Ashok Bhattacharya to head Siliguri Municipal Corporation

Darjeeling: The Department of Urban Development and Municipal Affairs issued an order on Friday appointing a twelve-member board of administrators for the Siliguri Municipal Corporation. Ashok Bhattacharya the present Mayor has been nominated as the Chairperson for the Board of Administrators (BOA.)

Incidentally, the tenure of the present Left board expires on May 17. However, as elections could not be held owing to the pandemic induced lockdown, the Board of Administrators has been appointed.

Along with Bhattacharya 6 other CPIM(M) Members Mayor in Council have been nominated in the BOA. Ranjan Sarkar, leader of the opposition from the TMC along with 5 TMC councillors also found berths in the BOA.

Till elections, the BOA will be in charge of the Corporation from May 18. "I have received the order. We reject this BOA as in other Corporations in the State no opposition members have been incorporated in the BOA. In the case of Siliguri Municipal Corporation we demand the same." stated Bhattacharya.

Meanwhile, 7 new cases have been reported from Malda on Friday. All 7 are migrant workers. The Covid-19 positive include 3 persons from the Kaliachak-1 block; 1 person from English Bazar block; 1 person from Harishchandrapur-2 block 1 person from Old Malad block and 1 person from Manikchok block. With the 7 new cases, the total number of Covid-19 cases in the district went up to 26.

In Uttar Dinajpur district a person under treatment at the Raigunj Medical College and Hospital tested Covid-19 positive on Thursday night. He was immediately shifted to the Covid-19 hospital. The isolation ward of the Medical College has been sanitised. The total number of cases in Uttar Dinajpur is now 6.

A Covid-19 positive patient under treatment at the Covid19 hospital in Siliguri has recovered and tested negative.