After Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee was heckled in Gosaba and Hingalganj by disgruntled locals, it was now the turn of the Kolkata Mayor to face public ire.

At a function organised by the Kolkata Environment Improvement Project (KEIP), Mayor Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya faced public fury for his failed promises.

Minutes after the inaugural function came to an end, a mob of around 100 people gheraoed Bhattacharya and started shouting slogans. Apprehending a law and order problem, police rushed to the spot and lobbed tear gas shells.

The locals were angry that they were yet to receive compensation for the land, which was acquired for Rs 13.90 crore sewage treatment plant project spread over 17 acres.

“We are yet to get the compensation but the project began and ended. Moreover, the civic authorities promised us that they would construct drains and roads in the locality but they did not deliver,” said Mohammad Abdul Mamud, a local. After the police escorted Bhattacharya, irate locals gheraoed Vivek Bharadwaj, project director, KEIP. Bharadwaj said the KEIP has taken land from the Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA) and is not aware of how it was acquired.

“We have taken land from the KMDA. So we are not aware of how KMDA acquired the land from the locals. And since it is a panchayat area, we are not responsible for constructing roads and drains in those areas,” said Bharadwaj.