Panihati civic body gets new chief; Slain doc’s kin unhappy with the appointment
Telegraph | 23 March 2025
Trinamul councillor Somnath Dey was elected the new chairman of Panihati Municipality on Friday.
Parents of the junior doctor who was raped and murdered at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9 last year had alleged that Dey was among those who had hurriedly taken their daughter’s body for cremation, against the family’s wishes, ending the possibility of a second post-mortem.
“Dey has got a prized posting. We were waiting for the second post-mortem while he was rushing through the cremation proceedings. The evidence of his presence at the cremation ground is his signature on the cremation certificate,” said the slain doctor’s father on Friday.
Dey said he went to the hospital and crematorium because the doctor’s father had called him.
“I do not want to comment on what he has said. I wish the family well and may her soul rest in peace,” Dey said.
Speaking about municipal issues, Dey said the government has decided to acquire the Amarabati Ground in Panihati and a sports complex is likely to come up on the land.
Allegations that a real estate project was being planned at the popular playground in Panihati surfaced a few weeks ago.
Malay Roy, the chief of the civic body before Dey, was asked to step down on March 11 by minister Firhad Hakim over the allegations .
The order to quit had come from the chief minister.
However, party sources gave him a clean chit in the controversy and said Roy was axed because he had lost grip over local party workers.
Earlier this year, the society that owns the 27-acre Amarabati Ground had written to the municipality expressing its wish to undertake real estate projects on the site.
Officials told this newspaper that the ground is owned by a “registered society” that works for distressed children.
“The society was allowed to hold on to such a large tract of land only because it was set up for charitable purposes,” said a government official.
Dey said improving potable water supply and waste disposal systems were his priorities.
“A new 10 million gallons-a-day water treatment plant is under construction. It will take another two years to complete,” he said.
The solid waste collected from Panihati is now brought to Dhapa for disposal. Disposal of waste into the landfill site at Panihati had to be stopped after residents complained about stench and alleged that flies from the landfill site drifting into their homes and posing a threat to public health.
Transporting the waste from Panihati to Dhapa is a waste of money and time.
“A new landfill site at Panihati is being prepared. It is expected to be operational within six months. We will segregate the biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste and create by-products,” said Dey.
Dey, a two-time councillor, is also the chairman-in-council of the civic body’s public works department.