Minister for urban development and municipal affairs, Agnimitra Paul, on Tuesday launched a sharp attack on the ruling Trinamul Congress (TMC) over the alleged signature forgery controversy in the Assembly.
Speaking to reporters in Jalpaiguri, Ms Paul alleged that the TMC had crossed all limits of impropriety. “We have witnessed many kinds of theft during the TMC regime, but this is perhaps the first time that a case of ‘signature theft’ has come to light,” she remarked.
“As an MP, he has no authority to submit such a proposal to the Assembly. The question is why he did so in the first place,” Ms Paul said.
The state government has decided to introduce a penalty-based enforcement system to curb civic offences and improve urban cleanliness. Under the new mechanism, people found spitting on roads, littering public places, or indiscriminately dumping plastic waste will face monetary fines.
The decision was announced by minister for urban development and municipal affairs, Agnimitra Paul, after a review meeting in Jalpaiguri on Tuesday.
According to the minister, a state-wide awareness campaign will be launched through bulk SMS alerts sent to residents, informing them about the penalties for civic offences such as spitting on roads, littering, and defacing public spaces. Municipal authorities will use mobile phone databases to disseminate the messages.
Ms Paul said that, except for the hill towns of Kalimpong, Kurseong, Darjeeling and Mirik, municipalities across the state will send blast SMS messages to residents warning them about the new enforcement measures.
“People will be informed that spitting on roads, littering public places, throwing plastic waste indiscriminately and keeping public spaces dirty will attract penalties,” the minister told reporters.
The minister added that the initiative was discussed during her meeting with municipal officials and would be implemented as part of a broader effort to improve civic discipline and sanitation standards across urban areas of the state.
She also said municipalities would increasingly use digital communication platforms to keep residents informed about civic services, including water supply-related issues.
The new penalty regime is scheduled to come into force from 1 September.
Property Tax defaulters may lose water connections
In a major policy push, the state government has directed urban local bodies to tighten scrutiny of drinking water connections and accelerate the digitisation of municipal services.
Addressing municipal officials during a review meeting in Jalpaiguri on Tuesday, the minister said drinking water connections would be linked to property tax compliance and proper verification of ownership documents.
The minister directed municipal authorities to conduct surveys before granting or regularising water connections. According to her, applicants must possess a valid holding number, Aadhaar card, voter identity card, proof of Indian citizenship, and properly updated land records, including mutation documents where applicable.
She said property tax records would also be examined during the verification process. If outstanding municipal taxes are found, residents would be required to clear the dues, along with applicable penalty charges.
“If property taxes remain unpaid, drinking water connections may be disconnected until the dues are cleared,” Ms Paul said, adding that municipal authorities have been instructed to create awareness through bulk SMS campaigns.
The minister also instructed officials to eliminate paperwork and move municipal operations to a fully digital platform.
“Nothing should remain confined to files and paper. The entire process must become paperless and online. Unless services are digitised, the kind of manipulation and irregularities that have allegedly continued for years cannot be effectively checked,” Ms Paul said.
Order on political hoardings, deadline for Jalpaiguri waste disposal
The minister directed district and municipal authorities to remove all illegal hoardings from public spaces and initiate a statewide survey of outdoor advertisements.
“I have noticed that many bus stands and bus shelters are covered with large political hoardings and photographs of former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. These must be removed. No illegal hoarding will be allowed anywhere,” Ms Paul told reporters.
Ms Paul visited the Jalpaiguri Municipal dumping ground, where residents of nearby rural areas have long complained about foul odour and environmental concerns arising from accumulated garbage and legacy waste.
Following the inspection, Ms Paul fixed a deadline for addressing the issue and directed officials to expedite waste disposal measures.