statesman news service
SILIGURI/ KALIMPONG, 11 JAN: Employees at panchayat offices in
Kalimpong sub-division will start an indefinite pen-down strike
tomorrow to protest the manhandling of their colleagues by residents
of Pitamchin village.
The panchayat employee was attacked at Pitamchin village under Lingay
gram panchayat which falls under the jurisdiction of Algarah block-ll
in Kalimpong sub-division.
The villagers were protesting against alleged double standards being
practiced by the officials while dealing with victims of the 18
September 2011 earthquake. The protesters turned violent and severely
beat gram panchayat staff member Sonam Tashi Bhutia, according to a
spokesperson of the Ganamukti Karmachari Sangathan, which has convened
the strike, alleged.
Mr Bhutia was admitted to the hospital with serious injuries. He is
under treatment now. Local GJMM leaders and gram panchayat officials
intervened when the situation was spiralling out of control.
The villagers said they were unhappy with the administration on
several counts. “First the relief came very late. Secondly, several
affluent and influential persons are on the beneficiary-list though
they had sustained no loss due to the trembler. This aside,
discrimination is being made among the quake victims during
distribution of compensation,” one of the agitated villagers said.
However, senior gram panchayat officials said the villagers had no
knowledge of the parameters involved in the distribution of the
calamity-compensation.
“It must be understood that the compensation yardsticks are different
in regards to the houses that were fully damaged and partially
damaged. For the former, the amount is Rs 35,000, while for the
latter, the figure is Rs 5,000. This is what has led to the confusion
among the villagers. We will take up programmes soon to educate the
villagers regarding the different yardsticks in reference to the
compensation grants,” one of the senior gram panchayat officials said.
The Darjeeling district magistrate Saumitra Mohan, said that the
administration had no liberty to get out of the compensation-norms as
determined by the Centre.
“There are clear distinctions in regards to houses damaged partially
and fully. The Centre has also mentioned that owners of ‘kaccha’*
houses would be given Rs 10,000 for complete damage and only Rs 2,500
for partial damage,” the Darjeeling district magistrate added.
“The Centre has also asked the victims to open bank accounts for
receiving compensation. After the account is opened the administration
will transfer money to the respective accounts in accordance with the
list of victims,” he added.
He added that around 8,000 houses had been fully damaged and nearly
32,000 houses had been partially damaged.
“We had demanded nearly Rs 42 crore for the purpose. We have received
Rs 20 crore from both the Centre and state so far. The next
installment would be released on receipt of the utilisation
certificates,” he added.
SILIGURI/ KALIMPONG, 11 JAN: Employees at panchayat offices in
Kalimpong sub-division will start an indefinite pen-down strike
tomorrow to protest the manhandling of their colleagues by residents
of Pitamchin village.
The panchayat employee was attacked at Pitamchin village under Lingay
gram panchayat which falls under the jurisdiction of Algarah block-ll
in Kalimpong sub-division.
The villagers were protesting against alleged double standards being
practiced by the officials while dealing with victims of the 18
September 2011 earthquake. The protesters turned violent and severely
beat gram panchayat staff member Sonam Tashi Bhutia, according to a
spokesperson of the Ganamukti Karmachari Sangathan, which has convened
the strike, alleged.
Mr Bhutia was admitted to the hospital with serious injuries. He is
under treatment now. Local GJMM leaders and gram panchayat officials
intervened when the situation was spiralling out of control.
The villagers said they were unhappy with the administration on
several counts. “First the relief came very late. Secondly, several
affluent and influential persons are on the beneficiary-list though
they had sustained no loss due to the trembler. This aside,
discrimination is being made among the quake victims during
distribution of compensation,” one of the agitated villagers said.
However, senior gram panchayat officials said the villagers had no
knowledge of the parameters involved in the distribution of the
calamity-compensation.
“It must be understood that the compensation yardsticks are different
in regards to the houses that were fully damaged and partially
damaged. For the former, the amount is Rs 35,000, while for the
latter, the figure is Rs 5,000. This is what has led to the confusion
among the villagers. We will take up programmes soon to educate the
villagers regarding the different yardsticks in reference to the
compensation grants,” one of the senior gram panchayat officials said.
The Darjeeling district magistrate Saumitra Mohan, said that the
administration had no liberty to get out of the compensation-norms as
determined by the Centre.
“There are clear distinctions in regards to houses damaged partially
and fully. The Centre has also mentioned that owners of ‘kaccha’*
houses would be given Rs 10,000 for complete damage and only Rs 2,500
for partial damage,” the Darjeeling district magistrate added.
“The Centre has also asked the victims to open bank accounts for
receiving compensation. After the account is opened the administration
will transfer money to the respective accounts in accordance with the
list of victims,” he added.
He added that around 8,000 houses had been fully damaged and nearly
32,000 houses had been partially damaged.
“We had demanded nearly Rs 42 crore for the purpose. We have received
Rs 20 crore from both the Centre and state so far. The next
installment would be released on receipt of the utilisation
certificates,” he added.
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