State minister for municipal affairs and urban development Agnimitra Paul, during a news conference at Uttarkanya on the outskirts of Siliguri on Sunday, announced several new civic services for north Bengal and stated that Siliguri, Darjeeling, Kurseong, Mirik and Kalimpong are likely to be included under the Centre’s Himalayan Hill City development project.
“The state government is focusing on modern urban management, improved waste disposal systems, traffic regulation and infrastructure development in municipal areas. In north Bengal, we intend to develop these five places as Himalayan hill cities,” Paul said.
Urban development plans for the hill towns and Siliguri would be prepared with emphasis on sustainable infrastructure, said a source.
The new initiatives include the introduction of the ‘Swachha App’ for quicker waste disposal, the installation of digital hoardings and stricter traffic management through the removal of illegal parking zones.
“We have been working on modalities to provide improved civic services to residents across the state. Several measures have already been initiated. As part of these initiatives, fines will be imposed from September 1 against the use of plastic and open disposal of waste on streets,” she said.
Paul added that the ‘Swachha App’, which enables residents to inform civic bodies for prompt waste clearance, will gradually be expanded across the state.
Paul warned that automated fines would be imposed from July 1 on those parking outside designated areas.
Paul met officials from the state women and child welfare and urban development and municipal affairs departments. Most legislators from north Bengal, officials of the district administrations of Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, Cooch Behar and Alipurduar and representatives of various civic bodies were present.
She directed civic authorities to take preventive measures against waterlogging and be prepared to tackle the upcoming monsoon.
Paul reviewed ongoing drinking water projects under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) 2.0 scheme. She assured that substantial funds allocated by the Centre would be closely monitored to prevent irregularities.
She also announced that the state would form a “Holistic Care Task Force” to address social concerns like women and child trafficking and teenage pregnancies, that will include representatives from the women and child development department, district magistrates and police and NGOs.
“This task force will work at the grassroots level to identify and address the root causes behind trafficking and child-related social issues,” she said.
The minister later went to Darjeeling to attend a meeting with officials from the hill civic bodies and the district administrations of Darjeeling and Kalimpong. She will also travel to Mirik, Kurseong and Kalimpong.
Paul will proceed to Jalpaiguri on Monday and inspect several “black spots” or accident-prone areas there on Tuesday before returning to Calcutta.