Expert panel for development of Hills on the anvil

22 May 2011

statesman news service
SILIGURI/DARJEELING, 22 MAY: The state government under the leadership of the new chief minister, Miss Mamata Banerjee, would form an expert committee soon for the development of the Hills.
The state North Bengal development minister, Mr Gautam Deb, today said that he had discussed the matter with Miss Banerjee for the development of the Hills and a way out to resolve the Hills problem.
“We would form an expert committee very soon seeking suggestions for the development the Hills,” Mr Deb told reporters here today.
Hundreds of Trinamul leaders and workers greeted Mr Deb when he arrived in New Jalpaiguri station this morning. He met the leaders in Dabgram-Fulbari Assembly constituency where hundreds of Trinamul supporters took out a victory rally. Mr Deb was felicitated at many places, including Siliguri.
The state North Bengal development minister, Mr Gautam Deb, also said that he would hold a meeting shortly with the officials of the Siliguri-Jalpaiguri Development Authority and chalk out plan for the development of Siliguri.
Mr Deb today visited an abandoned railway land near Air View in Siliguri. Sources said that the state might set up separate secretariat for north Bengal here.
When asked Mr Gautam Deb said that the state would set up ‘mini Writers’ Buildings and start functioning very soon but he refused to disclose in detail regarding setting up of the mini secretariat at present.
“I would leave for Kolkata tonight and hold a meeting with the CM. I would return on Friday and hold another meeting at SJDA and Siliguri Municipal Corporation,” he said.
Mr Deb also hinted that the Trinamul would officially make an alliance with the Congress to run the Siliguri municipal corporation. He has sought cooperation from the SMC for the development of Siliguri.
Meanwhile, all schools in the Hills will remain closed tomorrow, this will include all government-aided primary and higher secondary schools and other schools of ICSE and CBSE background. The Gorkha Primary Teachers Organisation, a Morcha-affiliated body, has taken this decision keeping in view its eleven-point charter of demands, the organisation has also demanded the removal of Mr PT Sherpa from the post of the education secretary of Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council (DGHC). “We will meet the District Magistrate of Darjeeling, Mr MK Gandhi, and DGHC administrator Mr Anil Verma and put forward our eleven-point charter of demands including ouster of Mr PT Sherpa, thereafter we will decide on the future course of our organisation's agitation, stated Mr Benedict Gurung, president of GPTO. Previously the organisation had decided on keeping all schools across the Hills closed on 23 May and 24 May, however, after the Central Committee, GPTO meeting with the members of Janmukti Secondary Teachers Organisation (JSTO) today, the organisation has decided on keeping the schools closed for just one day keeping in view the admission  going on in schools and colleges.
“Schools across the hills will remain closed for just a day as the result of ICSE, ISC and Madhyamik exams are just out and admissions are on,” said Mr Gurung. The organisation had met the DGHC administrator on 10 May. “Though  the meeting with Mr Verma was fruitful and he has assured us that our demands will be looked seriously into, no concrete step has been taken till now, this is the reason why we have decided on meeting him and the DM tomorrow,” said Mr Gurung.