Howrah Municipal Corporation

Howrah Municipal Corporation (abbreviated as HMC) is a governmental body, that controls the civic infrastructure and administrative managements of Howrah city, West Bengal, India. This civic administrative body administers an area of 63.55 square kilometres (24.54 sq mi) now.[1][2][3]

Howrah Municipal Corporation
হাওড়া পৌরনিগম
Logo of Howrah Municipal Corporation
AbbreviationHMC
Formation1858 (Municipality), 1980 (Municipal Corporation)
TypeMunicipal Corporation
HeadquartersHowrah
Official language
Bengali, English
Mayor
Rathin Chakraborty
Websitewww.hmcgov.in
Head Office of Howrah Municipal Corporation

History

Foundation

The introduction of the East India Railway in 1854 caused an influx of people in Howrah city. As a result, public nuisance and threat of epidemics arose. So, the Howrah Offence Act was founded in 1857 to ensure prevention of local nuisances. The district magistrate was empowered to prosecute the law breaker with a fine of Rs 200 or rigorous imprisonment of one month. But nothing changed much. Ultimately, the Governor General vouched Section No. 12 of the Act of 1858, by which the Howrah Municipality was formed with the legislative council's due approval. However, the municipal committee was dissolved after a few years.[4] In 1862, Howrah Municipality was reorganised.[5] On May 2, 1864, by the Municipal District Improvement Act III (1864), the Howrah Municipality Board was formed and from August 2, 1864 it started execution vide Gazette Notification.[4] As per the Howrah Municipal Corporation Act of 1980, Howrah became a municipal corporation.[6]

Bally Municipality

Bally Municipality was formed, separating it out from Howrah on 31 March 1883.[7] In July 2015 Howrah Municipal Corporation and Bally Municipality were merged. 35 wards of the Bally Municipality were decreased to 16 under the Howrah Municipal Corporation.[8][9][10]

Board of members

History

The first board comprised Mr E. C. Craster as the District Magistrate and chairman and Mr N. Macnicol as vice-chairman. The first board also comprised D. R. Bird as managing director, C. H. Denham as chief engineer, R. W. King, W Stalkartt, R. N. Barges, D W Campbell, Babu Gopal Lal Chowdhury, Babu Rajmohan Basu and Babu Kshetra Mohan Mitra as other members. The first board meeting was held on May 6, 1864. The first municipal election in Howrah took place on December 1, 1884 declaring the following commissioners from their respective wards.[4]

Kedarnath Bhattacharya was the first Indian elected vice-chairman and chairman. In 1886, when Mr. E C Craster stepped down, Babu Upendra Chandra was elected as chairman and Baboo Kedarnath Bhattacharya was selected as vice-chairman. But due to some discrepancy in his election, Upendra Chandra's chairmanship was cancelled and Kedarnath Bhattacharya had to officiate in his position for a few years. After some years, nearly from 1890 the district magistrate was appointed as chairman up to 1916 when Babu Mahendranath Roy won the election with a huge majority.[4]

Present members

Dr. Rathin Chakravarty is the Mayor of Howrah Municipal Corporation. Sri Arabinda Guha is the Chairman of HMC.[11]

Administration

The corporation area is divided into sixty six wards.[1][12] Each ward elects a councillor and each borrow elects a chairman.[13] The Mayor-in-council, which is led by Mayor and supported by Commissioner and officers, is responsible for administration of the corporation area.[13] Currently, the trinamool congress is controlling the municipal corporation board.

Services

The HMC is responsible for administrating and providing basic infrastructure to the city.

  • Water purification and supply
  • Sewage treatment and disposal
  • Garbage disposal and street cleanliness
  • Solid waste management
  • Building and maintenance of roads, streets and flyovers.
  • Street lighting
  • Maintenance of parks and open spaces
  • Cemeteries and Crematoriums
  • Registering of births and deaths
  • Conservation of heritage sites
  • Disease control, including immunization
  • Public municipal schools etc.

References
  1. "Howrah Corporation".
  2. "HMC" (PDF).
  3. "Bally Municipality".
  4. "The dirtiest since 1889". m.telegraphindia.com.
  5. "About HMC". hmcgov.in.
  6. "Other Municipal Corporation Acts". Official website of Department of Municipal Affairs, Government of West Bengal. Archived from the original on 10 August 2009. Retrieved 29 December 2008.
  7. O'Malley & Chakravarti 1909, p. 31
  8. Basu, Pritesh (4 January 2016). "HMC sets up 'Mayor's Cop' to monitor civic amenities". Millennium Post.
  9. Bally battles merger blues telegraphindia.com/
  10. Merge Bally, Howrah civic bodies: Mamata Banerjee timesofindia.com | 19 May 2015
  11. "mmic". hmcgov.in.
  12. "HMC".
  13. "About us page". Howrah Municipal Corporation. Archived from the original on 8 December 2008. Retrieved 29 December 2008.
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