Special Plan Assistant, Agartala Municipal Corporation (AMC) and Rural Development Department.

The Chief Minister stated that the new facility will help alleviate traffic congestion in Agartala city and keep market areas clean.

“We can't transform forest land into a modernized city since 67% of our land is covered by forests. We're utilizing land for development where forests are not present. The land for the Fish Transhipment Yard was allocated in 2017, but work began after our government came into power. This isn't limited to just here, but is happening in other places as well. Another name of development is Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and both the Central and State governments led by the BJP,” said Dr Saha.

He emphasized that the BJP is committed to development and pointed out that during the previous government; many claimed that 'Tripura witnessed a golden era'.

“We've seen what transpired in the past. There wasn't a single development project completed in the last 35 years, except the construction of some buildings, community halls, and bridges in Agartala city alone. The condition of roads was deplorable throughout the state. Real progress is now underway. CPI (M) knows how to navigate politics in a convoluted manner, but we know how to tackle problems and prioritize the people's development,” he added.

Dr Saha further explained that approximately 100 tons of fish can be unloaded here daily, and all the necessary facilities are in place for those bringing fish from Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal.

“In the past, fish arriving from outside of Tripura used to enter the city, causing traffic congestion and pollution. This will no longer be the case. Investors have also approached us to establish a cold storage facility behind this, and I've directed the AMC officials to take immediate steps so that we can store fish,” he stated. The Chief Minister also urged the people to maintain peace and harmony in the area.

During the program, Deputy Speaker of Tripura Assembly, Ram Prasad Paul, AMC Mayor Dipak Majumder, Commissioner of AMC Dr Shailesh Kumar Yadav, West District Magistrate Dr Vishal Kumar and others were present.