Raiganj, April 18 -- In response to longstanding demand from local residents, the groundwork for establishing a fire service office in Itahar has officially commenced. On Thursday afternoon, Swaup Dutta, the Block Land & Land Reforms Officer (BL&LRO) of Itahar, handed over a 1.5-acre government plot at Suliapara,
situated beside National Highway 34, to the fire service officials of Raiganj in North Dinajpur district.
Recognising the critical need for a local fire service facility, especially given that fire brigades currently need to traverse about 30 kilometres from Raiganj to reach rural areas of Itahar, District Magistrate, Surendra Kumar Meena advocated for the establishment of the office. Delays in response time have often resulted in severe property damage, underscoring the urgency of the project.
Musaraf Hossain, the Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) representing Itahar, brought the matter to the attention of the state government, emphasising the community's need for prompt fire emergency services. Following this, the designated land was identified and allocated for the project.
Swaup Dutta stated: "We have earmarked a 1.5-acre government plot at Suliapara beside National Highway 34 in Itahar for the construction of the fire brigade office. The land has been handed over to the fire brigade officials on Thursday afternoon." Sudipta Bandopadhyay, officer in-charge of the Raiganj Fire Station, expressed satisfaction with the development, noting: "We have received an ideal plot for the fire service office in Itahar.
The construction work will commence following the allocation of funds by the state government."
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.