GJMM youth wing plans fresh statehood stir in Dec

GJMM youth wing plans fresh statehood stir in Dec

22 November 2011

statesman news service

DARJEELING 23 NOV: The tell-tale signs emanating from the GJMM camp that the party has been contemplating a renewed stir over Gorkhaland have become pronounced today as the preponderant party’s youth affiliate, Gorkha Jana Mukti Yuva Morcha  has decided to launch statehood stir in December. 

Addressing a Press conference here today, the GJMYM vice-president, Mr Priyabardan Rai, said that they would organise a public meeting at Mongpoo in Kalimpong sub-division on 18 December. “We would give the clarion call for Gorkhaland at the meeting which would be addressed by the party president, Mr Bimal Gurung,” he said.  

Referring to the recent development in Uttar Pradesh, the GJMM youth leader said that the UP chief minister’s stance on the four-way division of her state to facilitate better administration and development had buoyed them into going for the statehood-stir. “Our demand for carving out a separate Gorkhaland state is the oldest in the country. Yet, the demand remains far from fulfilled despite the century-old agitation. We would ask the Centre to explain why are we being discriminated against,” he said.

He said they would write to the President, the Prime Minister, the Union home minister and the state chief minister soon, asking them to consider their statehood demand.

When asked whether the renewed stir would militate against the spirit of the GTA agreement, Mr Rai said that the GTA draft had kept the demand on record. “We are not hostile to the agreement, but at the same time we would keep up the statehood momentum,” he said. 

`80 sustains generations!

`80 sustains generations!

22 November 2011

KURSEONG, 22 NOV: A washerman has been receiving Rs 80 as salary, the same amount his father received in post-Independence days. Mr Binda Baitha (66), a resident of Ujjarey Busty in Kurseong, gets Rs 80 as salary, which was earlier received by his father, Laxman Baitha, from the Castleton Tea estate in Kurseong. Mr Baitha said that during the British period his father used to work at the Castleton Tea estate in Kurseong. Later, he too got the same amount when he became an employee of the tea garden which was then owned by Mr Jayram and Mrs Dayarani. Even after the many decades Mr Baitha still receives Rs 80 a month as salary. He said: “I have asked the concerned officials several times to hike my salary but besides giving me assurances, they have not done anything.” sns

Sharing Teesta water detrimental for N Bengal: officials

Statesman news service 

SILIGURI, 17 NOV: The state irrigation and waterways officials, associated with Teesta Barrage Project (TBP) said sharing the Teesta water with Bangladesh would be detrimental to the interests of north Bengal.

Chief Minister, Miss Mamata Banerjee yesterday met Bangladesh foreign minister Dr Dipu Mani, and said a committee of riverine management experts would asses the amount of water required for the region.

The officials are mow worried after they calculated the volume rate of water flow from the Teesta River during the lean period.

A senior engineer of the TBP said: “If we do not share water with Bangladesh, it will not be possible for us to supply water for irrigation covering the entire target area of 3.42 lakh hectares of crop lands during pre-Kharip period from November to March and even during the Kharip period.”

Notably, the Central government has asked the state to prepare the project so that it can cover 3.42-lakh hectares of land by 2015. To cover the target areas the TBP needs 340 cumec. But, the TBP records show that the volume rate of water flow from the Teesta is 100 cumec during lean period from November to March.

The river discharges water 200 to 250 cumec during the Kharip season.

The project was conceived to supply water for Kharip crop in north Bengal and the TBP plans to provide waters for Boro cultivation on the basis of farmers’ demands.

Besides irrigation, the TBP project needs to supply 80 cumec to 200-cumec water to run three-hydel power projects, located on Mahananda main canal near Siliguri, for production of 67.5 mega watt electricity.

To manage the situation, the state electricity department has decided to suspend the production of its three projects alternatively for maintenance during the lean period.

 “Despite such practical problems the state irrigation department during the regime of the Left Front government had agreed to sacrifice and share 25 per cent of water with Bangladesh in the interest of maintaining international relation with neighbouring country,” said a senior state irrigation official.

“The water sharing problem between the two countries still stands for the period from November to March,” he added.

According to the TBP officials, the rate discharge of water from the river Teesta during peak monsoon period is 1500 cumec.

GJMM-ABAVP joint deputation on GATA

GJMM-ABAVP joint deputation on GATA

2 November 2011

statesman news service  

SILIGURI, 2 NOV: The representatives of both the Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha and the Akhil Bharatiya Adivasi Vikas Parishad would lead a joint delegation to the chairman of high powered committee, appointed by the state government for verification and inclusion of additional lands to the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration, to apprise the recent ‘political’ development and for inclusion of all other areas identified as reserved constituency for the Schedule Caste and Scheduled Tribe of the Dooars and the Terai region inhabited predominantly by Adivasis and Gorkhas.
The decision was taken at Mongpong on 29 October and a memorandum of 18-point agreement signed by both the GJMM president, Mr Bimal Gurung and Terai-Dooars based the ABAVP president, Mr John Barla.
The decision to apprise the high-powered committee was mentioned in the article [Article no. XVI] in the 18-point memorandum of agreement. In the preface of the agreement, it was mentioned: “ … the ABAVP on invitation from the GJMM for dialogue for securing the interest of the Adivasis, the Gorkhas and all others and also to foster speedy development of the region, the ABAVP after due consultation and discussions with their subordinate formations and block and unit level representatives decided to agree in incorporate 196 mouzas of the Dooars and 199 mouzas of Terai region into the proposed GTA.”
Both the GJMM and the ABAVP have agreed: “ The name of the GTA would be changed to GATA (herein after referred GATA for GTA) for inclusion of the 196 mouzas of the Dooars and 199 mouzas of the Terai into the GTA to incorporate the word ‘Adivasi’ for keeping the sentiments of majority people of the Dooars-Terai by way of adopting a resolution by the GTA sabha.” [Article no. I]
In article no. III of the memorandum of agreement, both the GJMM and ABAVP agreed: “A separate Dooars-Terai cell will be established within the GATA for speedy implementation of the projects in the Dooars-Terai region and addressing the grievances of the people of this region. This cell will be established within the Dooars-Terai as decided by the ABAVP and the GJMM.”