The state government will soon issue a notification to constitute the new Dhupguri subdivision in Jalpaiguri district, Nirmal Chandra Roy, the local MLA, said on Monday.

The administration had convened a meeting on Monday to discuss the formation of the subdivision following protests by a local citizens’ forum which had alleged that the state government was delaying the process.

“We have information that in the current week, the state will receive approval from the judiciary. Once it is done, the government will immediately issue necessary notification for the creation of the new Dhupguri subdivision,” Roy said after the meeting.

Last year, ahead of the byelection to the Dhupguri Assembly seat, Trinamul Congress leaders had come up with an assurance that residents of Dhupguri would get a new subdivision.

Abhishek Banerjee, Trinamul’s national general secretary, while speaking at a public meeting in Dhupguri town, had said if people voted for its candidate (Nirmal Chandra Roy), the state would announce the subdivision by December 31.

After Trinamul won the seat, chief minister Mamata Banerjee reiterated that her government was working on the issue.

Officials of the district administration and members of the judiciary visited certain locations in and around the town to select sites for setting up new government offices, courts and other infrastructure.

The process, however, got delayed, which Mamata claimed, is because the judiciary had not given approval to the decision.

The delay led to protests and members of Dhupguri Nagarik Mancha, a citizens’ forum which has been striving for the demand for years, resorted to demonstration.

They held a silent protest in front of the MLA’s house earlier this month and last week, organised a two-day relay hunger strike.

Such protests made the administration intervene, and on Monday, a meeting was held
at the district magistrate’s office.

“We hope there will not be any more uncertainty on the issue. Every resident of Dhupguri and also the adjoining Banarhat block are eagerly waiting for the notification,” said Aniruddha Dasgupta, secretary of the Mancha, who was present at the meeting.

Roy, the MLA, reiterated that there is on confusion on the part of the state.

“The state government is taking all necessary initiatives for the new sub-division. The chief minister herself is keen to meet the longstanding demand of Dhupguri residents. There should not be any confusion,” he said.

Political observers said that as the Lok Sabha elections are drawing near, Trinamul wants the subdivision to be created at the earliest.