EBM to approach minister to realise outstandings from govt

MALDA, 5 JAN: On a resource mobilization drive, the cash strapped English Bazaar Municipality in Malda has decided to urge the state urban development minister Mr Asok Bhattacharya to realize amounts outstanding with the different state government departments against services rendered by the EBM.

According to the Congress, Trinamul Congress and the BJP led EBM authority, Central departments like the BSNL and railway also owe the EBM large amounts for services received. “Recovery of the outstanding amounts from both the state and Central government departments would help the EBM improve its fund position a great deal.” Incidentally, the civic body has recently been facing problems in clearing its staff salary, pay pension, electricity charges and the like due to cash crunch.

According to the EBM chairman Mr Narendranath Tiwari and vice chairman Mr Dulal Sarkar, the civic body would get Rs four crore from the state government offices located in its jurisdiction. “We would draw Mr Bhattacharya's attention at the proposed 7 January meeting on the matter and urge him to arrange realization of the amount,” Mr Sarkar said.

“Besides, we shall ask the minister to clear government's share of salary and pension for the civic body's employees as we have not received it for years and urge him to approach the Centre for funds for the proposed surface water treatment plant at English Bazaar. The estimated cost of the project is almost Rs 42 crore,” said Mr Sarkar.

“Drinking water problem is a burning issue here. A civic body is not competent enough to fetch funds from the Centre without the state government's support,” said the EBM chairman Mr Narendranath Tiwari.

According to the EBM vice chairman, Central departments like the BSNL and railway also owe the EBM large sums of money as service charge.

“Those Central government offices have not paid service charges for long. The chief manager, Eastern Rail, has written a letter to the Malda divisional manager to start payment of service charges with effect from 1 April 1993 on the estimated value of railway property within the civic area. According to the letter, the estimated cost of railway property owned by Eastern Rail was 8.24 crore and its service charge is estimated at Rs14.17 lakh per annum. However, we are yet to receive any payment,” Mr Sarkar said. ;SNS