Towns seek civic body

ANIRBAN CHOUDHURY, TT, Mar 30, 2018, Alipurduar: Residents living in at least three semi-urban areas which are also known trade hubs of Alipurduar district have raised the demand that civic bodies should be formed in their places so that they can shed the "rural tag" and earn the "urban status."

Those dwelling in Falakata, Birpara and Jaigaon - the three most prominent places in the district after Alipurduar town - want that their places should be upgraded to municipal areas while asserting clearly that they are no longer interested to continue as voters in panchayats.

"For the past 10 years we have been hearing that Falakata will be declared as a municipality and that the proposal is in consideration with the state. But this year again, we will vote in the rural elections. It is disappointing for the residents," said Nantu Talukdar, secretary, Falakata Byabsayee Samity.

Similar is the situation in Birpara and Jaigaon. While Birpara is the largest trade hub in central Dooars, Jaigaon is developing at a rapid pace, courtesy its location at the border of Indian and Bhutan.

"No planned development has been carried out in Jaigaon as there is no civic body. Multi-storied buildings, shops and other establishments are coming up every day, because the scale of cross-border trade is on the rise," said Rakesh Pandey, secretary, Jaigaon Hardware Merchants' Association.

Back in 2015, when chief minister Mamata Banerjee had visited Jaigaon, she had said that the state would soon declare a municipality.

"It is disappointing that on the other side of the border stands Phuentsholing, one of the principal financial hubs of Bhutan with excellent roads, drainage and landscaping while on our side, it is all shabby and most importantly, Jaigaon does not have an urban status till date," said the residents.

In Birpara, residents say they are skeptical as whether the state would at all, announce a municipality here or declare Birpara as a separate sub-division - the demand has cropped up after Alipurduar was made a separate district.

"This is because the local MLA of from BJP. We have severally pressed for the demands and have tried to drive home our points. But there has been no initiative from the state's side," said a schoolteacher.

In all these three places, the residents said, the pattern of land use has changed and so has their occupation. Even Anil Adhikari, the Trinamul MLA of Falakata, admitted the change.