Siliguri, Oct. 13: Mayor Asok Bhattacharya today alleged that the state government and its agencies were discriminating against the municipal corporation and holding back the payment of around Rs 47 crore to the civic body.

"We are entitled to receive around Rs 38 crore from the state municipal affairs department, Rs 6.56 crore from Siliguri Jalpaiguri Development Authority and Rs 2.48 crore from north Bengal development department. The entire money is meant for different projects, ranging from maintenance and repair of embankments to drinking water supply. The state government and its agencies are discriminating against the Left Front-run civic body," Bhattacharya told a news conference today.

The mayor said north Bengal development minister Gautam Deb was keen on building Uttarkanya and Siliguri Gate rather than working for slum dwellers and augmenting the drinking water supply in Siliguri.

"We want to make it clear that from now on, the north Bengal development department, SJDA and other agencies will have to consult with us if they want to take up any work in the civic area. There has to be a meeting where decisions could be taken on whether the SMC or the government department concerned will take up the project. We will not tolerate such activities by the minister and his department," he said.

According to Deb, the government has spent Rs 200 crore in the Siliguri civic area. "The mayor is levelling baseless allegations. If the Left-run civic board doesn't want development projects, we will spend the funds in other areas," said the minister.

Nantu Paul, the leader of opposition at the municipal corporation, said 17 Trinamul councillors wouldn't take part in any programme of the civic board to protest against the mayor's refusal to recognise the projects being taken up by Deb in Siliguri.