Himachal Govt issues notification for Palampur Municipal Corporation

Ravinder Sood

Palampur, September 25

The Himachal Pradesh Government today issued a notification for the formation of Municipal Corporation at Palampur. Besides Palampur, the state government had also approved MC for the Solan and Mandi towns.

Earlier, the state assembly last week had passed the amended provision of the HP Municipal Act, reducing the population criteria for the formation of MCs in the state from 50,000 to 40,000 which paved the way for the formation of three MCs in the state.

Palampur SDM Dharmesh Ramotra, while briefing mediapersons here today, said 14 panchayats of satellite areas of Palampur were proposed to be part of new municipal corporation. He said new municipal corporation will have a total area of 14.96 sq km. With an additional population of 40,765 the total population of new MC would be 44,309.

He said the existing MC at Palampur was set up in 1952. Since then, its limits were never extended. Because of vast urbanisation Palampur had emerged as one of the fast growing towns of the state. Therefore, the state government had given its consent to set up the MC at Palampur.

He said in the absence of proper planning, various parts of satellite areas had turned into slums and residents were facing problems like disposal of garbage, sewerage, street lights and drainage system. He said soon, the state government would call for objections from the public.

Last month, around 20 NGOs of the town and a number of social bodies had passed a joint resolution urging Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur for early formation of the MC at Palampur. The Congress had also welcomed the formation of the Municipal Corporation.

Shanta Kumar, senior BJP leader who played a key role in the formation of MC at Palampur, hailed the decision of the state government and thanked the Chief Minister for honoring his request.

He said now Palampur town would witness new development which will usher in a new era.