Bally Municipality

Bally Municipality is the body responsible for the civic infrastructure and administration of the town of Bally, West Bengal, India. Bally is a Municipality city in district of Howrah, West Bengal. The Bally city is divided into 35 wards for which elections are held every 5 years. Bally is the northern suburb of the city of Howrah. Bally Municipality was initially formed by separating it from Howrah Municipality in 1883. As of 2015^[update] Bally Municipality had been re-merged with Howrah Municipal Corporation (HMC). Bally Municipality was again separated from HMC on 12 November 2021.^[1][2][3][4]

Bally Municipality (বালি পৌরসভা) - Established 1883

Bally Municipality
Type
Type	Municipality
History
Founded	1883; 140 years ago (1883) (established) 2021; 2 years ago (2021) (re-established)
Disbanded	2015; 8 years ago (2015) (then re-established)
Preceded by	Howrah Municipal Corporation (till 2021)
Leadership
Chairman	Vacant
Website
www.myhmc.in

History

The Bally Municipality was established on 1 April 1883 from the northern 35 wards of the Howrah Municipality. It administered an area of 11.81 square kilometres (4.56 sq mi) that included Bally, Belur, Liluah and other nearby areas.^[5]

The water tank in Saraswati Pathagar, commonly known as Bally Municipality Water Tank was established by a committee led by the local councillor of Bally ward no. 5, Sabyasachi Chatterjee. He was also the pioneer of drinking water distribution in the area and also the person to establish a connection of water supply from Serampore to Bally.^[6]

The Bally Municipality was destablished on 10 July 2015 and merged with Howrah Municipal Corporation.^[7][8][9]

 

Building of Bally Municipality

Bally Municipality was re-established on 12 November 2021.^[1][2][3][4]

Demographics

In 2001 the municipality had a total population of 261,575, a rise of 41.43% since the 1991 census.^{[citation needed]} Females constituted 42.72% of the population. The sex ratio was 744 females per 1000 males, which may be due to the large number of migrant labours who inhabit the municipality to work in the industries in Bally and nearby areas of Liluah and Belur.^{[citation needed]} The overall literacy in the area stands was 81.91% in 2001 (rising from 75.31% in 1991), of which male literacy was 85.17% (79.25% in 1991) and female literacy was 77.43% (rising from 69.21% in 1991). In 2011 the total population was 293,373.^[10]

Controversies

On 14 August 2015 a sub-assistant engineer of the municipality was arrested after an investigation by the State Anti Corruption Bureau and the police recovered cash worth ₹20.07 crore, post office deposits of ₹58 lakh and jewellery worth ₹14 lakh from his house.^[11]

Disestablishment

 

Bally Municipality building August 2022

The Bally Municipality was disestablished on 10 July 2015 and merged with Howrah Municipal Corporation.^[7][8][9] This merger was a brainchild of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to allow planned and organized development in Howrah to transform it into a megacity.^[12] The 35 wards of the municipality were reduced to 16 wards; the by-election to choose the new councillors for these wards was held on 3 September 2015.^[9]

Re-establishment

 

Police Stations, Mouzas, their J.L. numbers and R.S. plot numbers under Bally Municipality

The Bally Municipality was re-established on 12 November 2021.^[1][2][3][4] This move was taken after a plethora of long-drawn dissatisfactions regarding the merger act. The residents of Bally had to travel 8 kilometres in order to get their civic and municipal works done. Even more, there were several reports of slothfulness and dormant behaviour on part of the Howrah Municipal Corporation.^[13] However, it was decided that the polls in Bally Municipality would not be conducted on December 19, 2021, along with HMC and KMC elections.^[14] Bally Municipality has been classified a Group A Municipality, in accordance with the Census of 2011.^[15] It will have 35 wards under it, as it had been having previously, before the aforementioned merger.^[16] A list of Mouzas under the municipality has been attached herewith.^[17][18] The Sub-divisional Officer, Howrah Sadar, has been appointed as the Administrator in the Bally Municipality with effect from 12 November 2021.^[19] However, the plan to conduct the Municipal Corporation election of Howrah on 19 December could not be implemented as West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar refused to sign the bill on the formation of Bally Municipality.^{[20][21][22][23]} Finally on 23 December, the State Election Commission of West Bengal informed the Calcutta High Court that Dhankhar had signed the bill.^[24] However, two days later the Governor denied the news of signing the bill.^[25]

References

1. "Civic polls in Kol & Howrah on Dec 19". Millennium Post. 9 November 2021. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
2. "Bally Municipality: হাওড়া পুরসভা থেকে আলাদা হয়ে গেল বালি". ABP Ananda (in Bengali). 12 November 2021. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
3. "Bally Municipality debuts ahead of civic polls". The Times of India. 13 November 2021. Retrieved 15 December 2021.
4. "Bengal's Howrah Municipal Corporation Bifurcated Month Before Civic Polls". NDTV. 17 November 2021. Retrieved 15 December 2021.
5. . Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 1 April 2015.
6. "Water Supply system in Kolkata city and adjoining areas". 28 January 2016.
7. Basu, Anasuya (2 October 2015). . The Telegraph. India. Archived from the original on 5 October 2015. Retrieved 18 August 2018.
8. Merge Bally, Howrah civic bodies: Mamata Banerjee timesofindia.com | 19 May 2015
9. "HMC".
10. "Bally 2011 census".
11. indianexpress.com/article/cities/kolkata/post-recovery-of-rs-20-crore-from-bally-civic-official-acb-raids-his-colleagues-home/#
12. . The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 5 October 2015.
13. "Bally Municipality: হাওড়া থেকে পৃথক হয়ে নতুন পুরসভা হল বালি". 12 November 2021.
14. "Nod for CMC, Howrah polls".
15. "Government of West Bengal Department of Urban Development & Municipal Affairs (Municipal Affairs Branch) Order: No. 1448/UDMA-15011(19)/1/2021-LS-MA SEC" (PDF). Government of West Bengal. 12 November 2021. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
16. "Government of West Bengal Department of Urban Development & Municipal Affairs (Municipal Affairs Branch) Notification: No. 1449 /UDMA-15011(19)/1/2021-LS-MA SEC" (PDF). Government of West Bengal. 12 November 2021. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
17. "Government of West Bengal Department of Urban Development & Municipal Affairs (Municipal Affairs Branch) Notification: No. 1446/UDMA-15011(19)/1/2021-LS-MA SEC" (PDF). Government of West Bengal. 12 November 2021. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
18. "Government of West Bengal Department of Urban Development & Municipal Affairs (Municipal Affairs Branch) Notification: No. 1445/UDMA-15011(19)/1/2021-LS-MA SEC" (PDF). Government of West Bengal. 12 November 2021. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
19. "Government of West Bengal Department of Urban Development & Municipal Affairs (Municipal Affairs Branch) Order: No. 1447/UDMA-15011(19)/1/2021-LS-MA SEC" (PDF). Government of West Bengal. 12 November 2021. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
20. "Governor returns Bill, puts spanner into Howrah civic election". The Indian Express. 25 November 2021. Retrieved 15 December 2021.
21. "Uncertainty looms over civic polls in Kolkata and Howrah to be held next month". Hindustan Times. 25 November 2021. Retrieved 15 December 2021.
22. "'Want to hold 6-8 phase civic polls in May': Bengal election commission tells Calcutta HC". Hindustan Times. 6 December 2021. Retrieved 15 December 2021.
23. "Bengal Guv, Speaker spar over formation of Bally Municipality". Lokmat English. 7 December 2021. Retrieved 15 December 2021.
24. "Jagdeep Dhankhar: কাটল জট, রাজ্যপালের সইয়ে আলাদা হল হাওড়া-বালি পুরসভা". Kolkata TV (in Bengali). 23 December 2021. Retrieved 23 December 2021.
25. "Jagdeep Dhankhar: হাওড়া-বালিকে আলাদা করার বিলে সই করিনি, জানালেন রাজ্যপাল জগদীপ ধনখড়". Anandabazar Patrika Online (in Bengali). 25 December 2021. Retrieved 26 December 2021.