The security arrangements before and during the rally to be organised by Trinamul Congress chief Mamata Banerjee in Lalgarh on August 9 will cost over Rs 1 crore. The CRPF deployment in Lalgarh on August 8 and 9 to ensure the security of the Union ministers in West Midnapore on both the days will alone cost Rs 1.03 crores.
Home department sources revealed that deployment of one battalion of the Central forces in West Bengal costs Rs 8.6 lakhs per day. With six CRPF battalions depl-oyed in the state to assist the state police in anti-naxal operations, atleast Rs 51.6 lakhs is spent every day. On August 8 and 9, when railway minister Mamata Banerjee and Union minister of state for rural development Sisir Adhikari are expected to be present in West Midnapore, the CRPF is likely to be deployed for their security. “The state home secretary has written to the Centre to seek permission to use the CRPF for the security arrangements of the VIPs during the August 9 rally at Lalgarh. We are awaiting the Centre’s permission,” said director-general of police Bhupinder Singh. After Union home minister P. Chidambaram’s visit to Lalgarh, this would be the second instance when a Cabinet minister would enter Lalgarh.