Municipality takes action on illegal construction in Balurghat; tension rises

BALURGHAT: The Balurghat Municipality has initiated the demolition of illegal constructions in various parts of the city after several notices to halt unauthorised building activities were ignored. Despite repeated warnings and prior actions, illegal constructions continued unabated, prompting the municipality to

take action.

On Thursday, a part of a three-storey building on the main road in Ward No. 3 was demolished. According to the municipality, the house, owned by Prabodh Paul, had been constructed without proper approval. Despite several meetings where the owner admitted his mistake and promised to demolish the unauthorised section himself, no action was taken. Consequently, the municipality deployed a team, accompanied by police and a bulldozer, to initiate the demolition. The owner’s son stated that a case was pending in the Balurghat court regarding a boundary dispute with a neighboring resident. He claimed that part of the illegal structure had already been demolished but the municipality proceeded with further demolition. “We are considering taking the matter to court,” he added.

However, Balurghat Municipality Chairman Ashok Mitra defended the action, stating: “We are strictly following municipal guidelines to remove illegal constructions. This action serves as a warning to other residents who may consider building without proper authorisation.”

The demolition has sparked tension in the area, but the municipality remains firm in its decision to continue the crackdown on illegal structures.