Bengal’s ex-CS gets notice for violation of disaster Act

In a move that may further escalate tensions between the Centre and the Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government, the Union home ministry late on Monday evening slapped a showcause notice on 1987-batch IAS officer Alapan Bandyopadhyay hours before he retired as the state’s chief secretary after rejecting a three-month extension.

The notice, under Section 51 of the Disaster Management Act 2005, which is punishable by a prison term of up to two years or a fine, or both, was served to the state’s former top bureaucrat as he skipped a review meeting chaired by Prime

Minister Narendra Modi on May 28 on the devastation by Cyclone Yaas in the state.

Mr Bandyopadhyay, who has been appointed by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee as her chief adviser for three years after he retired from service, was directed to “explain in writing” to the ministry within three days on “why action should not be taken against him” under Section 51 of the DM Act. This particular section relates to “punishment for obstruction” for refusal to comply with a direction given by the Central government.

The notice states: “The officer, by abstaining himself from the review meeting taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at cyclone-affected Kalaikunda in West Bengal on May 28, has acted in a manner tantamount to refusing to comply with the lawful directions of the Central government and is thus violative of Section 51(b) of the Disaster Management Act 2005.”

“After the Prime Minister arrived at Kalaikunda for a scheduled review meeting with the chief minister and chief secretary of West Bengal, the Prime Minister and other members of his entourage waited for nearly 15 minutes for the officers of the state to arrive.”

Sources at Nabanna, the state secretariat, claimed on Tuesday evening that Mr Bandyopadhyay would reply to the MHA’s notice, citing proper grounds.