In a significant administrative intervention, the West Bengal government has taken the drastic step of dissolving the elected municipal board of Basirhat. The decision, executed by the state's urban development and municipal affairs department, comes after persistent complaints about severe lapses in civic services and alleged mismanagement.
Government Acts After Inquiry Finds Mismanagement
The move followed a formal inquiry ordered by the department into the functioning of the Basirhat Municipality. According to official sources, the probe failed to receive any satisfactory explanation from the board regarding the serious allegations of civic neglect. The situation reportedly did not improve despite the authorities issuing repeated notices, leaving the government with no option but to strip the elected body of its powers.
An official familiar with the development stated that frustrated residents had been writing to the administration for a long time, highlighting unresolved public grievances. This public outcry prompted the initiation of the inquiry. Based on its findings, a formal letter was sent to the Sub-Divisional Officer's (SDO) office on Friday evening, officially communicating the dissolution of the municipal board.
Administrator Takes Charge, Political Composition Scrapped
With the dissolution, Basirhat SDO Jasleen Kaur has been entrusted with the charge of running the civic body as its administrator. She will now oversee the municipality's operations until further orders. The elected board, which represented the town's 23 wards, has been rendered powerless.
The political composition of the now-dissolved board was dominated by the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC). Of the 23 councillors, 21 were from TMC, one was from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and one from the Congress. Reports suggest that internal conflicts among the councillors had severely hampered developmental work, contributing to the administrative paralysis.
Leadership Reacts to the Sudden Move
Reactions from the outgoing board's leadership have been mixed. The outgoing vice-chairman, Subir Sarkar, confirmed that the department's letter withdrawing the board's powers had been forwarded to all the councillors. However, the chairperson, Aditi Mitra, expressed surprise, stating she was unaware of the specific reasons behind the government's decisive step.
This action by the state government marks an unprecedented administrative takeover in Basirhat, underscoring the severity of the breakdown in local governance. The focus now shifts to the newly appointed administrator and her ability to address the long-pending civic issues that plagued the town's residents.
