INTERNSHIP REPORT FOR LAW STUDENT

Internship Programmer Period from 6.6.2022 to 25.6.2022

Submitted By
Suman Ghosh
LL.B
College : Uttaryan College of Law, Coochbehar
2020 - 2023
Introduction
Settlement is perhaps the generic term for villages, towns, cities etc.; it is a collection of man-
made structures put up with an intention of habitation or its socio-economic use. Such a
settlement forms fundamental spatial unit for human interaction. However, there are many
factors which are responsible for the growing up of any settlement like, geographical,
historical, political, commercial, defense, administrative, religious factors etc. Today’s
Balurghat town has formed mainly due to the political reason i.e. for the partition of the
country in 1947 and later in 1971 due to the Bangladesh Liberation War. Practically, it has
developed as an administrative town to fulfill the wants of the huge influx of immigrants came
from erstwhile East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) by night and permanently settled here. The
growth of the townscape can broadly be divided into four stages mentioned later.

Objectives
The following objectives are taken into account for the progress of the present paper:
 To study the impact of partition of India that overnight made the appearance of
Balurghat from a tiny hamlet to a town.
 To assess the role of Bangladesh liberation war that made the conversion of a Class-
IV town into a Class-I city.
 To analyse how this sudden demographic impact made a crucial role in the haphazard
urbanization of Balurghat and side by side made its flourishing as an administrative
town.
 To examine inverse relationship between the existing municipal infrastructures with its
growing population as well as to focus on the need of urban renewal.

Data Base and Methodology

The data base of the present study was carried out mainly on secondary levels. The
description about the evolution of the township have been gathered by consultation of several
books, journals, magazines, records, reports, literature etc. published both at personal levels
and government levels and also by the municipal authority itself. However, severalpersonal
interviews are conducted by the author with the elderly, learned and knowledgeable persons of
the town to know about the past. The collected data and information have been assessed,
analyzed, tabulated, interpreted and presented by GIS mapping.
The West Bengal Municipal Act, 1993
Section 6. Constitution of municipal area:
On the expiry of three months from the date of publication of the notification in the Official
Gazette and after consideration of all or any of the objections which may be submitted, the
1[Governor] may, by notification, constitute such town or any specified part thereof a
municipal area under this Act.
Section 7. Power to classify municipal areas:
The State Government may, for the purpose of application of the provisions of this Act,
classify the municipal areas into the following groups on the basis of the population as
ascertained at the last preceding census of which the relevant figures have been published:
 Group A - municipal areas having population above 2[2,15,000].
 Group B - municipal areas having population above 3[1,70,000] but not exceeding
4[2,15,000].
 Group C - municipal areas having population above 5[85,000] but not exceeding
[1,70,000].
 Group D - municipal areas having population above 7[35,000] but not exceeding
8[85,000].
 Group E - municipal areas having population not exceeding 9[35,000]:
Provided that for the purpose of classification of municipal areas of the hill areas, the
State Government may, by notification, determine separate size of population for each
such Group.

Study area

The name of the town has probably been derivedfrom ‘BALUKAKIRNAGHAT’ meaning
‘aghat (river bank) full of sand’ (Roy, 2000). The Balurghat municipal area is comprised
of mouza Chakbhabani, Khadimpur, Bongi, Narayanpur, Balurghat, Bararaghunathpur,
part of Hosseinpur and part of Dakra. It is situated on the eastern bank of River Atreyee
and is spread over an area of 10.56 sq. km. with a population of 151,299 (2011)
distributed among the 25 wards. The geographical location of Balurghat is 25 0 12/27// N
to 25015/04// N latitude and 88045/41// E to 88047/43// E longitude.
 Figure 1 Location map of the study area.

Historical Background of Balurghat

Pre - independence (Upto 1947)

It is the fact that there is no reliable description in the past history regarding the name and
origin of the village Balurghat. Whether its name has been taken from the name of old
‘Balurghat’ mouza or derived due to the presence of huge sand on the banks of river
Atreyee – is a debatable question. Another interpretation is that long before there was a
river ghat (presently ghatkali) on the left bank of river Atreyee near the existing Burakali
temple. The old ghat was called as ‘Bairakalitala’.Bairakalitala in course of time is
renowned as Burakali, an awakened temple of Goddess Kali of Balurghat. Some of the
ancient historical sources demand that the past Balharghatta or Balurghatganjwas a very
small village in between the two royal places Mohisantosh andMohinagar of King
Mohipal of the Pal Dynasty (Kar, 2000, p. 19). After that there is no acceptable information
available regarding this settlement during Muslim period. Even it is a matter of surprise that
there is no trace of village Balurghat during the first stage of East India Company’s reign.
After acquiring the Dewani grant of SubehBanglah in 1765, the Company constituted the
Dinajpur district in 1786 (Ref. Census 1951, West Bengal, District Handbooks, West
Dinajpur: An Account of the District of Dinajpur in 1808-9 by Dr. Francis Buchanan
Hamilton, pp. x1iii-x1vii). According to historian NalinikantaBhattashali, present Balurghat
was previously known as Kantanagar under the zamindari of Krishnakanta Nandi of
Kashimbazar as described by his dewanManullaMondal in his book Kantanama in 1843-
’44 (Roy, 2000, p. 12). W. W. Hunter (1871) in his Statistical Account of Dinajpur (Ref.
Census 1951, West Bengal, District Handbooks, West Dinajpur, p. xxxviii) described that
prior to the dreadful famine of 1770, only few family of zamindars, royal officers, traders,
potters, farmers and blacksmith were lived in this village and then it was a place covered by
jungles and marshy lands. But after the famine, it became almost depopulated. Then
Balurghat was under Patiram police station.

Before independence, it was a non-municipal flourishing settlement with an area of 2.46

sq. km. as established by the description of F. W. Strong (1912) – Head-quarters village
of the Sub-division of the same name, situated in 25013’N and 88047’E, on the banks of the
Atrai river, containing a population of 3,220. It lies 32 miles to the south of Dinajpur town
and is connected with it by a main road. It contains the Sub-divisional offices, civil and
criminal courts, a registration office, and a high school. The latter has some 200 pupils
and is a promising institution. There is a large and well found hospital-dispensary
maintained principally by private subscriptions, the local Zamindar, Babu Rajendra
Nath Sanyal, being a liberal subscriber. This gentleman, who lives in the immediate
vicinity, was not long since a ward under the Court of Wards and still maintains the
former European Manager’s bungalow as a guest-house, at which Government officials
on tour are made welcome. There is little worth describing in the village of Balurghat
itself. It is a very ordinary Bengali village in appearance, though, being situated on the
high banks of a fairly large river, it is well drained and healthier than many of the
villages in the district. The view from both banks of the river is picturesque enough,
especially in the rains. There was only a Sanitation Board at this over grown village for
the purpose of serving its people but its services were verynegligible. Basically, in the
pre-independence scenario, Balurghat (figure 2) was an important grain market centre
engaged with the trade of mainly agricultural products along the river Atreyee waterway with
its neighbouring villages and towns because of its poor road network excepting the most
important 16 miles long pucca Balurghat-Hili bus route to communicate with the Hili rail
station, just inside the Bogura District, now in Bangladesh.

Figure 2 Map showing mouza boundary of Balurghat Mouza.

Post-independence (1947-1971)
On 15th August, 1947 when the whole India was experiencing the outburst of the long
expected Independence, then the people of Balurghat spent their days with an unknown fear –
whether Balurghat would go in India or Pakistan. British lawyer Sir Radcliff first included this
settlement in East Pakistan. Later due to the constant effort of Dr. SushilRanjanChatterjee and
Mr. SatindranathBasu, Radcliff compelled to change his decision. Then the 1/3 rd part of
Dinajpur District (the western side of Hili rail line) was included in India. Therefore,
Balurghat tasted the flavour of Independence just after three days i.e. on 18 thAugust, 1947
and became the head quarter of erstwhile West Dinajpur District. With the establishment of
district head quarter, Balurghat experienced phenomenal growth due to the large number of
settlers from various spheres of activities like govt. servants, doctors, traders, lawyers, etc.
from different parts of the state and the country.
Balurghat, formerly a tiny hamlet, received the status of a municipality only after the
independence in 1951 at a small room of the ‘1928 Club’by Notification No. M1M-40/50 (1)
dt. 24th May, 1951 started with an area of 6.37 sq. km. and a population of 18,121. The
Municipality officially started its work from the 18 th June, 1951 with 5 wards (figure3) under
a nominated authority. A over grown village was endeavouring to take the shape of a town.
But Hili rail station the ‘gate way’ of Balurghat, as shared into the East Pakistan, Balurghat
skidded back into greater isolation in relation to the rest of West Bengal as well as India since
independence. On the other side, the international border failed to deter the population
movement across the border in the subsequent years due to instability and uncertainty in the
socio-political situation of East Pakistan. As a result, the population increased to 26,999 in
1961 with a growth rate of 48.99% (1951 -61). But the town was not ready to serve this
sudden growth. In the meantime, there was already the first elected body in municipal
administration during 01-3-54 to 23-4-58. But the authority was helpless for developmental
works because of huge imbalance in income-expenditure sheet and due to bad debt of 70%
tax, and the govt. grant was almost nil during that period. The same picture was continued
during the subsequent phases of both the nominated and elected municipal administrations up
to the first part of 1970. It is the fact that upper caste people migrated to this town from East
Bengal mainly from the districts of Dacca, Mymenshing and Rajshahi long before the partition
probably because of push factor at their origin during and after the Movement of
Bangabhangaaround 1911. But at the time of partition almost all kinds of people poured in en
masse mostly from the districts of Pabna, Khulna and Jessore of the then East Pakistan came
to here. The situation really became more difficult due to the continuous flow of people
particularly after 1950 because of different riots in East Pakistan. These people constructed
their houses, shops, markets in an unplanned and haphazard manner. Most of the roads and
drains were kutchaand unhygienic. They were supposed to use service privy. No underground
sewerage was existence and the night-soil was removed by the scavengers due to lack of
proper sanitary system. Only very few electric connections and few tube-wells were scattered
here and there. On the other hand, a continual flow of rural people since 1960s had also added
to the urban population from the surrounding villages. The municipal authority realized the
necessity of urban development.

Figure 3 Map showing the area of Balurghat Municipality in the year 1951.
Practically there was nothing to do for the authority without waiting only to submit some
developmental proposals to the government. However, despite of this hostile situation, some
efforts had been made by arranging a dumping ground, extension of electrification and supply
of drinking water in some parts, use of few dustbins and washing of some roads for
cleanness, rickshaw stand and traffic police in some spots, particular slaughter house etc. The
first attempt was made in 1954 by forming a power house in Bara Raghunathpur Mouza to
electrify the electric less town. In 1962, there were 29 km. road in the town out of which only
3.22 km. was pucca. Then most of the Balurghat town was full of holes and pits, roads were
dusty during summer and muddy during monsoon and many parts were covered by bushy
jungles. Only a wooden bridge maintained the connectivity in between the two banks of
Danga Khari (a small stream in the heart of Balurghat). There were three weekly markets (hat)
in the town viz. SahebKachari hat (Tuesday), Futaniganj hat (Thursday) and the largest hat to
present-day Barabazar (Saturday). However, due to the continuous increase in population
figure, the town became bulgy day by day. Therefore, Balurghat itself needed an expansion
of its area. During the time of 3rd term municipal election in 1964, the municipality was
splitted up into 15 wards with an area of 8.56 sq. km. But the development was almost
disregarded till 1970.

Post Bangladesh War (1971-2000)

The emergence and growth of the towns of West Dinajpur District make an interesting study.
It was overwhelmingly a rural district in nature with over 90% of people living in its villages.
If urbanization is an indicator of development, then the district was regarded as a typical
example of an underdeveloped area with only 9.34% of urban population in 1971 in contrast
to the state had 24.75% while the growth rate of the urban areas in the district was, however,
pretty high (75.5%) during the period. The urban population in 1961 of the district was
98,969 increased to 173,690 in 1971. It has to be noted that, the district head quarter
Balurghat alone accounted for more than half of this addition to its urban population and
became the most populous town of West Dinajpur with a population of 67,088 (1971) by
relegating Raiganj town in the second position. During 1961-71, Balurghat experienced a
fabulous growth of 148.48% followed by Bangladesh liberation war. A close look at the
pattern of urbanization of the town reveal that it was in the same way like other towns of
North Bengal and in most other areas of the state.
After the Bangladesh war in 1971, most of the evacuees particularly from the districts
of Bogura, Dinajpur (both now in Bangladesh) took shelter in this town never returned back
to their homeland. Simultaneously, rural people from surrounding countryside poured into
the town for both in search of security and better economic opportunity. Even, in absence of
industrial sector, it grew in size and attracted the people only as service town because of its
administrative importance. The in-migrants from beyond the international border and their
marked preference for settlement in and around Balurghat had played a crucial role in the
growing and development of the town. The international border could be freely crossed over
either way. This caused the problem of socio-economic security in the rural areas along the
border, making it impossible to retrieve the property. The landed people started moving into
the town with a house in the town and another in the village, their occupation remaining
agriculture away from the field or from the store of the agriculturists. Agriculture thus
became a non-lucrative occupation that followed by a gradual shift to other occupation
mainly to trade & commerce, teaching profession and job at govt. offices. Thus the political
turmoil both at the national and international level made certain changes in social control and
economic condition that in turn, forced people to move into the urban areas and also into the
non- traditional occupations. A steady transformation of the town observed from agrarian
look to urban look during this period.
As stated earlier, the partition of the country caused fatal to Balurghat as it lost its
vital communication advantage. The inhabited economy of the town is due, not only to
its proximity to the international border, but also to its peculiar land-locked terminal
position. Really in the truest sense, Balurghat was the interior remote place. However,
the urban people for the first time witnessed some real heartiest efforts of development
during 1969-73. There was no particular bus stand at the town. The authority made a bus
stand in the place of Futaniganj hat. With the help of ‘Test Relief fund’, many important mud
roads and embankments were made mainly to save the inundated areas. Again under the
CSRE scheme, 6 km. of brick soling road and the most important Motor Kali Bridge were
constructed to make it easy the connectivity of the town. For the purpose of drinking
water, the authority purchased land in Sahebkachari Hatkhola and Shibtoli and
transferred it to the PHE Department for making two big water tanks. Not only that, the
Municipality made two new primary schools and acquired four others, it established a
sanitary office and denominated the main roads for convenience. In the meantime, the
Municipal authority shifted from the rented house to its own office building at present
place. But after 1973, this wave of development was obstructed up to 1981 as the
municipal administration transferred to the government administrators and they have no
particular liabilities to the people. Only a Mini Market near bus stand and very few street
lighting had been made during this period.
After 1971, numerous busty and colony settlements were made mainly along the low lying
parts of the town. The population increased to 104,646 in 1981 Census with a growth rate
of 55.98% and thus a Class-IV town achieved the status of a Class-I town only within three
decades (1951-’81). Practically during 1981-93, the phase of development actually started.
Some well-determined and specific new plans had been taken into considerations to
mitigate the pressure of enhanced population. The authority not only thought on the
solution of the existing problems, also tried to self-dependent by turning out the huge
financial crisis. The mentionable works in this period were — widening and expansion of
roads by removing illegal occupancy, pitching and soling of almost all roads, construction
of bridges and culverts, street lighting by powerful lamps, outstanding development in slum
areas, arrangement of traffic islands and traffic police near important crossings, sweeper’s
quarters, extension of municipal building, equipments for internal infrastructure and
vehicles for sanitary purpose, making of some alternative roads, construction of hygienic
pucca sewerage etc.
In the meantime, Balurghat was included in the IDSMT Scheme under 6 th plan along with the
20towns of West Bengal. Under this project, numerous developmental activities made like —
conversions of municipal bus stand to a beautiful modern Central Bus Terminus, building of
three municipal markets at Tahabazar, SahebKachari and Chakbhabani areas, construction of
godown cum stack yard, municipal guest house Kshanika, removal of all service privy by
low-cost latrine, purchase of cesspool emptier, widening of the main PWD road from
Raghunathpur to bus stand, supplying of dustbins and drinking water by tank during occasion,
making of toilets along some roads, to avoid the traffic jam and make the traffic flow one way
– a by-pass was formed near the Street Corner, beautification of town, starting of construction
of the ‘Town Hall’ (Satyajit Mancha) near DPSC office and ‘Balurghat Bhawan’ in Salt Lake,
Kolkata. Experiencing the devastating floods in 1987, 1988 and 1991, the authority made three
flood-shelters for the affected people during flood. In 1989, the Central Valuation Board
implemented the household tax on a scientific basis. The municipal authority was careful
about the proper maintenance of existing resources and infrastructure.
In 1991 Census, the population increased to 119,829. After constituting as a municipality,
a portion of the delimited municipal area was continuously attached with panchayat area
by mistake up to the mid- 1980s. During 1993 municipal election, it was included in the
municipal area. As a result, the area increased to 10.56 sq. km. with 23 wards (figure 4).
However, the developmental activities continue uninterruptedly till 2000 as the
municipality made more earning sources, on the other side the govt. grants increased for
urban development. For civic facileness, the authority introduced more services like –
ambulance, mortuary van, pathological laboratory, diagnostic centre, swimming pool at
Suresh Ranjan Park, two well- constructed crematoriums at Khidirpur and Chakbhabani,
street lighting by sodium vapour, many parks, a stadium, one gymnasium, four Utsav
Bhawan for different purpose of occasions, a taxi terminus and a truck terminus, many
 sulabh toilet complexes,more development of drains and slum areas, construction of
highly decorated Municipal Conference Room (Subarnatat) etc. Balurghat is the place of
culture, particularly for drama, art and music. The municipality always played a positive
role for cultural expansion by making different cultural hall, art gallery etc.

Figure 4 Map showing the present area of Balurghat Municipality

The West Bengal Municipal Act, 1993

Section 12. Municipal authorities: The municipal authorities charged with the responsibility
of carrying out the provisions of this Act shall, for each municipal area, be as follows:
(a) The Municipality,
(b) The Chairman-in-Council, and
(c) The Chairman.

Section 13. The Municipality: (1) The Municipality established for a town shall mean the
Board of Councillors charged with the authority of municipal govern ment of the town, and
shall consist of
a) Such number of elected members as there are wards within the municipal area, and
b) Persons having special knowledge or experience in municipal admin istration as may
be nominated by the State Government from time to time, provided that such persons
shall not have the right to vote in the meetings of the Municipality.
(2) The Municipality shall be a body corporate with perpetual succession and a common seal,
and may, by the name of the Municipality of the town by reference to which the Municipality
is known, sue and be sued.

(3) All executive actions of the Chairman-in-Council shall be expressed to be taken in the
name of the Municipality.

(4) Subject to the provisions of this Act, the Municipality shall be entitled to acquire, hold and
dispose of properties.

Section 15. Chairman-in-Council: (1) There shall be Chairman-in-Council con sisting of the
Chairman, Vice-Chairman and other members not exceeding, In the case of a municipal area
included In Group A, five, in the case of a municipal area included in Group B, four, in the
case of a municipal area Included in Group C, three:
Provided that in respect of the municipal areas included in Group D and Group E, all the
powers and functions vested with the Chairman-In-Council under this Act or under any other
law, for the time being in force, shall be examined or performed, as the case may be, by the
Chairman of the concerned Municipality.

(2) The Vice-Chairman and the other members referred to in sub-section (1) shall be
nominated by the Chairman from amongst the Councillors of the Municipality [within a
period of thirty days of his entering into office] and shall assume office after taking [oath of
secrecy under section 50A]:
[Provided that the State Government may, on an application by the Chairman and for reasons
to be recorded in writing, extend the period as aforesaid by such period not exceeding thirty
days as the State Government may think fit.]

(3) All executive powers of the Municipality shall vest in the Chairman-in Council.

(4) The manner of transaction of business of the Chairman-in-Council shall be such as may be
prescribed.

(5) The Chairman-in-Council shall be collectively responsible to the Municipality.

Section 16. Powers and functions of the Chairman: (1) The Chairman shall be 2[the
executive head of the Municipality and the municipal administration shall be under his
control) and he shall exercise such powers and functions as conferred on him by or under this
Act.

(2) The Chairman shall preside over the meeting of the Chairman-in-Council as well as Board
of Councillors.

(3) The Chairman shall allocate the business among the members of the Chairman-In-Council
in case of Group A, Group B and Group C Municipalities.

(4) The matters to be discussed at a meeting of the Chairman-in-Council as well as the Board
of Councillors shall be prepared under the direction of the Chairman and shall be circulated to
the members of the Chairman-in-Council as Iwell as the Board of Councillors, as the case
may be, in such manner as the Chairman may determine.

(5) The Chairman shall, if he is of opinion that immediate execution of any work is necessary
and the same ordinarily requires the approval of the Board of Councillors or the Chairman-in-
Council, as the case may be, direct the execution of such work:
Provided that the Chairman shall report forthwith to the Board of Councillors or the
Chairman-in-Council, as the case may be, the actions taken under this section and the reasons
thereof.

Section 17. Election of Chairman: (1) The Board of Councillors, 4[in its first meeting under
section 50B), shall elect in accordance with such procedure as may be prescribed, one of its
'[elected] members to be the Chairman who shall assume office forthwith 1[after taking oath
of secrecy under section 50A].

(2) If the Board of Councillors fails to elect a Chairman in the manner prescribed, the State
Government shall appoint by name one of the Councillors to be the Chairman.

(3) In the case of any casual vacancy in the office of the Chairman caused by death,
resignation, removal or otherwise, the Board of Councillors shall, in accordance with such
procedure as may be prescribed, elect one of the Councillors to fill up the vacancy.
(4) In the case of casual vacancies in the offices of both the Chairman and the Vice-Chairman
caused by death, resignation, removal or otherwise, the State Government may appoint by
name one of the Councillors to be the Chairman who shall hold office until a Chairman,
elected under the provisions of sub-section (3), enters upon his office :
[Provided that the Chairman appointed under this sub-section shall hold meeting of the Board
of Councillors within thirty days from the date of taking over his charge for the purpose of
election of the new Chairman under sub section (3) in such manner as may be prescribed.]

Section 19. Vice-Chairman: (1) The Vice-Chairman shall, in the absence of the Chairman,
preside over the meetings of the Chairman-in-Council as well as the Board of Councillors.

(2) When -
a) the office of the Chairman falls vacant by reason of death, resigna tion, removal or
otherwise, or
b) the Chairman is, by reason of leave, illness or other cause, tempo rarily unable to
exercise the powers, perform the functions and discharge the duties of his office,
the Vice-Chairman shall exercise the powers, perform the functions and discharge the duties
of the Chairman until a Chairman is elected under sub section (3) of section 17 and assumes
office or until the Chairman resumes his duties, as the case may be.

(3) The Vice-Chariman shall, at any time, perform such other duty or exercise such other
powers as may be delegated to him under the provisions of this Act.

Section 67. Municipal Fund: There shall be constituted for each Municipality a fund to be
called Municipal Fund to be held by the Board of Councillors in trust for the purposes of this
Act, and all moneys realised or realisable under this Act and all moneys otherwise received by
the Municipality shall be credited thereto.

Section 69. Application of Municipal Fund: (1) All moneys credited to the Municipal Fund
from time to time shall be applied for payment of all sums, charges and costs necessary for
carrying out the purposes of this Act and the rules and the regulations made thereunder or for
payment of all sums payable out of the Municipal Fund under any other law for the time being
in force.
(2) No payment of any sum shall normally be made out of the Municipal Fund unless such
expenditure is covered by a current budget grant and a sufficient balance of such budget grant
is available for the purpose.

(3) Whenever any sum is paid for the purposes not covered by the budget grant, the matter
shall forthwith be communicated to the Chairman-in-Council who shall take such action under
the provisions of this Act as may appear to it to be feasible and expedient for covering the
amount of such payments.

Section 152. Recovery of tax: (1) If any person liable for payment of any tax does not, within
sixty days of the service of notice of uemand under section 151, pay the amount due, such
sum together with costs, interest due and penalty may be recovered under a warrant issued in
such form as may be specified by the State Government in this behalf, either by distress and
sale of movable property, or by attachment and sale of immovable property, of the defaulter as
the Chairman may decide:
Provided that the Chairman shall not recover any sum the liability of which has been remitted
on review under the provisions of this Act.

(2) Every warrant issued under sub-section (1) shall be signed by the Chairman or any other
officer authorised by him in this behalf.

Population
Table 1 Decadal growth of population in Balurghat Municipality.
Year Area (sq.km.) No. of Wards Total Population Decadal Growth (%)
1951 6.37 5 18,121 ---
1961 8.50 5 26,999 48.99
1971 8.50 15 67,088 148.48
1981 8.50 15 1,04,646 55.98
1991 8.50 15 1,19,829 14.48
2001 10.56 23 1,35,737 13.31
2011 10.56 23 1,51,299 11.46

Source: Balurghat Municipality.

 Figure 5Diagram showing decadal growth of population of Balurghat Municipality.

Urban Renewal (Upto 2011 )

‘Urban Renewal’ a term of American origin, is the attempt to reinvigorate a run-down urban
area through a process of replanning and comprehensive redevelopment of land structures,
physical and social infrastructure as well as conservation and rehabilitation of areas which
have been or are being threatened by decline and blight associated with a city or a town
(Ansari, 2000, p. 11). Basically, it is a good and comprehensive concept. In 1965, the
committee on ‘Urban Land Policy’ made by Govt. of India considered three alternatives viz.—
(1) wholesale demolition and thorough redevelopment, (2) a programme of selective urban
renewal and (3) a programme of gradual improvement. The first was rejected for its
impracticability; the third one seeming suitable especially for Metropolitan cities; while the
second alternative was taken into consideration for fruitful urban renewal of small and
medium towns.

Table 2 Ward-wise population density of Balurghat Municipality.

Ward Area (Sq. Population Population Density
No. Km.)
2001 2011 2001 2011
1 0.42 5534 6024 13176 14343
2 0.53 7677 7819 14485 14753
3 0.48 5160 5265 10750 10969
4 0.47 7167 9752 15249 20749
5 0.48 8054 6671 16779 13898
6 0.36 6875 7505 19097 20847
7 0.41 5132 5516 12517 13454
8 0.38 3993 5176 10508 13621
9 0.45 7635 7685 16967 17078
 10 0.48 4545 5681 9469 11835
11 0.34 5910 5534 17382 16276
12 0.52 6178 8522 11881 16388
13 0.46 6383 6251 13876 13589
14 0.48 7612 8856 15858 18450
15 0.53 7366 6926 13898 13068
16 0.44 4030 6259 9159 14225
17 0.43 7003 7669 1628 1783
18 0.46 4562 4986 9917 1083
19 0.45 4431 6181 9847 1373
20 0.43 4842 5267 1126 1224
21 0.52 5049 6183 9710 1189
22 0.51 5951 6392 1166 1253
23 0.53 4648 5179 8770 9772
Total 10.56 135737 151299 1285 1445
Source: Balurghat Municipality Census data, 2011.

Figure 6 Comparison of population density of Balurghat Municipality (2001 & 2011).

The importance of urban renewal is being realized in India just in recent years. The city is a
living organism and, therefore, it has its lifecycle of birth, growth and decline. If cities are
places of tensions and strain, they are also the centres of civilization and culture. The decline
of a city warrants action by the policy-makers and planners to provide a living environment to
the humans.
Though the steady growth rate (table 1 and figure 5) declines since 1991, yet Balurghat is
becoming congested and overcrowded day by day with a limited urban infrastructure.
Introduction of rail network as well as improvement in road connectivity bring socio-
economic prosperity to some extent while vast rural hinterland in Dakshin Dinajpur district
also helped the town to have a considerable opportunity of trade and commerce. According to
the Census 2001, it has a population of 135,737 living in 26,417 households, now in 2011
increased to 151,299 persons with 38,041 households (table 2 and figure 6) i.e. more than
eight fold increase in 60 years. Distribution of population along with household concentration
is found highly uneven and unplanned, lead to improper urbanization revealed by crisis of
land, unscientific drainage and water- logging, illegal filling up of river and khari beds,
creation of new slums causing further environmental and social pollution, excessive pressure
on roads, poor health-care etc. in connection with shortening of existing urban services.
Keeping in mind such situations, the municipal authority has already taken some renewal
steps and seeking for further renovation programme to maintain the dynamic character of the
town. These are as follows —
1) ‘Comprehensive Development Plan’ (1995) and ‘Financial and Management Plan’
(1999) has been made respectively by the municipal authority itself and through the
private concern. Though the amenities provided are qualitatively good but found
inadequate due to its consistent expansion. The first one target to contemplate the
uplift of essential and civic services for better quality of life following the proper
financial operating plans and policies depicted by the second one.
2) To solve the enormity and complexity of the age-old drainage problem of the town, the
authority prepared ‘A Master Plan for the Drainage System’ (2007) in collaboration
with Centre for Development Studies, North Bengal University which almost mitigate
the problem.
3) Since, the river Atreyee restricted the urban growth towards the western side; the town
is now expanding particularly towards east and north-east which were previously low
marshy land, paddy field and palaeo-channel of Atreyee. Municipality makes it
possible to convert such areas as homestead of the new settlers by establishing
improved roads, street lights, sources of drinking water etc.
4) Under JNNURM Project, municipality provides ‘Housing Schemes’ to the
 economically weaker sections. With the introduction of this scheme, the environmental
problems become very less. Another achievement in very recent time is the
sanctioning of Rs. 42 crores also under JNNURM Project for water treatment plant to
supply purified water to the citizens. The work is in progress.
5) For solving the scarcity of health-care services, municipality made a ‘Poura
Matrisadan and Hospital’ under PPP Model, a joint venture with ‘Sonoscan Health-Care
Pvt. Ltd’, Malda.
6) To reduce the traffic congestion, widening of old roads, formation of many new roads,
Foot Bridge, Pile Bridge and introduction of automatic traffic signal have been done.
Most of the roads are asphalted by improved technology. The financial assistance of
ADB (Asian Development Bank) makes it possible to convert the old PWD road into
a beautiful one-way traffic maintaining divider with attractive street lighting.
7) It becomes more convenient when the municipal authority introduced several
computerized tax collection centres at various places of the town. It also provides
modern street lighting almost in the whole town with few exceptional using of solar
lamps in some parts.
8) To maintain the socio-cultural cordiality, it arrange ward-wise cultural programme in
every year. Numerous female self-help groups are assisted by the authority under
different schemes. Development of several parks and play grounds made not only for
recreation but also for pollution control.
9) Arrangement of a big dumping yard— 4 km. away from the heart of the town. For the
purpose of drinking water, municipality maintains 152 tube wells located at various
parts the town along with PHE road-taps. Stony embankment along the banks of
Danga Khari is under process—which not only save the town during incessant rain,
but also for beautification.
10) The authority trying to continue earn by internal resource generation through pay hire
of different utsav bhawans, community halls, water tanks & dustbins, municipal
markets and shops, municipal guest house ‘Kshanika’ at Balurghat and ‘Balurghat
Bhawan’ in Kolkata and from many other properties.
Conclusion
Balurghat, a Class-I urban centre of North Bengal witnessed rapid urbanization without the
proper sense of ‘urbanism’. The population of the town has grown very rapidly particularly in
two phases—during post- independence and during Bangladesh liberation war. But the urban
fabric of the town is predominantly rural in nature. Economically it is not a generative town
as it is neither an industrial nor a large scale trade based urban centre. Socio-political relations
are of a pre-industrial nature there. The conduction of municipal administration and
management was followed mainly by the 1930’s ‘Bengal Municipal Act’ till the end of the mid
1990’s. Envisaging the needs of urban development from the angle of a new outlook, the then
State Govt. imposed new ‘Bengal Municipal Act’ in 1993 with several plans, policies and
enhancement of grants in urban development. It increased the flow of development activities
in many towns particularly from the starting of the new century. Balurghat is no exception of
that.
There is no denying that in comparison to other towns of North Bengal, Balurghat experiences
a rapid growth of population which provides various opportunities for the town to develop,
though accompanying problems of urbanization are observed simultaneously. Other towns of
North Bengal have been given more attention and priority during policy making while
Balurghat being over-crowded and over- burdened, always neglected due to its typical
geographical location. However, the municipal authority has tried their best with their
limitations. This untiring and heartiest effort has made possible the municipality to stand first
in terms of ‘revenue collection’ and ‘cleanness and beautification’ in 2008 declared by the
Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Urban Development, Govt. of West Bengal.
 Annexure-A

FORMAT OF INTERNSHIP COMPLETION CERTIFICATE

(To be given on letter head)

Dated:…………….

TO WHOMSOEVER IT MAY CONCERN

This is to certify that Mr. , Son of Mr. , a student of

LL.B (3rd Semester), Uttarayan College of Law, Coochbehar Panchanan Barman University
has successfully completed his Internship with Balurghat Municipality, from 6 June 2022 to
25 June 2022. During the period of Internship he worked under my observation in the
following Act:
(i) The West Bengal Municipal Act, 1993
(ii) The West Bengal Valuation Board Act, 1978

During the period of his internship programmer he was punctual and hardworking.

I wish him every success in his life and career.

(Signature of HoD)