Siliguri, Aug. 22: The Trinamul-run Mirik municipality reopened today to clear the garbage piled up in the town and help the residents hit by mudslides.

The Mirik civic body is the first municipality to start functioning in the hills after the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha started enforcing a general strike on June 15.

The reopening of the municipal office that was attacked by alleged Morcha members on July 18 is seen as an attempt by Trinamul to facilitate the restoration of normality in the hills and to revive the ruling party's base in Mirik and adjoining areas.

The municipal chairman, L.B. Rai, and other Trinamul councillors were present in the office today, along with employees. "There were minor landslides in different areas of the town during the monsoon. Many people have suffered losses and some have lost homes. We felt it necessary to provide them with relief. Our engineers have been told to carry out a survey to make a complete assessment of the damage," said Rai.

He said as the civic work had been hampered for over two months, collection and disposal of garbage has been affected in Mirik. "Piles of garbage are lying across the town. We need to clear the refuse and clean the town as there is always a risk of outbreak of diseases, particularly during the monsoon. That is why we opened the municipality today," the chairman said.

Observers said the Morcha would be under pressure for the resumption of civic functions in other towns with the reopening of the Mirik municipality. Civic services have been in a shambles across Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Kurseong towns ruled by the Morcha since June 15.

Mirik is the only municipality ruled by Trinamul in the hills. After the current statehood movement began in the hills, Trinamul has been on backfoot in the hills and its councillors in Mirik had to face the wrath of the agitators. The observers said the reopening of the municipality office was a bid by the party to revive its base in the hills.