Kolkata/Howrah: Arrests, FIRs, resignations and administrative upheavals in several municipal corporations and municipalities in Bengal have raised concerns over the functioning of civic bodies and delivery of services.This tension is most evident in the Trinamool Congress-run KMC, where the civic board has become almost “defunct” due to the Mayor-in-Council not holding meetings. The crisis began with the resignation of Borough IX president Deblina Biswas, and intensified after Sushant Ghosh and Arup Chakraborty stepped down as Borough President (Borough XII) and KMC Accounts Committee member, respectively.The situation worsened on Tuesday when MMIC Tarak Singh, in-charge of KMC’s sewerage and drainage, resigned and submitted his letter to Municipal Corporation Commissioner Smita Pandey. Although as per KMC rules the MMIC has to send a resignation letter to the mayor, Singh said the municipal commissioner had asked him to reconsider before the monsoon. Singh alleged that he could not work independently and said he was “feeling bad” for failing to take “effective” steps ahead of the rainy season.Deputy Mayor Atin Ghosh said the KMC health department needs a comprehensive pre-monsoon plan to deal with dengue and malaria. At the ward level, councilors have largely stopped working, alleging that they are not being “helped” by the civic authorities. A senior Trinamool functionary said many councilors have been kept indoors due to fear of arrest, adding that the arrest of city president Sudip Poli and councilor Sachin Singh has “sent a message to others”. FIRs have been lodged against at least six other councilors – Baiswanor Chattopadhyay (Ward 91), Mala Roy (Ward 88), Sushant Ghosh (Ward 108), Shanti Ranjan Kundu (Ward 32), Jui Biswas (Ward 81) and Ashutosh Das (Ward 35).In Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation (BMC), legal cases have entangled councilors and civic officials. Four out of 41 councilors have been arrested on charges including extortion and threats. An MMIC and his wife, a former MLA, have secured interim protection from arrest till June 19. The husband and brother-in-law of another MMIC – a former councilor in Baguiati area – have also been arrested.Monthly MMIC and board meetings of BMC have not been held since the formation of the new BJP government in the state. Bidhannagar MLA Sharadwat Mukherjee described the situation as “missing (missing) councillor”.South Dum Dum Municipality has not seen resignations, but civic functioning has been jolted by the death of councilor and chairman-in-council member Sanjay Das, who was found hanging in his apartment on May 23. Two other councilors – Mrinmoy Das and former chairman-in-council member Partha Verma – were recently arrested on charges of extortion, assault and criminal intimidation.In North Dum Dum Municipality, civic services were disrupted after hundreds of temporary employees staged a week-long protest demanding equal pay for equal work, timely salaries and regular EPF deposits.Howrah Municipal Corporation (HMC), the state’s second largest civic body, continues without an elected board. The last elections were held in 2013 and the term of the board ended in 2018. Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari appointed a chief administrator to oversee both the HMC and Bally Municipality, which is also without an elected civic body since 2018.Residents of Howrah and Bally have repeatedly complained of inadequate civic services, alleging that the prolonged absence of elected representatives has weakened accountability and affected service delivery.The disruption is most visible in Barrackpore Industrial Area, where civic boards have collapsed due to mass resignations in Bhatpara, Kanchrapara, Halisahar, Garulia and North Barrackpore. About 115 councilors including five municipality presidents have resigned.