Gurung meets party leaders from Terai-Dooars

Gurung meets party leaders from Terai-Dooars

27 March 2012

statesman news service

SILIGURI/DARJEELING, 27 MARCH: The Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha (GJMM) central committee will meet on 29 March at Garubathan in Kalimpong to formulate strategies regarding the party’s land demand across the Terai-Dooars region.
The GJMM chief, Bimal Gurung, and other senior central committee members, including party general secretary Roshan Giri, held a meeting with the party leaders based in the Terai-Dooars region today to discuss the situation in the aftermath of the meeting with the chief minister in Kolkata on 24 March. The GJMM general secretary said the main object behind today’s meeting was to inform party supporters in the Dooars and Terai about what has transpired in the meeting with the chief minister and what kind of resolution has been adopted.
Mr Giri said: “We will hold another a meeting with the Adivasis in the Dooars at Gorubathan on 29 March wherein we will decide on the future course of action."
“The GJMM chief has asked us all to exercise utmost restraint as the situation regarding the land demand has reached a sensitive stage. He was confident that most of the moujas the party is demanding will be incorporated in the GTA,” a senior GJMM leader said.
Mr Giri said: “The high-power committee will submit its report in the first week of June and in July election will be held in 45 constituencies after 16 moujas are added to the existing areas of the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council. Delimitation will take place in the existing areas and be changed into 45 constituencies in which the elections will be held. After that whatever areas are included from the Terai and Dooars, there will be no election initially but will have nominated members.”
However, a group of GJMM leaders based in the Terai-Dooars region were not happy with the party leadership having undertaken a written commitment to abide by the Sen Committee report irrespective of the contents of the report.
“The party president assuaged their feeling, assuring that they had done everything to ensure the inclusion of additional areas with the least glitch,” a party leader said. GJMM leaders have cancelled all their programmes, including a march from Kalimpong to the Dooars on 7 April.

Information on moujas sought
The chairman of the state-appointed high-power committee, Justice (retd) Mr Shyamal Sen, has asked the Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri district magistrates to furnish some special information about the moujas the GJMM has demanded for inclusion in the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) territory.
Mr Sen, along with district magistrates Soumitra Mohan from Darjeeling and Smaraki Mahapartra from Jalpaiguri, held a meeting with the state home secretary GD Goutama today to decide the schedule of the land survey involving the Terai and the Dooars region. Sources said no decision has yet been taken regarding the schedule for the spot verification of Nepali-dominated areas at today’s meeting.
“We have been asked to provide specific information about the region as early as possible,” a senior administrative official said. The Darjeeling district magistrate said he would extend all possible assistance to meet the deadline.
Mr Mohan refused to divulge details about the meeting and said "It is confidential.” According to GJMM leader, Mr L B Pariyar, who is also a member of the committee, things would move after the state government allots funds to the district administration for the field verification.

New medical college to come up in Kurseong

New medical college to come up in Kurseong

26 March 2012

statesman news service  

SILIGURI, 26 MARCH: The state government has planned to set up a new medical college and a nursing college under a PPP (public-private partnership) model on the SB Dey TB Sanatorium premises at Kurseong. 
A team comprising top state health officials under the chairmanship of the director of medical education, Mr SK Banerjee, is preparing a project report  for setting up the college, said the state health spokesperson, Dr Asit Biswas. 
Another team comprising principal of North Bengal Medical College and Hospital (NBMCH), Prof. Anup Roy, Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council administrator, Mr Anil Verma, and other health officials had visited the SB Dey TB Sanatorium a few days ago and submitted a report and given positive review. Based on the report health officials held a meeting in Kolkata recently for the preparation of the project.
According to sources, the state will apply to the Medical Council of India (MCI) this year and simultaneously select a private partner to set up the medical college in 2013. The private partner would have to invest Rs 400 crore, sources said. The government will allow the private partner to enjoy 50 per cent seats for the students to be admitted by paying capitation fee.
The principal of NBMCH, Prof. Roy, in a letter to the state health authorities has informed that the SB Dey TB sanatorium is suitable for setting up the medical college. The campus area is around 32 acres. According to the MCI norms 20 acres of land is required to set up a medical college in the hills, and three acres for a nursing college.
Professor Roy also mentioned that the sanatorium has 200 beds (50 beds for women), in addition there is a separate building of Indian Railways that has 100 beds. According to MCI, at least 200 beds are required for 50 students at the time of its inception and 400 after MCI gives permission. He said the hospital buildings need to be expanded to fulfil the MCI norm.

CM flayed for GTA stance

CM flayed for GTA stance

Anti-gorkhaland parties to launch agitation today

statesman news service

SILIGURI, 24 MARCH: An 11-party anti-GJMM conglomeration has decided to launch an agitation tomorrow, saying the Mamata Banerjee government has “all but bowed down before the GJMM’s pressure tactics”.

The senior Marxist leader from Siliguri, Mr Asok Bhattacharya, said the state government’s softened stance toward the GJMM’s demand to include 400 moujas across Terai-Dooars region under the GTA, would land the region in ethnic distemper.

At a meeting in Kolkata between a GJMM delegation and chief minister Mamata Banerjee, it was decided that the GTA election would be held in June or early July after the committee chaired by retired justice Shymal Sen submits its report on the land issue to the state government.

The GJMM is understood to have promised it would participate in the GTA election irrespective of the contents of the report. Observers are of the view that the state government will agree to include at least some of the moujas being demanded by the GJMM to keep the party in good humour.  

ABAVP state president Birsa Tirkey today said his outfit would launch a movement tomorrow to resist any attempt by the Sen Committee to include additional areas from the plains in the GTA territory.

“The ABAVP has convened a people’s congregation at Nagrakata in the Dooars tomorrow to start a mass-mobilisation programme against a possible land understanding between the state government and the GJMM,” Mr Tirkey said.

“We would resist any such attempt with every means at our disposal. The Adivasis would not hesitate to sacrifice ourselves as part of a non-violent agitation to keep the sanctity of the lands they have been inhabiting for generations,” he said.

Kamtapur Progressive Party president Atul Roy said his party would meet at Nagrakata tomorrow to finalise its plans.

“We still stick to the proposed bandh the 11-party conglomeration has convened in the Terai-Dooars on 6 and 7 April,” Mr Roy said. “We will not allow the state government to gift lands from the multi-ethnic region to the GJMM on a silver platter.” Bangla O Bangla Bhasa Bachao Committee president Mukunda Majumder said any decision to include lands from the plains would bring the region to a boil.

“The state government is playing with fire,” Mr Majumdar said. “We will convene a bandh on 7 April to help the people to articulate their anger against the state government having buckled down before the GJMM’s land pressure,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Terai-Dooars unit of the Haji Mohammad Mahasin Muslim Unnayan Samity demanded minority representation in case additional lands are included into the GTA territory. “We will meet in Siliguri on 8 April to forcefully raise the demand,” said the outfit’s spokesperson, Mr Nasirruddin Ahmed.

Mamata, Gurung give and take on GTA

Mamata, Gurung give and take on GTA

KOLKATA, 24 MARCH: Chief minister Mamata Banerjee today managed to avert a renewal of the crisis in the Hills for the time being with the government conceding the demand of the Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha (GJMM) of publishing the report of the High Power Committee on inclusion of newer territories in Terai and Dooars before holding elections for the Gorkha Territorial Administration (GTA).

However, the state government too scored some significant points by getting the GJMM to agree to its stand that the election would be held in the "existing area", that is, the area currently under the Darjeeling Gorkha Autonomous Hill Council, according to the GTA Act.

While the GJMM agreed ~ in writing for the first time ~ to abide by the decision of the High Power Committee, it was decided that the state would request the committee headed by the former Chief Justice of Allahabad High Court, Justice (retired) Shyamal Sen to submit his report by June this year. The elections to the GTA in that case would be held either towards the end of June or in early July and in the meantime delimitation work for the existing area would continue ~ another thorny issue that was resolved today to the satisfaction of the chief minister.  

The GJMM president, Mr Bimal Gurung today met the CM at Writers' Buildings to resolve the stalemate created by the party's demand to include newer areas of the Terai and Dooars before elections are held while the state government had been adamant that the first election held in the area would be in the existing area only. Mr Gurung was invited by Miss Banerjee in order to resolve the crisis.

The GJMM, while raising the issue of holding elections in the additional areas, contended that they would be without any representative, if and when they are eventually included under the GTA.

Since the GTA Act does not have any such provision it was decided that the five nominated members would in that case be representing the additional areas, and the state government would nominate them in consultation with GTA. Asked whether they were sure of inclusion of the additional areas, an elated Mr Gurung said: "Our four members in the High Power Committee would not sit with their hands tied. The delay caused by the High Power Committee in submitting its report had led to the stalemate." He also said that it was "wrong" on the part of the ruling party to disregard their demand for a Rajya Sabha member and said it should be rectified next time. An upbeat chief minister, on her part, expressed happiness over the outcome of the meeting. sns

Bimal Gurung, Mamata Banerjee meet in Kolkata, agree to go for polls in July

A delegation of Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) led by its president Bimal Gurung met West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday and held talks for more than half an hour over several issues like holding elections of the newly formed Gorkha Territorial Administration (GTA) and inclusion of several areas in the planes of Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri districts to the GTA.

After the meeting Gurung told reporters that "I am happy with today's meeting with the chief minister. Elections to the GTA will take place in July this year."

Senior GJM leader Roshan Giri also told reporters that the high-power committee headed by former justice Shyamal Sen will submit its report to the state government by the first week of June. "The chief minister has agreed in principle to include 398 mouzas in Terai and Dooars in the proposed GTA. After these areas are included in the GTA, we will go for polls in July this year," Giri said.

Mamata and GJM leadership had differed over inclusion of the mouzas in the Darjeeling planes to the newly formed GTA. The state government had given an impression that the mouzas located in the planes of Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri districts would not be included in the GTA. But the GJM had demanded 198 mouzas in Terai and similar number of mouzas in Dooars will have to be included in the GTA.

Gurung had held a meeting in Mongpoo in Darjeeling district last week and came down heavily on the chief minister Mamata Banerjee for her government's refusal to accept their demand for inclusion of Terai and Dooars mouzas under GTA. Gurung had also criticised publicly the chief minister at his Mongpoo meeting and also questioned her intentions behind signing of the tripartite meeting and implement the same. He also threatened to go for widespread movement across the Darjeeling hills from March 27 to force Mamata's government to accept their demand.

The state government wanted all the mouzas in Kalimpong, Kurseong and Darjeeling areas to bring under the GTA. But the GJM leadership had objected to it and had announced to launch a fresh movement in the Hills. Before the GJM's proposed agitation from March 27, Mamata had called Gurung and asked him to come to Kolkata to hold a meeting with her on Saturday.

Gurung and his men had responded positively to Mamata's appeal and held a meeting with her at the state administrative headquarters in Writers' Buildings on Saturday.

Source : 24 Mar, 2012, 05.01PM IST, tomal sen gupta,ET Bureau

Gurung says GJMM will not change stance on GTA election

Gurung says GJMM will not change stance on GTA election

23 March 2012

statesman news service
SILIGURI, 23 MARCH: Sounding adamant on the contentious land issue, the GJMM chief, Mr Bimal Gurung, today said the land issue alone would figure during the discussion with chief minister Mamata Banerjee tomorrow.
“There can be only one agenda for the talks and it is the land issue. Nothing can persuade us to backtrack on this demand. We have struggled a lot and we are prepared to make more sacrifices in the future. The GTA election can be held only after the moujas are included in the autonomous body,” he said to reporters at Bagdogra airport before leaving for Kolkata.
The GJMM president said his party would not budge an inch from its avowed stance. “We will reiterate our position on the matter tomorrow. No persuasion, no development bonanza can move us from our stated position,” he said.
Taking issue with the state government on the matter of the simultaneous processes for the GTA election and the proceedings of the land verification committee, Mr Gurung said there was no such clause in the GTA agreement. “It is not right to claim that elections are to be held as per the agreement before the land issue is settled. This is unacceptable to us. Besides, it goes against the letter and spirit of the GTA agreement,” he said.


Anti-GJMM parties hope GJMM will give in 

statesman news service
SILIGURI, 23 MARCH: As the GJMM delegation led by the party president, Mr Bimal Gurung has arrived in Kolkata to have talks with the chief minister, Miss Mamata Banerjee to end the GTA logjam the anti-GJMM parties based in the Hills termed GJMM land-intransigence as a piece of drama staged calculatingly to deceive the common people. 
Affirming that the state government and the GJMM have gone into ‘a tacit, mutually agreed understanding’, the All India Gorkha League president, Mrs Bharati Tamang said the land-inflexibility on the part of the GJMM was nothing better than a stratagem to vaunt its sincerity. “We are convinced that the land- intractability would end tomorrow. Mr Gurung would melt and give a positive nod to the election proposal after the meeting with the chief minister. But the question is-where the people of the Hills would go? Would they rest content with the empty avowal of the goal when things would remain stuck where they were before the GTA agreement was signed?” she asked.   
Agreeing to Mrs Tamang’s view of the matter, the Communist Party of Revolutionary Marxists (CPRM) president, Mr R B Rai said the land -drama was being staged to divert the collective attention from the paramount Gorkhaland issue.  “The GJMM settled for the GTA long time back. It sounds incredible that the party think-tank was caught unaware when the state government decided to carry on with the election programme for the autonomous body. The logjam would thaw tomorrow as the chief minister would announce economic largesse. The self-proclaimed champions of statehood are most likely to acquiesce supinely, consigning the emotive demand to the backseat,” he said
He further said the state government should handle the developing situation in the Terai-Dooars with utmost care. “Most of the mainstream parties keep encouraging the slander campaign being carried on by some rabid outfits. This is a dangerous trend,” he said.

Tea planters’ association to slash wages

Tea planters’ association to slash wages

23 March 2012

statesman news service
SILIGURI, 23 MARCH: The North Bengal Small Tea Planters Association is threatening to slash the wages of workers who do not labour for eight hours and pluck at least 26 kg of green leaves, a decision that is likely to cause conflict with the workers.
A few months ago, the association introduced a new pay structure following an agreement involving the state, the unions and the planters in the Terai-Dooars region. To earn their daily Rs 85 workers are now supposed to deliver at least 26 kg. They can get another 50 paise per kg over that mark. 
Some workers, however, have not been cooperating, the planters complain: They have not been working for eight hours, and they have been delivering closer to 15 kg than 26 kg per day. The small planters in North Dinajpur, a non-traditional tea belt, are facing huge losses, said association secretary Nitai Majumdar. So the association has decided that, starting 1 April, it will pay workers on a pro-rata basis if they don't put in their eight hours and deliver their 26 kg.
The planters fear they will face unrest when they withhold wages. In order to resolve the problem amicably, they decided to seek help from the union leaders and tell the district administration about the matter.
More than 50 small tea planters convened a meeting with senior union leaders at Chopra in North Dinajpur yesterday and asked them to help resolve the crisis. Union leaders from both the Intuc and the Citu asked the planters not to take such drastic steps hastily, and promised to talk to workers to resolve the crisis.
Intuc-affiliated National Union of Plantation Workers district secretary Ashok Roy said his organisation would look into the planters allegations against the tea workers. "After meeting with the NBSTPA leaders we have sought time and decided to interact with the workers in some places," Mr Roy said. "We will try to pacify the irate workers to resolve the crisis."
Citu North Dinajpur district secretariat member Karik Shil said his organisation plans to start meeting with workers to try to deal with the situation. "We will hold a meeting with workers beginning on 26 March," he said. "The first meeting will be held at Chopra, where we will interact with the workers and try to resolve the crisis."
The district administration faced law-and-order problem in 2006 when small tea planters issued closure notices in all the tea plantation areas in Chopra and Islampur area in North Dinajpur district. All small tea plantations were closed for nine days before then chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya intervened.
Paddy farmers complain of inadequate purchasing camps
RAIGANJ, 23 MARCH: The paddy farmers are being deprived of the state-fixed support price for their produce in the absence of adequate number of purchasing camps in north Dinajpur district. A group of officials of the district food and supply have admitted that they failed to organise satisfactory number of camps for purchasing paddy at subsidised rate from the farmers.  To protest against the alleged apathy, the district Youth Congress members and members of Sara Bharat Kishak Sabha will launch a movement soon at block levels. According to the officials the farmers harvested their crops around three months ago. “We set a target to procure 90,000 metric ton of paddy from the farmers at subsidised rate. But we were able to collect only 55,000 metric ton. Till date 36 camps have been organised in the district. In some blocks, only one or two camps were held,” a senior official said.
The secretary of the district unit of Sara Bharat Kishak Sabha, Mr Dilip Das, said the farmers were being compelled to resort to distress sales at a price much lower than the state-fixed rate because of the absence of adequate number of camps. “We demand that the district food and supply department arrange more such camps. If they fail we will launch a movement,” he said. The Raiganj Youth Congress committee president, Mr Manas Ghosh, said they had staged an agitation nearly a month ago demanding that the district controller of food and supply take initiatives to collect at least 1 lakh metric ton of paddy from the farmers. “But till date the number of camps is not satisfactory. We will start agitation in all the nine blocks of the district if the department does not come up with a solution soon,” he said. sns

Country’s oldest hydel project lying defunct

Country’s oldest hydel project lying defunct

23 March 2012

SIDRAPONG, 23 MARCH: India's oldest hydroelectric station, the Sidrapong Hydel Power Station (in sns photo below), has been out of commission for months, but it could be generating electricity, employees say. "The more-than-a-century-old electricity generating machines are serviceable, but due to the apathy shown by the government, it is presently unused maintaining that the project is of total loss," said mechanical technician Dhadiram Chettri.
The plant was commissioned with a 600 KW capacity in 1897, according to the state department of power. The Burdwan raja donated the land and the electricity from the project was supplied to the hospital at Darjeeling, the Governor’s house, the correctional home, and the nearby tea garden factories.
In 1978, Sidrapong became a backup, used whenever the power station in town needed more electricity. The station used to be powered by Barbatia Khola, Kotwali Khola, and Hospital Khola. Cyclone Aila battered Hospital Khola, Kotwali Khola dried up, and Barbatia Khola became defunct because of the earthquake.
Mr Chettri said the department is not interested in the project, and the state electricity board has given it for lease to a private company.
"The state government has not taken any initiatives to renovate the cracks developed due to recent earthquake where the intake pipes, reservoirs and the water channels have developed serious cracks making it defunct," said Mr Chettri. If the fixed the station, it could generate electricity useful at times of load-shedding in Darjeeling, he said. "The government should look into this project as it is a piece of national heritage and the hydel power just requires a proper maintenance to run properly," Mr Chettri said. "In comparison to other electricity-generating projects like that of steam or coal, this is more profitable. There is a lot of investment but the expenditure can be overcome in about two years." sns

Ragging: Accused trio suspended

Ragging: Accused trio suspended

23 March 2012

Engg college hands over case to police

statesman news service
DURGAPUR/MALDA, 23 MARCH: Two private engineering colleges at Kanksa in Burdwan have brought separate charges of ragging and one of the colleges suspended three second-year students for the offence.
The other college has handed over the case to police for action. Dibyendu Mallik, a second year Electronics & Telecommunication Engineering student with WBUT-affiliated Durgapur Institute of Advanced Technology and Management near Panagarh, complained that he was teased and physically assaulted by two fourth year students ~ Prasenjit Kumar and Ashis Kumar ~ yesterday evening.
He said: “They were teasing me on the plea that I was not properly dressed as I didn’t put the shirt in the trouser.” He alleged: “When I didn’t pay any serious attention to their taunts they dragged me and started beating me in front of others. A handful of my class-mates finally rescued me.”
Dibyendu, son of Mr Ananda Mallik, a staff with Durgapur Municipal Corporation, was rushed to the Durgapur SD Hospital today. Mr Mondal alleged: “The director of the college didn’t pay any heed to my son’s complaint and for that we had to lodge an FIR with the Kanksa police station finally.” The police, after discussing the matter with the college authority, have decided to book the accused seniors. Mr RN Majumdar, chairman, DIATM said: “We have told police to take necessary steps against the errant students.”
Malandighi Institute of Engineering & Industrial Technology, another private engineering college near Panagarh, has suspended three second-year students ~ Anand Sharma, Prabhakar Raj and Manish Sharma ~ from the college hostel after a first year Computer Science & Engineering student, Washim Ali, complained of ragging. The victim’s complaint stated that he was roughed up by the three at the college canteen last night as the seniors asked the first-year students to vacate seats as it was time for the seniors' dinner.

The college authorities woke up immediately and after medical examination of the victim, asked the accused to vacate the hostel and suspended them.

Mr Partha Pobi, vice-president of the college, said: “Four days ago we forced eight first-year students to vacate the hostel as they were caught consuming alcohol in the hostel.”

Boy confined to school hostel
A Class IX student of St. Xavier’s School, Malda Motalem Sheikh, was allegedly kept in a hostel alone for five days after his father failed to pay his fees. The boy was rescued by police. Now the desperate father has decided to go to court. The school authority, however, alleged that the allegation was baseless and said the father was “threatening and blackmailing” the teachers. A case has been filed against the school authorities.

FLUTTER IN THE HILLS - Let GTA materialise

The Statesman edits

21 March 2012

FLUTTER IN THE HILLS
Let GTA materialise  

THE presidential assent to the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration agreement has finally come through. Yet it would be presumptuous, even inappropriate, for the BJP’s MP from Darjeeling to suggest that “this is the first step towards achievement of Gorkhaland”. Small wonder that Jaswant Singh’s statement in the Lok Sabha on Monday caused a flutter in the roost.  This isn’t the perception of the Centre, the State, of Parliament or for that matter the Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha. The agreement envisages a fair measure of autonomy, at best a marked degree of self-rule after more than 25 years of turmoil. More critical and relevant  than Jaswant playing to the Gorkha gallery are the brass tacks that remain to be addressed. Most importantly, the GJMM’s decision to boycott the election to the GTA unless the territorial issue is settled, a move announced in parallel with the MP’s statement.
  The inclusion of the Dooars and the Terai will involve a measure of state reorganisation, a risk that no Chief Minister will be prepared to shoulder. Furthermore, it could ignite similar demands in other parts of the country. Substantial is the risk of the GTA agreement being reduced to a non-starter unless elections are held.
Statehood may be a consummation devoutly to be wished by the Hills people. At this juncture though, the GJMM views the GTA agreement as a step towards added territories, indeed a change in the contours of Darjeeling’s map. Attitudes have distinctly hardened since the simulated euphoria last July when the deal was concluded. This is reflected in Monday’s decision of the GJMM MLAs to seek the party’s permission to resign from the Assembly. To put a charitable construct upon it, the morcha must stop short of precipitating a crisis however valid its grouse of exploitation. The territorial question goes beyond the remit of the state government and the Assembly; it requires the concurrence of the Centre and Parliament. Of far greater moment and an issue of immediate relevance is the devolution of powers and funds from the state to the GTA. All efforts ~ and parliamentary presentations ~ ought now to be directed towards that end, indeed to make the new entity functional.  Jaswant Singh’s wish-fulfilment can wait as can the demand for a larger slice of territory.

Teen foils trafficking plot

Teen foils trafficking plot

21 March 2012

statesman news service
DARJEELING 21 MARCH: A Class XI student worked with police to save a 26-year-old woman from being trafficked. Police have arrested two traffickers in Darjeeling and two in Siliguri.
According to Darjeeling police station inspector in charge LT Bhutia, here's what happened:
The victim was a woman "from a poor family, residing in a rural area of Darjeeling, and was married with one child. Her poverty was the main cause for her to be enticed easily by the trafficker and agreed on the agent’s deal, which provided a false promise of job to get her work in a clothing store in Delhi, which would pay her a good salary.
"However, (the woman) told her family she was going to work in Siliguri. When she came to Darjeeling and halted at her relatives' place, the student met (the woman), came to know she was about to get trafficked, and informed the police and the NGOs without letting (the woman) know about it."
"The student here played a tricky part. Working together with police, she called those traffickers from the number she got from (the woman) and said she would also want a job in Delhi. The trafficker then had asked whether she was willing to participate in any kind of job ~ no matter if it is physically related.
"The student told them that she was willing to do anything for money. This became a major plot in arresting those traffickers," Mr Bhutia said.
He said two people had been arrested in Darjeeling and two in Siliguri, who were husband and wife. The four traffickers were charged under the Kidnapping and Immoral Trafficking Act. Superintendent of police Ananta Kumar said the CID department is awarding Rs 5,000 to the student for her brave act.
Police say every year 15-25 cases of human trafficking are registered. “Before getting an offer for a job out of town, one should take every preventive measures and consult the experts nearby, asking them to verify if the jobs are valid offered by the agents."

Tagore’s Sahaj Path found being used to wrap groceries

Tagore’s Sahaj Path found being used to wrap groceries

21 March 2012

MALDA, 21 MARCH: At a time when hundreds of school children are yet to receive Rabindranath Tagore’s Sahaj Path, the textbooks were seen being sold as scrap paper, used to pack grocery items in English Bazar in Malda.
The scam unearthed recently has created a sensation in primary education circles. Administrative officials have vowed to investigate the matter. Some residents first noticed this in a local grocery shop of Mr Sagar Mandal. Mr Mandal was busy selling items like muri and chanachur using paper packets made of pages from Sahaj Path.
A resident, Mr Bappa Roy, said: “My son studies in the Class I at a local primary school. He and many of his classmates have not yet received their textbooks. The teachers keep saying that the government has not yet supplied the books. But when I went to a local grocery shop to buy biscuits I found with horror that it was packed with the pages from Sahaj Path.”
It is all the more astonishing as the book is not supposed to be sold in the open market and each of the books carries the serial number and the printer’s name: Cooch Behar Zilla Parishad Press. Similar complaints were made by the students like Moumita Sarkar and Rani Halder. Mr Mandal conceded that he had bought 5 kg of books at Rs 10 per kg from a godown in the market. He said: “All these are new edition (2012) books and there are huge number of books dumped at the godown.”
District inspector of schools (primary) Tripti Guha was handed such a book. She, too, expressed her shock. She said: “I can’t think how these books reached the open market.” She wasted no time in visiting the godown and verified the allegation. Ordering seizure of the dumped books, Ms Guha said: “We cannot find out how the books reached the market by just checking the serial numbers. Only the authorised circles could clarify to which schools the books were issued.” She promised a probe into the entire scam. The CPI(M)-affiliated All Bengal Primary Teachers Association (ABPTA) was vocal against this fiasco. “When the books could not be supplied to all the students, how can they be available in the market? We demand a thorough inquiry and exemplary punishment for the culprits.” sns

GTA: MLAs caution state govt

GTA: MLAs caution state govt

20 March 2012

KOLKATA, 20 MARCH: State legislators, cutting across party lines, today called upon the government to move cautiously on the issue of Gorkha Territorial Administration (GTA) during the discussion on the Governor's speech in the Assembly today.
Congress MLA Debaprasad Roy called upon the government not to make a "political wound" in the Terai-Dooars region, which is inhabited by many ethnic groups. State Congress president Pradip Bhattacharya has already written a letter to the committee, headed Mr Justice (retired) Shyamal Sen, urging it not to include areas from the region, Mr Roy told reporters later in the Assembly lobby. The area has to be properly demarcated, otherwise it would continue to be a festering sore like the border dispute between Assam and Nagaland.
CPI-M MLA Anisur Rahman said that unless the government treads warily on the Gorkhaland issue, it will find itself in an explosive situation. Forward Bloc MLA Paresh Adhikari said that the GJMM has demanded 396 moujas from the Terai-Dooars region. While the Governor made a brief speech stating the ills of the previous Left Front regime, he made a longer address this time stating the achievements of the present government, Mr Rahman said earlier. Given Miss Mamata Banerjee's fast for the Singur farmers, one would have thought peasant's welfare would have been the priority of her government. But reports of peasants deaths are pouring in, he added.
The Governor's speech can be ascribed to low performance of the Left Front government while he spoke at length about its successor's achievements as there are many such deeds, Trinamul Congress legislator Mr Paras Dutta said. The words and deeds of chief minister Mamata Banerjee do not match, Mr Subhas Nasskar of RSP said. During her trip to the Sunderbans, there was no mention of giving a job to the member of a family who had given land to build embankment damaged by cyclone Aila, though she had promised it earlier. sns

GJMM awaits 27 March Sen Committee meeting

GJMM awaits 27 March Sen Committee meeting

20 March 2012

statesman news service
SILIGURI/MALDA, 20 MARCH: Hoping that the GTA stalemate will end with the prompt submission of the land verification report by the Shyamal Sen Committee, the Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha (GJMM) leadership is now looking forward to the meeting convened by the state home department in Kolkata on 27 March.
The meeting is likely to decide the schedule of the land survey involving the Terai-Dooars region. Apart from home secretary GD Goutama, administrative officials of the two districts ~ Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri ~ and retired justice Shymal Sen will attend the meeting. The GJMM leadership expects formal notification on the matter will be issued after the meeting. Another objective of the scheduled meeting is to seek fund from the state finance department to conduct the land survey.
According to senior GJMM leader LB Pariyar, who is also a member of the committee, the two district magistrates will constitute official teams to begin spot verification for 300-odd moujas across the Terai-Dooars region and the teams would submit reports to the Sen committee. “We are looking forward to the study report which will prove vital for transferring lands into the GTA jurisdiction. We hope the district administrative officials would complete the survey in about a month,” Mr Pariyar said.
State Akhil Bharatiya Adivasi Vikas Parishad president Birsa Tirkey said his outfit would not obstruct the land survey. “But our activists will be present during the survey in large numbers at every spot to prevent manipulation of figures and the like. We will highlight the fact too that incessant migration from across Nepal is changing demographic equations in the region against the interests of the indigenous communities,” he said. When asked about the security of the team members, the inspector general of police, north Bengal, Mr Sanjay Singh, said: “We have not received any official communication as yet. We will take action at the right time.”

GTA is first step to Gorkhaland: BJP

GTA is first step to Gorkhaland: BJP

19 March 2012

statesman news service
NEW DELHI, 19 MARCH: Senior BJP leader and MP from Darjeeling, Mr Jaswant Singh, today described the recently set up Gorkha Territorial Administration (GTA) as “the first step towards the achievement of Gorkhaland” provoking strong reactions from Left leaders Mr Gurudas Dasgupta (CPI) and Mr Basudeb Acharia (CPI-M) who said people of West Bengal would oppose any bifurcation of the state.
“The Gorkhaland territorial administration (GTA) is the first step towards the achievement of Gorkhaland, but they cannot jump to Gorkhaland. So, let this Gorkhaland Administration be built up,” Mr Singh said in the Lok Sabha participating in the discussion on the motion of thanks to the President’s address.
Stating that Darjeeling Hills is a “highly strategically important area”, the former Union minister urged the government to understand the “logic” of contiguous areas. “This is my appeal to the Trinamul members that if a committee has been formed to study as to what are the contiguous areas, then recognise the logic of that committee. Determination of contiguous areas must be included,” he said.
The Trinamul Congress floor leader and the Union minister of state for health, Mr Sudip Bandyopadhyay, confirmed that a committee has been set up by the state government. The panel is headed by former Chief Justice of Calcutta High Court Mr Shyamal Sen.
“The Committee has placed the report and the Union home minister (P Chidambaram) has the idea about what sort of report has been tabled,” he said adding that the chief minister, Miss Mamata Banerjee, is sincerely working to resolve the issues.  Mr Acharia said the people of Bengal are against the division of the state. He was supported by Mr Gurudas Dasgupta of CPI. The Left members also had an  exchange of words with some Trinamul members.
Mr Jaswant Singh, however, said he is “not suggesting any bifurcation of Bengal”.
He said a section of Gorkhas has been granted tribal status but others have not and urged the government not to divide the Gorkhas into tribals and non-tribals. He also urged the finance minister, Mr Pranab Mukherjee, to provide a “start-up” fund for the Darjeeling Hills.

GJMM decides to boycott GTA poll

GJMM decides to boycott GTA poll

19 March 2012

SILIGURI/KOLKATA, 19 MARCH:  In a significant political move,  the Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha leadership has decided to boycott the GTA election if the state government moves forward with the election process.
A senior party leader based in the Terai region, Mr Shankar Adhikari, today said they would not allow the state government to conduct the GTA election until the land dispute is settled.
Political observers are of the view that it would be difficult for the state government to move forward with one of signatories of the tripartite GTA agreement having backed out. Asked to comment, the GJMM general secretary, Mr Roshan Giri, said: “I do not know whether it is feasible or not. But our stance is clear-no election till the land dispute is settled.”
Meanwhile, chief secretary Samar Ghosh said at Writers’ Buildings that the government is committed to holding poll in the Darjeeling Hills and that everything would be done as per the agreement.
Seemingly disappointed with the Trinamul-led state government’s rigid stance on GTA area inclusion, the GJMM MLAs are reported to have asked the party president, Mr Bimal Gurung, to allow them to resign. sns

Tea planters see no sunny side

Tea planters see no sunny side

16 March 2012

SILIGURI, 16 MARCH: Indian tea planters were disappointed watching the General Budget 2011-12 today as nothing was announced for them despite repeated appeals to the Central government for the development of the tea sector.

The advisor associated with the Indian Tea Planters’ Association, Mr Amitangshu Chakraborty, said: “Despite several reminders to the Centre nothing has been reflected in the Budget which was tabled before Parliament. We have not found a single word for tea industry in today’s Budget.”

“Several proposals were sent to the Centre from various corners but we don’t know why it has not been considered in the Budget,” said Mr Chakraborty. “We are looking forward to the upcoming state budget. We are also expecting something better from the state,” he added.

The small tea-growers were also disappointed following the General Budget. The Confederation of Indian Small Tea Growers’ Associations (CISTA) president, Mr Bijay Gopal Chakraborty, said: “We had proposed to issue plantation credit card, crop insurance and adequate fund for setting up Small Tea Growers’ Development Directorate in north Bengal. But there is no news for those proposals in the Budget.” It may be noted that the Small Tea Growers’ Development Directorate has been proposed for north Bengal earlier.

Mr Chakraborty said: “The small planters would try to avail agricultural loan facilities with minimal interests following proposals in the budget today.”

Planters here have been demanding waiver of salami on lands for tea plantations and tax exemption on various heads for tea industries and looking forward to the upcoming state budget. sns

GJMM says no to GTA polls till Terai, Dooars included

GJMM says no to GTA polls till Terai, Dooars included

16 March 2012

KOLKATA/SILIGURI, 16 MARCH: The GJMM is sticking to its demand that new areas of the Dooars and Terai be included under the GTA before elections to the body are held; the state government is refusing to comply. 
“Now there is a stalemate," said GJMM media secretary Harka Bahadur Chhetri. 
GJMM representatives and state government officials met at Writers' Buildings today in Kolkata. The GJMM leaders later also met chief minister Mamata Banerjee.
“No election can be held in the Hills without including the areas in Dooars and Terai within the GTA. The GJMM's one and only demand is that the state government must ensure this before holding elections," said GJMM general secretary Roshan Giri, who was accompanied by the MLAs of Darjeeling, Kurseong, Kalimpong and Kalchini.
Chief secretary Samar Ghosh, however, categorically ruled out the fulfillment of the GJMM's "one and only demand," saying the state government will follow the tripartite agreement that was signed by the GJMM, the Centre and the state in July.
Following the GJMM leaders' meeting with the chief minister, Mr Giri said Miss Banerjee had asked them to wait until the high-power committee headed by former Allahabad High Court chief justice Shyamal Sen submits its report. Mr Giri said the GJMM wants the committee to expedite the submission of the report.
The determined state government is expected to notify the election rules within next few days. The GJMM is planning to "take a final decision on the next course of action at the central committee meeting on 18 March," according to Mr Chhetri.  The Gorkha Jana Mukti Morcha is also asking for a nominated Gorkhaland Territorial Administration to handle things until the election is held. The state ignored that demand, Mr Giri said. The GJMM is already sore with Trinamul for not meeting their demand of nominating their representative to the Rajya Sabha. sns

Halt in Bhutan currency transaction affects trade

Halt in Bhutan currency transaction affects trade

14 March 2012

ALIPURDUAR, 14 MARCH: The Bhutanese government's crackdown on the use of its currency by Indians has severely jolted trading in the Dooars.
The Royal Monetary Authority of Bhutan in an 8 March circular ordered the closure of all deposit accounts in the names of non-resident foreigners by 15 March, and limited the release of Indian rupees in cash to Bhutanese nationals via commercial banks to Rs 10,000 per day, and Rs 50,000 per month per person. A considerable part of trade is conducted in the Bhutanese currency in the region, owing to the open-border trade and absence of currency exchange counters. The Bhutanese ngultrum being pegged at par with the Indian rupee made private trade easier, particularly in the Indian towns bordering Bhutan.
Mr Prasenjit Dey, secretary of the Alipurduar Chamber of Commerce and Industries, said business in the Dooars, in general, had slumped by 40 per cent. "The loss is greater in towns bordering Bhutan," Mr Dey said. "Here, the fall is around 80 per cent. We have already drawn the attention of the Jalpaiguri district authority and even of the Union finance minister."
"This, on one hand, has left Indian traders in the region with a huge amount of Bhutanese currency which cannot be exchanged and, on the other, it has led to a shortage in Indian currency in the region,” a traders said. sns

GTA Act enforced

GTA Act enforced

14 March 2012

KOLKATA, 14 MARCH: The Gorkha Territorial Administration (GTA) Act came into force today with the state government issuing the requisite notification though the clause which repeals the Darjeeling Gorkha Autonomous Hill Council Act, which has been kept on hold for the time being till the formation of the GTA as an elected body.
 The DGAHC Act of 1988 will be repealed once the elections to the GTA are completed and the new body is formed.
According to officials of the home department while drawing up the Bill a provision was kept to allow certain clauses to come into force at later dates. This was done to allow the DGAHC to continue functioning till the formation of GTA.
 The state government will also notify the rules for conducting elections to GTA tomorrow. Once the rules are notified the state government will start the delimitation process and then announce the date for holding elections. The run-up to the elections are expected to be completed in two months time.
Meanwhile, acceding to the request made by the chief minister, the Prime Minister, Mr Manmohan Singh has approved the extension of the service tenure of the chief secretary, Mr Samar Ghosh by another six months. The department of personnel and training (DoPT) will now issue the necessary order following which the state government will come out with a matching order for Mr Ghosh's extension. Mr Ghosh who was slated to retire on 31 March will now do so on 30 September. sns

Climate frowns on tea cultivation

Climate frowns on tea cultivation

12 March 2012

SILIGURI, 12 MARCH: Dry weather and temperature fluctuations in the Hills, the Terai, and the Dooars are threatening north Bengal's tea industry.
The tea planters fear that if this weather continues for even a few more days, the spring's first flush production, which is the premium crop, will be adversely affected.
"Tea plantations need heavy shower for at least two days right now," said a Dooars tea plantation manager, Mr Rajesh Kumar Rungta. "If the present climate condition continues the premium production will reduce to 2-3 per cent."
Siliguri Tea Board deputy director K K Bhattacharya said this kind of damage to the premium crop could impact the tea price. “Sprinkle irrigation can save only plantations: it cannot save the crop and its quality," he said.
Also, irrigation increases costs for planters, said Mr Ranjit Datta, secretary of the Tea Association of India's north Bengal branch. "The tea plantations are under tremendous pest attack due to lack of rain. In order to save the tea plants some planters have started irrigation," Mr Datta said.
“Planters are bearing additional production cost for irrigation," he said. "Planters who do not have irrigation system are facing problem to manage the situation." Unfavourable weather conditions have affected the tea industry in north Bengal since 1999. Planters are now depending on the good will of the rain god ~ they have so far failed to reach out to him directly. “How can we appeal to the god for a heavy shower to overcome the prevailing weather condition?" asked a planter. sns

GJMM meet to discuss GTA poll

GJMM meet to discuss GTA poll

12 March 2012

SILIGURI, 12 MARCH: The Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha central committee will meet on 18 March in Darjeeling to deliberate on the GTA election issue. The Hill-based party is now looking forward to the meeting convened by the state government-appointed high power committee on the contentious land issue slated in Kolkata on 16 March.
The GJMM leadership seems to be grappling hard with the election question with party president Bimal Gurung hardening stance. “It would be a loss of face for us if we get thick into the election process right now when the land issue remains unresolved. Besides, the GTA agreement has envisaged a 45-member body. The DGHC was, on the other hand, a 28-member one. How can the important provision be implemented without acquiring additional lands from the Terai-Dooars? It will be extremely difficult for us to climb down as the common people are expecting us to fight out on the issue,” said a senior GJMM leader.
The situation has become trickier for the GJMM as the state government has already rejected  the proposal for an interim nominated body. sns

GTA Bill gets President’s nod, GJMM happy

GTA Bill gets President’s nod, GJMM happy

7 March 2012

statesman news service

KOLKATA/SILIGURI, 7 March: The Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) Bill has finally received Presidential assent, paving the way for the election for the formation of the new body to replace the present Darjeeling Gorkha Autonomous Hill Council (DGAHC). 

The chief minister, Miss Mamata Banerjee, had blamed the Centre for the delay in getting the Presidential assent since there was a possibility that the fragile peace brokered by the GTA deal might have been disturbed once again.

The chief secretary, Mr Samar Ghosh, today said a gazette notification would be issued now following which the run-up to the election process for GTA would be initiated.

In the first place, the process of delimitation of constituencies for holding the election will be carried out. Following this a draft will be published of the delimited constituencies. There would be an interval of 15 days to register objections. Visibly relieved with the long-awaited Presidential assent being officially obtained for the GTA Bill, the GJMM has decided to put on hold the agitation that the party threatened to launch from 27 March. Yet, under the veneer of satisfaction, tension seems to be lurking as the party is not certain that the land knot involving around 400 moujas across the Terai-Dooars region would be resolved soon.

GJMM general secretary Roshan Giri said they were happy with today’s development. “We must express our gratitude to our chief minister Mamata Banerjee for her initiatives to speed up things. We are grateful too to the President of India and the Centre as well. We have decided to put on hold the agitation that is to be launched on 27 March. But another knot remains unresolved.

“Unless and until the land logjam is resolved it would not be possible for us to go for the elections,” he said. Chief minister Banerjee had intervened to expedite the process and met the PM on the issue.

CPRM to stage dharna in Delhi

CPRM to stage dharna in Delhi

6 March 2012
statesman news service
SILIGURI, 6 MARCH: Apparently taking advantage of the dilly-dallying
over implementation of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration
agreement and the Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha’s discomfiture, the
Communist Party of Revolutionary Marxists (CPRM) will stage a dharna
at Jantar Mantar in Delhi on 20 March, demanding restoration of peace
and democracy in the Darjeeling Hills.
The Gorkhaland Task Force (GTF), an anti-GJMM political
conglomeration, will stage a sit-in at the same venue on 19 March,
demanding a separate state of Gorkhaland. The CPRM is a constituent of
the GTF, which also includes the All India Gorkha League (AIGL), the
Gorkha National Liberation Front (C) and a few other social outfits.
Dwelling on the objective behind his party’s proposed agitation in the
national Capital, CPRM president RB Rai said the Opposition parties in
the Hills have been at the receiving end as the state government has
said nothing about the GJMM’s authoritarianism in the Hills.  The GJMM
has been spearheading the Gorkhaland agitation for the past few years.
“Chief minister Mamata Banerjee seems to have made it a habit to visit
the Hills frequently with a plethora of false promises. The visits are
meant to keep her ally, the GJMM, in good humour. These have nothing
to do with the common people. The common people on their part do not
set much store by her promises as they know the development cacophony
is a political exercise of the ruling party and the GJMM,” he said.
Another senior party leader, Mr Taramani Rai, said the chief minister
had instructed police to act leniently with the upcoming GJMM
agitation in view of the uncertainty shrouding the GTA agreement. “A
responsible state government with a semblance of commitment to the
rule of law and administrative impartiality can hardly go for such a
course. This would further embolden the GJMM to mount attacks on the
institutions of democracy like the media and dissenting Opposition. We
will highlight the state government’s active connivance with the
GJMM’s muscle-powered politics during the Delhi agitation,” he said.
Echoing the CPRM, senior CPI-M leader and former state urban
development minister, Mr Asok Bhattacharya, said Miss Banerjee’s
objective was to ask the Darjeeling district administration to dance
on the GJMM’s strings in the coming days. “Justice regarding the Madan
Tamang murder case is a far-away dream with the state government
straining every nerve to shield those involved,” he added. Tamang,
former president of the AIGL, was killed in Darjeeling in 2010.

CPM leader arrested for killing Cooch Behar Trinamul activist

CPM leader arrested for killing Cooch Behar Trinamul activist

5 March 2012

statesman news service

SILIGURI, 5 MARCH: CPI-M Cooch Behar northern zonal committee secretary Muhammad Saffi Ahmed was arrested today on charges of killing Trinamul leader Sarat Chandra Roy.

Roy was shot dead at Balapara in the Khagrabari gram panchayat area of Cooch Behar on Saturday night. Additional district superintendent of police Prasun Bandypadhyay said: “After interrogation we have arrested the CPI-M zonal secretary on charges of conspiracy behind the murder of a Trinamul leader.”

“Police are still interrogating CPI-M Khagrabari local committee secretary Samir Bhattacharya,” he said, refusing to divulge further details.

The district CPI-M leadership, however, criticised police for the arrest. “If the police do not release them by tonight, the CPI-M will begin agitation  against police for politically-motivated inquiry into a murder,” said party Cooch Behar district secretary Tarini Roy. “The role of police will help culprits escape and the truth will not come to the fore.”

“It was crystal clear that there was a factional feud between Sarat Chandra Roy and Trinamul leader Manindranath Barman. The matter came to light when Roy became party president of Khagrabari by defeating Mr Barman by one vote on 20 February,” said Mr Roy.

The Trinamul district president, Mr Rabindranath Ghosh, said: “Police are interrogating them to spot the culprits. It is too early to comment on whether the CPI-M activists were involved in murder.” Mr Ghosh yesterday claimed that local criminals had killed the Trinamul leader.

Interim remand for murder accused

BURDWAN, 5 MARCH: Trinamul Congress supporters accused of murder of two CPI-M district committee members here were ordered for interim remand to CID custody by the Chief Judicial Magistrate’s Court today. However, the accused were scheduled to be produced before the Court on 7 March and The district police while producing them at the Court on 23 February didn’t seek their remand. The CID team headed by Mr Kalyan Banerjee, Inspector, CID (Homicide) filed a petition at the CJM’s Court seeking production of the accused at the Court today and subsequent permission for two days remand for the four accused who are in Jail Custody now. On 3 March, the CID officials had interrogated them in the jail. The CID’s petition stated that the remand was essential as the accused have confessed about the crime and told the officials that eight-nine persons were involved in the offence. Now the CID wants to take the accused to the place of the incident to help recover the arms used in the murder. It will also help locate the houses of the other accused. The four accused ~ Mr Chotan Chakraborty, Mr Patitpaban Ta, Mr Surajit Ta and Mr Bhupal Goswami were arrested on the day of the murder of two CPI-M district committee leaders ~ Pradip Ta and Kamal Gayen in Dewandighi locality near the town on 22 February. Eighteen others named in the FIR, however, are still at large. Meanwhile, Calcutta High Court ordered the state to transfer the case to CID due to slow progress of the case as the police had failed to produce the postmortem report of the slain leaders even after 10 days of the occurrence.
The CJM, Mrs Yesmin Ahmed in the first half allowed the production of the accused. sns

GJMM for interim, nominated GTA

GJMM for interim, nominated GTA

5 March 2012

manas ranjan banerjee

SILIGURI, 5 MARCH: Floundering in the GTA land maze, the GJMM appealed to the chief minister during her recent trip to the Hills to set up an interim, nominated Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA).

"This is the only way out of the stalemate as the 27 March deadline framed by the party president, Mr Bimal Gurung, is drawing near," confided a senior GJMM leader. "We will wait for the verdict of the high power committee on the land issue, but the development of the Hills cannot be put on hold as development and peace are inextricably linked."

Senior Trinamul Congress leader and Union minister of state Mukul Roy said the proposal is  not constitutionally viable. The chief minister refrained from commenting, though her view is supposed to be the same as that of her close aide.

GJMM general secretary Roshan Giri said: "As it is impossible for us to go for the GTA election without the additional lands from the Terai-Dooars being included in the autonomous body’s geographical contours, the state government must find a way out of the logjam. We keep exploring alternative options. A nominated body is one of them."

The party media secretary, Dr Harka Bahadur Chhetri, who proved instrumental for the party in finalising the details of the GTA agreement, said the state government should weigh other options to end the uncertainty.

"We are in a fix," said Mr Chhetri. "So is the state government. Given the present drift in the situation we cannot mellow our land stance. Unless additional lands from the Hill-adjoining plains are incorporated, it would be impossible to carve out 45 GTA constituencies as envisaged in the agreement."

Mr Chhetri continued: "The state government’s problem regarding the interim nominated body proposal is understandable because of its constitutional unviability. However, some interim solution must be thrashed out to end the volatility."

Mr Chhetri also hinted at growing dissension within the party ranks, particularly in the Terai-Dooars, if the land issue is left out to facilitate the formation of the GTA. "We would be in trouble and the dissension might jeopardise the execution process," he said. "A pragmatic, out-of the box solution must be found to keep the Hills and the adjoining plains peaceful."

Senior Marxist leader Asok Bhattacharya said the proposed interim body was unacceptable to his party. "Such proposal would not just invite constitutional complications, but also make the GTA agreement practically redundant," Mr Bhattacharya said. "It is an infantile proposal and it just smacks of the GJMM’s nervousness. The Hill party seems to have been caught in the web of its own game.”

Mr Asok Bhattacharya claimed that the formation of the GTA might come to a halt due to lack of seriousness of the state government.

Mr Bhattacharya said: “The chief minister is trying to avoid her responsibility blaming the Centre for the delay of the GTA implementation.”

“Had the chief minister accepted the proposals of the Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Dr Surjya Kanta Mishra, the state would have managed to escape from the present juncture,” Mr Asok Bhattacharya said, adding, “The GTA pact and the Bill contradict the Indian constitution on the issue of formation of zilla parishad under the GTA in the Hills.”

Notably, there is no three-tier panchayat system in the Hills and zilla parishad in Darjeeling district. The Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council functions for the Hills and the Siliguri Mahakuma Parishad for plain areas in Darjeeling district.

CM not serious about GTA: Asok

CM not serious about GTA: Asok

5 March 2012

statesman news service
SILIGURI, 5 MARCH: Former state urban development minister Asok Bhattacharya (in sns photo left) today said the formation of the GTA might come to a halt because the state government and chief minister Mamata Banerjee are not serious about it.
"Chief minister Miss Banerjee is trying to avoid her responsibility by blaming the Centre for the delay of the GTA implementation," said the senior CPI-M leader.
"But both the state government and the Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha are responsible for the delay due to procedural mistake and difficulties in the tripartite GTA agreement and the GTA Bill passed in the Assembly.
"Had the chief minister accepted the proposals of the Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly, Dr Surjya Kanta Mishra, the state would have managed to escape from the present juncture. The GTA pact and the Bill contradict the Indian Constitution on the issue of formation of zilla parishad under the GTA in the Hills," Mr Bhattacharya said.
Notably, there is no three-tier panchayat system in the Hills and zilla parishad in Darjeeling district. The Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council functions for the Hills and the Siliguri Mahakuma Parishad for plains areas in Darjeeling district.
"The CPI-M party wants implementation of the GTA soon," Mr Bhattacharya continued. "But we are apprehending that the fate of the GTA is almost uncertain. The chief minister should have studied deeply to resolve the crisis before singing the GTA pact and at present she should think the matter seriously to find out escape route.
"We are confused about the purpose of her three-day Darjeeling trip. If her object is speedy implementation of the GTA, her present ‘populist politics’ is not the way to a solution in the Hills.
"If she wants to accept the proposal of the GJMM leaders to resolve the crisis and tries to form interim nominated GTA board, the state would have to face another problem. Since drafting of the GTA pact the state has invited unforeseen problems.
"The GJMM leaders have been demanding interim nominated board without elections. The CPI-M would oppose if the state goes for nominated board.
"There is no provision to form board by nomination in the tripartite GTA agreement. In the accord it was specifically mentioned that the GTA would be formed within six months within the existing jurisdiction of the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council.
"The CPI-M in its recently ended state conference has adopted resolution that high power regional autonomous council with constitutional protection is the only political solution in the Hills. The party has been demanding regional autonomous council since 1950," said Mr Bhattacharya.
"The party demands implementation of the GTA soon," he said.

Trinamul leader killed in N Bengal

Trinamul leader killed in N Bengal

4 March 2012

Factional feud may have led to murder

statesman news service
SILIGURI/MURAROI (Birbhum), 4 MARCH: Sarat Chandra Roy (59), a Trinamul Congress leader, was shot dead at Balapara in the Khagrabari gram panchayat area of Cooch Behar district last night.
It is suspected that Roy was killed by a rival faction of the Trinamul Congress. The district Trinamul leadership, however, claimed that he was killed by a group of anti-socials. Police have started an investigation, but yet to make any arrest.
Roy was attacked by some goons while he was returning home on his motorbike around 9:30 p.m. yesterday. He was rushed to a rural health centre where doctor pronounced him brought dead. Trinamul Congress Sources said Roy was elected the party president of Khagrabari gram panchayat under Cooch Behar-II block by defeating his opponent Mr Manindranath Barman by one vote.
The Trinamul activists held a conference at Khagrabari Natya Sangha on 20 February to form a party unit and they had to conduct an election after Mr Barman refused to accept Roy as president. Police had to interfere when the two groups were allegedly involved in a scuffle during the election.
The Cooch Behar district Trinamul Congress president, Mr Rabindranath Ghosh, said: “There was no question of factional feud. He was killed by a group of criminals involved in illegal trade, including land deal. Roy was an honest and popular leader in the Khagrabari area."
Additional district superintendent of police Prasun Bandyopadhyay said: “We have started an investigation. A group of unknown persons opened fire on him when he was returning home. We have got some clues. Though we could not arrest the culprits, we have mobilised sources and hope to arrest them soon."

CPM goons kill ruling party activist
A Trinamul Congress activist was hacked to death allegedly by CPI(M)-backed goons at Harisspur village in the Muraroi police station area of Birbhum his morning. One person has been arrested in this connection so far. The victim, Dulal Sheikh (27), had a cycle repairing shop at Harishpur village. Some CPI-M cadres, led by Nur Islam and his three brothers, attacked Sheikh with bombs, pistols and iron rod this morning. "They beat him with a iron road first and took him away to the Miapara area of the village, which is a CPI-M stronghold. Then they beat, chop my son in front of me,” said Mrs Mojema Bibi, mother of the deceased. The Trinamul leaders claimed the murder is a fall out of old rivalry.
"Around a month ago Sheikh involved in a heated discussion with Nur Islam over MGNREGA work. So, the goons, backed by Nur Islam, killed him brutally,” said Mr Ali Riajul, a local Trinamul leader. Trinamul Congress district president Anubrata Mondal and state minister Chandranath Sinha rushed to Harishpur following the murder.
Meanwhile some Congress leaders claimed that the deceased belongs to their party. Mr Mondal said: “Sheikh was a Congress activist earlier, but he joined the Trinamul after the Assembly election."
The CPI-M leadership, however, denied involvement of their party cadres in the murder. "I don’t know whether the activist belonged to the Trinamul or the Congress. But no CPI-M workers were involved in the murder," said Mr Dilip Ganguly, CPI-M Birbhum district secretary.
"The murder took place due to political reason. We have already arrested one person. Police are conducting raids to arrest the rest of the accused," said Mr Rishikesh Meena, SP, Birbhum.

Cong panchayat member held

BEHRAMPORE, 4 MARCH: Golam Mustafa, a Congress member of Khairamari Gram Panchayat of Jalangi in Murshidabad, was arrested today on charge possessing illegal arms and operating arms racket in the district, police said. Two pipe-guns and several cartridges were seized from Mustafa.
Though the panchayat member had no previous crime records, an inquiry has been initiated to find out why and how he procured the lethal weapons, said Murshidabad district superintendent of police Humayun Kabir. He will be produced before court tomorrow. “We will seek him in police custody,” the SP said. The officer-in-charge of Jalangi police station raided the room. District Congress leaders, however, denied the charges against the panchayat member. sns

GTA election : GJMM in a fix

statesman news service

SILIGURI, 2 MARCH: The Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha leaders seem to be pulling into reverse direction over the long dragging issue of territory-expansion involving the GTA.  It has been learnt from the party sources, the party president, Mr Bimal Gurung has been grappling with the dilemma with the issue of participation in the GTA election drawing near.

The chief minister has made it clear in course of interaction with the GJMM apparatchiks in Kalimpong that the state government would expect the GJMM leaders to prepare themselves for the GTA elections once the long-awaited Presidential assent to the GTA Bill is obtained. She assured them the assent would come in a fortnight. And herein begins the dilemma involving the Hill party mandarins.  

Mr Gurung looks determined not to allow his party to cooperate with the administration in moving ahead with the constituency-delimitation process that is supposed to be the penultimate stage to the holding of elections to the autonomous body. “He keeps sticking steadfastly to his avowed stance that there would be no elections before the land dispute is settled once and for all to their satisfaction. Yet, there is another faction which is eager to go on with the electoral engagement while carrying on with agitation for incorporating lands across Terai-Dooars into the geographical contours of the proposed autonomous body.  Things have remained murky and nobody knows what would be the fate of the body,” a GJMM leader from Kurseong said.

An observer said the GTA election remaining suspended owing to the headstrong GJMM attitude would ultimately lead to the erosion of the party’s mass following. “The Hill people are apprehensive lest the GTA follows in the footsteps of the Sixth Schedule Bill envisaged by the Ghising regime. They would find it hard to brook with the GJMM antics when the accord has aroused development expectations in the developmentally long-neglected Hills,” he said.  

It seems, a powerful party faction with the leaders based in Kalimpong is straining every nerve to stall the GTA execution with the land knot remaining unresolved. “Leaders like Mr Kalyan Dewan from Kalimpong and Mr Kamal Pakrin from the Dooars are in the vanguard of the campaign. It would be difficult for Mr Gurung to ignore them given their proximity to him,” a GJMM local leader in Siliguri confided.

There is, however, another opinion that the GJMM leadership would ultimately climb down from its apparently inflexible stance on the vexed issue once the chief minister appeals to them to participate in the electoral process for the sake of development in the Hills. 

Rs 91 lakh sanctioned for Bijanbari bridge

Rs 91 lakh sanctioned for Bijanbari bridge

29 February 2012

statesman news service
SILIGURI, 29 FEB: Just ahead of chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s visit to the Darjeeling Hills, the state public works department (PWD) has sanctioned Rs 91 lakh for the reconstruction of a wooden suspension walkway over the Little Rangit River at Bijanbari in Darjeeling.
The footbridge, which connected Bijanbari town and Chungthungtar, collapsed on 22 October, the last day of a five-day cultural festival organised by the Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha. Hundreds of people were on the bridge when it failed; 32 died, and more than 110 were injured.
The chief minister rushed to meet the injured patients and relatives of the deceased at North Bengal Medical College and Hospital and Darjeeling district hospital on 23 October. But she did not visit the village and the spot where the bridge collapsed.
The anti-GJMM political parties have criticised the chief minister for not investigating the Bijanbari tragedy. Since the accident, residents have built a temporary walkway to cross over the river Little Rangit.
Residents of the Bijanbari area noticed yesterday that a bulldozer was clearing the debris of the collapsed bridge. Though locals asked the contractor what was going on, he did not give a clear answer. A senior administrative officer associated with the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council, however, was able to explain, saying: "The state government has sanctioned adequate funds for the reconstruction of the bridge over the Little Rangit at Bijanbari. The PWD Darjeeling division has been asked to begin construction immediately." PWD Darjeeling division executive engineer Dinesh Pradhan refused to divulge details of the plan for the bridge. "I am busy today," he said. "I have become preoccupied with CM’s current visit. The state government has sanctioned Rs 91 lakh for the construction of the bridge."

CM pleases tea workers
Tea workers of Ord tea plantation in Mirik were overwhelmed when chief minister Mamata Banerjee met them stopping her convoy, while on her way to Darjeeling.
The chief minister came out from the car and interacted with around 100 workers, who had gathered on both sides of the road near the plantation to catch a glimpse of Miss Banerjee. The chief minister enquired about their health, income and their
needs. She spent 10 minutes with them before leaving for Darjeeling.
“We are very happy that our chief minister spent some time with us. She also embraced our kids. We did not expect so much from her," said a tea worker Mr Krishna Manger.