Hills’ teachers demand regularisation of jobs

Hills’ teachers demand regularisation of jobs

28 February 2012

SILIGURI, 28 FEB: Teachers recruited on an ad hoc basis to work at state-aided schools in the Hills are demanding regular posts.
The School Service Commission (Hills) has been defunct since 2000, shut down to stop recruitment of teachers in the Hills from outside the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council (DGHC) area. During Mr Subas Ghising's tenure, the DGHC recruited teachers on ad hoc basis. Since the end of Mr Ghising’s administration, though, no teacher has been recruited even on an ad hoc basis. At a time when the DGHC is in no position to recruit fresh teachers to fill in vacant posts, the ad hoc teachers associated with several schools in the Hills have been demanding that their service be regularised.
Regularisation of ad hoc teachers is being delayed because of a technical problem, sources say, and without the regularisation of hundreds of ad hoc teachers, no fresh recruitment would be possible through the SSC (Hills) for the state-aided secondary and higher schools in the Hills.
Anyway, according to a senior administrative official associated with the DGHC, though, “It is very difficult to start the process for recruiting teachers through the SSC without execution of the proposed Gorkhaland Territorial Administration." Under the tripartite GTA accord, the new council would be able to form college and school service commissions for the recruitment of teachers for educational institutions.
DGHC administrator, Mr Anil Verma said that, despite the halt in the recruitment of new teachers, there have been no reports of adverse impacts on teacher-student ratios in the Hills. "We have to look into problem of several ad hoc teachers who are demanding regularisation of their school service," Mr Verma said. "The implementation of the GTA is a must to resolve the present crisis." sns

GJMM to stay away from Sen Committee proceedings

GJMM to stay away from Sen Committee proceedings

24 February 2012

statesman news service
SILIGURI, 24 FEB: Apparently wilting under combined onslaught made by several parties and outfits, the Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha (GJMM) has decided that the party members of the Shymal Sen Committee would stay away from its proceedings when it would start crucial deliberations of the emotive land transfer issue.
A member of the committee and a senior GJMM leader, Mr LB Pariyar, said this over phone from Kolkata after the hearing involving all the parties concerned was concluded.
Notably, several parties, including the CPI-M and the radical anti-GJMM outfit, Bangla O Bangla Bhasha Banchao Committee (BOBBBC) caviled over the matter, saying that the committee had been reduced to a farce with the active involvement of one of the parties concerned in the committee’s decision-making process. There are four GJMM members in the committee.
It was learnt from those who participated in today’s hearing that when pressed on the issue, the chairman, retired justice, Mr Shyamal Sen said the GJMM members were not participating in the committee’s day-to-day proceedings.
Mr Pariyar said: “We insisted on our inclusion when the committee was being conceived. The Centre and state government acceded to our proposal. But, to be on the right side of the vexed matter, we have decided to stay away from the proceedings of the committee when the crucial decision-making process would begin around our land demand involving about 400 moujas across Terai-Dooars.”
Terming the outcome of today’s general meeting as favouring the status quo ante, he said the committee would sit again after 15 March to take a final decision on the survey of land.
Meanwhile, upping ante regarding the emotive issue at the meeting, the senior RSP leader and Alipurduar MP, Mr Manohar Tirkey, said the state government’s decision to constitute the high power committee was itself a provocation given the multi-ethnic character of the concerned region.
“We asked Mr Sen not to lend credence to what the ABAVP renegades are saying on the matter. They are GJMM hirelings with no credibility left with the constituency they claim to represent,” he said. The ABAVP president, Mr Birsa Tirkey, argued that the land concerned under Integrated Tribal Development Project could not be bartered away without violating the constitutional canons. BOBBBC president, Dr Mukunda Majumdar said they had placed their argument against the ‘GJMM land-grabbing conspiracy’.
It will take months for Darj water project to be over
DARJEELING, 24 FEB: The Darjeeling drinking water project, officially scheduled to be completed next month, will take months to complete, said the Darjeeling municipality chairman, Mr Amar Singh Rai. The statement stands at variance with the assurances given by public health engineering department officials, who said the project would be completed within the scheduled time at a meting held at Writers’ Buildings in Kolkata recently.
Mr Rai and Darjeeling MLA Trilok Dewan visited the drinking water project sites today. They slammed the PHE department for sloth in the project implementation. They visited the intake point located at Balason and the intermediate point at College Valley on the outskirts of Darjeeling to judge the veracity of the PHE assurances. Mr Rai said the PHE officials would find it difficult to meet the deadline. “It looks impossible that the process of pumping water up to Sinchel Lake would be completed in a month. On the positive side, the work of laying the pipelines up to the lake has been completed. However, the mere intake of water from the river is not enough. The second stage that involves pumping water from the intake point and then taking the same to the Sinchel Lake would take at least 4-6 months from now as the process is under construction,” he said. Mr Dewan said the work was far from being completed. “This is surprising, given the fact that the work began way back in 2006. We would be glad if the PHE meets the deadline. However, we are doubtful about its accomplishment,” he said. The PHE engineering officials, however, said the process would be completed in two to three weeks. dipen pradhan

Gurung to press PC for early formation of GTA

Gurung to press PC for early formation of GTA

24 February 2012

statesman news service
SILIGURI, 24 FEB: Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha (GJMM) chief Bimal Gurung today left for New Delhi to meet Union home minister P Chidambaram to ask him to expedite the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) formation process.
“We regret to inform that though the Centre and the state government assured that the process would be completed within six months, things are still stuck where they were when the agreement was inked in July last year. My party would take up the issue again with the Centre during my meeting with Mr Chidambaram. The process must be completed at the earliest for the interests of peace and order in the Darjeeling Hills,” Mr Gurung said while talking to the media at the Bagdogra Airport today.
Senior party leaders, including Mr Dawa Lama, are accompanying the party president. The meeting is scheduled to take place on 28 February.
Batting again for the GTA, ignoring the criticism being raised by the anti-GJMM parties, Mr Gurung said the people of Darjeeling were looking up to the agreement being implemented in its letter and spirit. “The euphoria is still there and the momentum should not be lost,” he said.
Notably, the official constitution of the GTA body hinges still on the Presidential assent. Chief minister Mamata Banerjee met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi on 21 February and demanded sharp settlement of the deadlock for the sake of peace in the traditionally restless hilly terrain of the state. The chief minister had also assured GJMM leaders of all possible helps

College poll: CP, TMCP lock horns after HC order

College poll: CP, TMCP lock horns after HC order

24 February 2012

statesman news service
MALDA, 24 FEB: A High Court injunction on the Chanchal College students' union election has further strained the relationship between the Congress-backed Chhatra Parishad and the Trinamul-backed Trinamul Chhatra Parishad.
There are 28 seats in the Chanchal College students' union. The administrator of the college, Dr Prantosh Sen, has already declared the Chhatra Parishad (CP) candidates the winners, and issued them certificates. No other party's candidates entered the race before the 15 February deadline. The CP did not have much time to rejoice over its victory, though, as the Trinamul Chhatra Parishad claimed the election was illegal, and filed a case in Kolkata High Court.
The Trinamul Youth Congress district president, Mr Amlan Bhaduri, said: “The administrator has violated the verdict of Kolkata High Court. He was asked to reinstate Anita Chakraborty, former teacher in charge who was illegally removed by Sen."
He added: "The way the administrator has issued the certificate is quite illegal. Hence, we didn’t contest the election."
When the district's Trinamul supporters got a copy of the injunction ~ which lasts until 15 March ~ they indulged in a sort of festivity. "It’s our moral victory," Bhaduri said. "The administrator has defied all rules and regulations. We’re happy that our objections stood legally."
CP district president Prasenjit Das said his group has been winning victory after victory at the college, and "students are so satisfied with our performance that the other students’ organisations cannot even find candidates here." However, he was cautious in his reaction to the injunction. "No one is above the judiciary. We have to go through the papers carefully and only then we would determine our subsequent course of action," he said

No landline telephone: Residents and tourists suffer

No landline telephone: Residents and tourists suffer

22 February 2012

SILIGURI, 22 FEB: Residents of the Darjeeling Hills are finding it hard to contact government offices, as the BSNL authorities disconnected most of the landline telephone connections in the area six months ago because the bills had not been paid. The move has even hit the tourism industry, as tourists from other parts of the country and abroad are unable to contact hotels and tour operators over their old BSNL connections. The Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha (GJMM), which has been spearheading the Gorkhaland statehood movement, had called on supporters to stop paying electricity and telephone bills, as well as taxes. Though normalcy seems to have returned following the signing of the tripartite agreement for the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration, the issue of arrears has not been settled.
The Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council and other administrative officials have tried to settle the dispute, but have not yet succeeded. BSNL authorities have not waived the outstanding telephone bills in the Hills; they have urged the consumers to pay. Some consumers have started paying their outstanding bills, but many telephones are still non-functional in three sub-divisions of the Darjeeling Hills. BSNL general manager in Darjeeling A Dakua said his company has not yet taken a decision on waiving the dues. "Management officials in Kolkata are considering the matter. I have not received any order for rebate," he said. "In many cases, we have waived the late fine on the outstanding bills." Senior GJMM leader and Kurseong MLA Rohit Sharma said: "Senior GJMM leaders are looking into the matter. Don’t ask me about the matter. It was discussed during several central committee meetings, but it was inconclusive." sns

Meeting over electricity dues in Darjeeling Hills inconclusive

Meeting over electricity dues in Darjeeling Hills inconclusive

22 February 2012

statesman news service
KURSEONG 22 FEB: A Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha (GJMM) delegation met electricity company officials here today. The two sides, however, failed to resolve the issue of electricity dues from the period of the non-cooperation movement.
A GJMM team from Kurseong met with officials from the West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (WBSEDCL) here, and demanded the company waive 42 months of electricity bills. The officials said they could not take a decision. During the Gorkhaland statehood movement, the GJMM had called on supporters to stop paying electricity and telephone bills and taxes.
"After the GTA agreement on 18 July 2011, we decided to pay the bills from the month of August 2011," said Kurseong GJMM leader Yogendra Rai. "But, presently, the department is sending notices to the people to pay the due bills of May, June and July of 2011 also, which we will not pay as it falls under the bills of non-cooperation movement."
Mr Rai said that under the bill dates of August, September, and October 2011, the department is sending bills for electricity used in May, June, and July of 2011. To evade this ploy, recipients plan to pay for August, September and October of 2011, through the bills for November and December of 2011, and January of 2012.
“Hence, the authorities concerned should immediately stop sending notices under the bill dates of the August, September and October 2011," said Mrs Prabha Chettri, a GJMM central committee member from Kurseong, who was also a member of today’s delegation.
Kolkata WBSEDCL AGM AK Majumdar, who was at the meeting, said that today he received a memorandum on matter and will forward it to the company's head office in Kolkata. The company's Kurseong divisional manager, who was also there, said the GJMM had said that all the dues accumulated during the agitation period should be waived. But now, instead of 39 months of dues, they have been demanding the waiver of 42 months of dues.

Jana Chetana for non-implementation of GTA

Jana Chetana for non-implementation of GTA

21 February 2012

statesman news service
SILIGURI, 21 FEB: Jana Chetana, the Bagdogra-based voluntary body that has been spearheading movement against the demand of Gorkhaland and the autonomous bodies for the Darjeeling Hills since 1986, is sending missives to the President of India, Prime Minister and the Union home minister asking them to stop implementing the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) agreement in view of the unresolved citizenship tangle involved in the issue.
The president of the body and an eminent physician, Dr DP Kar, today said in Siliguri that giving presidential assent to the GTA Bill without delving deep into the citizenship question would undermine the Constitution and rule of law.
“This apart, we have drawn the attention of the chief minister to the incompatibility of the constitution of a high power committee to identify additional lands across the sensitive, multi-ethnic Dooars-Terai with the citizenship laws and the Union home ministry-issued 1988 Extra-ordinary Gazette Notification,” Dr Kar said.
Another organisation, Dooars-Terai  Nagarik Manch, is a joint signatory to the memorandum, the copy of which would  be sent to the chief minister, Miss Mamata Banerjee, as well. “The state government would do an enormous disservice to the cause of the nation if it doggedly indulges the GJMM land clamour involving the ethnically sensitive Terai-Dooars. A number of ethnic groups, all of Indian descent, have been inhabiting the region for years. It would be preposterous to put them on equal footing with those who keep migrating from Nepal as treaty beneficiaries courtesy certain clauses of the 1950 Indo-Nepal Friendship Treaty,” he said.
He warned the unabated migration of the Nepalese citizens would wreak demographic havoc with the strategically fragile region part of which is known as chickens’ neck in parlance of strategic thinking.
“Inter-ethnic conflagration with international ramifications cannot be ruled out with the demographic invasion going on in full swing,” Dr Kar said.
President of Dooars-Terai Nagarik Manch N Burman said: “We have stayed away from the deliberations of the high power committee because it is a body bereft of respectability. Those who are claiming additional lands are important members of the committee. It can hardly be impartial. Besides, we would like to remain focused on the preponderant citizenship tangle involved in the GTA.”

Rs 103 cr granted for Hills’ electrification

Rs 103 cr granted for Hills’ electrification

20 February 2012
statesman news service
SILIGURI, 20 FEB: Chief minister Mamata Banerjee has sanctioned Rs 103
crore for electrification of the rural areas in the Darjeeling Hills
under the Rajiv Gandhi Gramin Bidyutayan Project, administrative
officials said today.
Miss Banerjee will announce the electrification project during her
tour to the Hills. She is tentatively scheduled to visit Darjeeling on
29 February.
Following the Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha’s demands, the chief minister
had promised that she would allot funds for electrification in the
rural areas, including virgin moujas. The number of virgin moujas is
comparatively fewer in the Hills sub-divisions.
The Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council (DGHC) will function as nodal
agency for implementing the project. Notably, the DGHC, during the
tenure of Mr Subash Ghisingh, had taken up the rural electrification
project, but could not implement it properly.
“The then DGHC authorities had erected several poles in several
villages but they failed to provide power connection in many areas,” a
GJMM leader said.
According to sources, Miss Banerjee will announce setting up of the
Nepali academy at Mongpoo in Kalimpong. She will also announce other
projects for the development of the Hills, including tourism
development, as part of the Gorkhaland Territorial Agreement (GTA).
Sources said Miss Banerjee had expressed concern over the plight of
roads, a major drawback in the Hills, particularly the National
Highway-55. The condition of the highway has badly affected the
tourism industry in the Hills despite several attempts to develop
tourists’ spots in the Hills, including the proposal for commissioning
a new ropeway at Rohini.
According to administrative officials, the chief minister had
sanctioned Rs 5 crore to repair Rohini Road, owned by the DGHC.
The authorities are trying to secure another Rs 5 crore from the DGHC
to restore the road. The DGHC has started repairing the road,
particularly in the Hills area.

Deepa threatens to paralyse N Bengal over AIIMS

Deepa threatens to paralyse N Bengal over AIIMS

20 February 2012
statesman news service
RAIGANJ, 20 FEB: North Dinajpur district Congress threatened to
paralyse life in north Bengal if the state government does not allot
funds for the acquisition of land earmarked for the AIIMS-type
super-speciality hospital proposed at Raiganj in the upcoming state
Budget.
Raiganj MP and senior state Congress leader Deepa Dasmunshi said this
while participating in an agitation at the district magistrate’s
office today. District party workers gheraoed the district
magistrate’s office demanding paddy-procurement by the state food
ministry directly from the growers against appropriate prices.
“I wrote to the chief minister, Miss Mamata Banerjee, on 29 August
2011 requesting her to inform me about the latest development
involving land acquisition for the long-delayed health facility. I
received her answer as late as in November. Yet, CPI-M leader and
former state minister Abdur Rezzak Mollah received reply to his
missive promptly within a day or two. This indicates the mindset of
the state government regarding the Centrally-approved project. Our
patience with the chief minister has been wearing thin and we would
wait till the next state Budget is presented. In case there is no fund
allotted for the land acquisition we would be left with no other
option but to plunge headlong into an all-out agitation that might
bring life in north Bengal to a grinding halt,” she said while
addressing the Congress gathering.
Tearing into the Trinamul with characteristic pun, she said the
principal ruling party had been befriending the Marxists and the
communal BJP to spite its coalition partner, the Congress. “We are
being attacked everywhere at the behest of the Trinamul Congress
leadership,” she said. Slamming the state government on the paddy
procurement issue, the senior Congress leader said, the ineptitude of
the state food ministry had been perpetuating the farmer’s
predicament.
“The Centre has increased the procurement price for paddy from Rs 800
to Rs 1,080 per quintal. However, the state government’s track record
is miserable. The procurement process has not started yet in several
blocks in many districts. The state government must fulfil the
targeted quota or else it would face the farmers’ ire. The Congress
would not sit idle either,” she said.

Spinning mill employee dies
Suresh Chandra Roy (50) died because he was unable to pay for medical
treatment. Roy was a contractual staff member at West Dinajpur
Spinning Mills Limited who had not received work at the mill for the
past year and one-half, and was suffering from jaundice.
Mrs Kalpana Roy, his wife, said: "The doctor who was treating him said
the treatment would cost us Rs 8,000. But, as he hasn't been working
for such a long time, we had no money. My husband died due to lack of
proper treatment."
Raiganj Congress MLA Mohit Sengupta, who is chairman of the mill,
lamented Suresh Chandra Roy's death. "It is a matter of great sorrow
that the staff of this mill are facing financial hardships in the
absence of timely salaries. If the state government does not come up
with a solution, I will resign from my post as the chairman of the
mill," he said. Another staff member, Mr Arun Kanti Biswas, tried to
kill himself a month ago with sleeping pills. The production of  West
Dinajpur Spinning Mills Limited has reportedly stopped almost six
months ago because of the dearth of raw materials. So the employees
are not receiving their salaries on a regular basis. Their salaries
for two months remain unpaid. They cannot lead normal lives for sheer
want of money.

CPI & FB not to attend GTA area expansion hearing

CPI & FB not to attend GTA area expansion hearing

20 February 2012
SILIGURI, 20 FEB : The Darjeeling district CPI-M, CPI and Forward Bloc
have decided not to attend in the hearing on the GTA jurisdiction
expansion, convened by the Shyamal Sen Committee, on 24 February. But
by way of a discordant note, another constituent of the Left Front,
RSP, will attend the hearing.
The Darjeeling district Left Front convener and  senior CP-M leader,
Mr Asok Bhattacharya, said there was no point in attending the
combined meeting with the high-power committee having been reduced to
a farce. “The constitution of the committee is heavily biased in
favour of one of the parties involved ~ the GJMM. We attended the
previous hearings to put forth our collective stance vis-à-vis the
emotive issue. But this time we would stay away,” he said.
Asked about the RSP’s decision to participate, the CPI-M leader said
the party would attend the meeting because of its inability to turn up
at the previous hearing due to the ongoing district conference. “This
by no means indicates any fissure within the district Left Front.
Besides, we are against dictating terms to others. All are free to
formulate strategies in accordance with their respective assessment of
developing situations,” Mr Bhattacharya said.
He further said they had taken strong objection to the authoritative
wording of the letter the land committee had sent to them asking them
to attend the combined hearing. “The language used in the letter
‘directing’ us to attend the hearing is against the parliamentary
canons. The chairman cannot direct us. He might appeal to us,” he
said.
Darjeeling district RSP secretariat member Tapas Goswami said his
party would attend the hearing to place his party’s submission before
the committee. “Since we could not attend the previous hearing because
of our preoccupation with the district conference, we have decided to
attend the hearing on 24 February. Besides, according to my knowledge,
the Jalpaiguri district CPI-M and other constituents of the Left Front
will also attend the hearing,” he said. sns

CM to inaugurate, but is Balason ready?

CM to inaugurate, but is Balason ready?

19 February 2012

KURSEONG, 19 FEB: Chief minister Mamata Banerjee will inaugurate the Rs 55-crore Balasan Drinking Water Project for Darjeeling town on 1 March. Government officials say the project is almost complete; in reality the project is far from over, said officials, who do not want to be named.
According to sources several important aspects of the project are yet to be taken up, mainly the laying of pipes. Since the areas where the pipelines must pass through fall under various departments, including the National Highway Authority of India, Forest Department, the Army and individual properties, the No-Objection Certificate (NOC) must be obtained before carrying out any work.
In reality, the NOC from the Army and individual property owners are yet to be obtained.
Under such circumstances the people of Darjeeling are not happy about the proposed programme.
“I am not concerned about the programme as even after the inauguration the people here would not be benefited as the project itself is incomplete,” said Mr Bhusan Chettri, a resident of Darjeeling.
However, the construction DGM from Ramkey Infrastructure Ltd., Mr Subrato Kar, said that the whole project was divided into two phases and the project work of one phase has already been completed.
He said that under the first phase of the project water from the Balasun river would be pumped to Sinchal Lake, the work for which has been completed.
According to Mr Kar, at present the water level of the Sinchal Lake has decreased, hence after its proposed inauguration, water from the Balasun river will be pumped into Sinchal Lake from where the water will be distributed in Darjeeling. However, sources said that the infrastructure to start pumping water to Sinchal lake from the Balasun river has not been completed yet as pipelines have yet to be laid to take the water to the lake from the river. According to them at least another three months will be required for its completion.
However, regarding, Miss Banerjee's visit to the project site, Mr Kar said: “So far, we have no information regarding her visit and the inauguration of the project. He said it is the public health and engineering department that has a say on the issue”. The plan was to pump water of the Balasun uphill to the Sinchal lake through pipelines. The water will then be filtered and distributed through newly-constructed pipelines from Sinchal to Darjeeling town via the St. Paul's School area.
The plan envisages that on an average each people residing in Darjeeling will get 70 litres of water per day the foundation stone for which was laid in 2005 by the then chief minister Mr Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee. The project is being executed by the Ramky Infrastructure Ltd of Hyderabad. sns

CM blames Centre for GTA delay

CM blames Centre for GTA delay

11 February 2012

GJMM to go ahead with 27 march stir if GTA Bill not signed into law

soma mookherjee & manas banerjee
SILIGURI, 11 FEB: The chief minister, Miss Mamata Banerjee will visit Delhi on 22 February to meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the GTA issue. After holding a meeting with the Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha (GJMM) leaders, she told mediapersons that she would request the Prime Minister to expedite Presidential clearance of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) Bill, the delay of which has "offended" the GJMM leaders. “I don’t know why the Central government is delaying this sensitive issue. They have asked for clarifications on one or two subjects and we have promptly sent the required clarifications,” the chief minister said.
“I will meet the Prime Minister on 22 February requesting him to ensure that the President of India would put her signature on the GTA Bill so that it could be made into an Act. The delay in signing the Bill into law has offended the GJMM leaders and I too am offended on this issue. Their demand for the GTA is legitimate. I will personally visit Darjeeling on 28 February and there I will announce the development package for the Hills,” Miss Banerjee said.
After interacting with the chief minister, the GJMM general secretary, Mr Roshan Giri, said that his group was satisfied with the discussion. “We are happy that the chief minister will take up the matter with the Prime Minister. The state government will have to press the Centre to ensure that the President gives her assent to the accord, which will resolve the basic problem,” Mr Giri said. However, Mr Giri iterated that if the accord is not given the Presidential  seal of approval by 27 March, they will go ahead with their declared programme of a public protest by burning copies of the GTA document. “The chief minister is coming to the Hills on 28 February and then the GJMM would take up the issue with her once again,” Mr Giri added.
Miss Banerjee appealed to the GJMM leaders to have patience and remain calm. “You have to maintain peace in the Hills, otherwise the development works which I have started will come to a halt,” she added.
The GTA was framed after much hard work over a long time, she added. “I will not tolerate any outside intervention in the treaty. The tripartite treaty signed by the Centre, the state and the GJMM will remain as it is,” she said.
While speaking to the media Miss Banerjee said that there are some forces that are trying to create disruption in the Hills. “They are trying to disrupt the peace process in the Hills by pressing new demands ever so often. Don’t play with fire. We will not tolerate any bloodshed, arson or violence,” she warned. She added: “I know that there are some political forces who are behind these outfits who are trying to destabilise the ongoing peace process.”
Answering a question, the chief minister said there is no Maoist presence in Kalimpong. Earlier, GJMM president Bimal Gurung had alleged that the Maoists are gaining ground in the forests of Kalimpong and this needs to be looked into by the state government.
The chief minister today met GJMM general secretary Roshan Giri, MLA from Kalimpong Dr Harka Bahadur Chhetri, MLA from Darjeeling Tilak Dewan, one of the members of the state appointed high power committee for land verification L B Pariar, and Darjeeling municipality chairman Amar Rai for talks that focussed mainly on the GTA issue. Dr Chhetri also demanded more financial aid for earthquake-ravaged Kalimpong subdivision.
Miss Banerjee announced that a film city would be set up on 74 acres of land on the banks of the Teesta river in order to promote tourism industry in Darjeeling district. She thanked the Siliguri Jalpaiguri Development Authority chairman, Dr Rudranath Bhattacharya for earmarking land for the purpose.

Gurung irked by delay in implementation of GTA

Gurung irked by delay in implementation of GTA

8 February 2012

statesman news service
SILIGURI/DARJEELING, 8 FEB: In a move that might further jeopardise the already-strained relation between the state government and the Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha (GJMM), Mr Bimal Gurung, the GJMM president, said his party activists would make a bonfire of copies of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) at Sukna on 17 April  if the state government failed to implement the pact by 27 March.
He also hinted that his party would plunge into the statehood movement with renewed vigour in April while addressing a public meeting at Sipchu in the Dooars organised to mark the first anniversary of the Sipchu killing.
Three GJMM activists were killed when the law enforcers opened fire to quell a party rally that was out to defy the prohibitory order on 8 February last year.
The move has assumed significance as barely two days are left for the chief minister to arrive in Siliguri to inaugurate the North Bengal Festival.
“Our patience has been wearing thin with the state government sitting tight on the GTA pact. We will not budge an inch from the agitation. It will bring into the open the long accumulated collective frustration over the inordinate delay in putting the pact into motion,” Mr Gurung said.
The tripartite GTA pact was signed on 18 July last year at Pintail Village on the outskirts of Siliguri. The Bill was passed in the Assembly, but the implementation process has been delayed as it is yet to get the Presidential Assent which is a constitutional imperative to turn the Bill into an Act.
Aside from the GTA outburst, Mr Gurung again reiterated that the Gorkhaland Liberation Organisation chief, Mr Chhatray Subba was training a group of hardcore Maoists in a camp being run in the Lava forests under Kalimpong sub-division.
“The state government cannot sit idle, as a grave threat might ensue to the peace in the Hills from the subversive forces which are bent on instigating violence in support of some airy ideas,” he said.

GJMM observes Black Day
To mark the police firing at Sipchu in the Dooars, where three GJMM supporters were mowed down last year, the Hill-based party observed Black Day today across the Darjeeling Hills. Black flags were unfurled atop the GJMM offices at all corners of the Hills and the party activists put on black bands to express condolence for the departed souls whom they call martyrs for the cause of Gorkhaland. Black flags were also seen fluttering from shops across Darjeeling town. A meeting was also organised in the town where the speakers stressed on maintaining the statehood resolve in the face of adversities. The party expressed dismay over the delay in the proceedings of the CID probe that the Mamata Banerjee government ordered in June last to pinpoint responsibility behind the firing.

Tibetans protest against Chinese oppression

Tibetans protest against Chinese oppression

8 February 2012

SILIGURI, 8 FEB: Thousands of Tibetans from Sikkim and Darjeeling Hills took out a rally here today to protest against the alleged trampling of the Tibetan Dharma and rampant killing of the protesters by the Communist regime in China.
The rally comprising women and children started at Darjeeling More and ended at the court here. The participants carried coffins to mark the procession of self-immolations involving nuns and monks in the Buddhist state that China keeps under its suzerainty since 1959. Nineteen incidents of self-immolations have occurred in Tibet since March last year. Besides, over six Tibetans were killed as police opened fire on 23 and 24 January on agitators who were protesting against being forced to celebrate the Chinese New Year. Two members of the Tibetan parliament representing the Tibetan government-in-exile based in Dharamsala in Himachal Pradesh, Ms Dhardon Sharling and Mrs Dolkar Kirti also walked with the participants.
They served a letter addressed to the Prime Minister of India, Manmohan Singh through the office of the sub-divisional officer, asking for India’s intervention to end what they termed the Chinese authoritarian tyranny over the Dharma-abiding innocents in Tibet. “We also plead that the United Nations should send a fact-finding mission to Tibet to have an on the spot study of the fast worsening situation,” Ms Sharling said.
“We, the Tibetans, are grateful to India for providing shelter and succour to the struggling Tibetans in this hour of crisis. India, the timeless repository of spiritual values, should not be cowed down by the arm-twisting Chinese diplomacy,” she said. sns

Govt drafts GTA election rules

Govt drafts GTA election rules
3 February 2012

bappaditya paul
KOLKATA, 3 FEB: Faced with the Bimal Gurung-led Gorkha Jan Mukti
Morcha's (GJMM) threat of a renewed Gorkhaland agitation, the state
government, headed by chief minister Mamata Banerjee, seems to have
expedited the process of forming an autonomous Gorkhaland Territorial
Administration (GTA).
As part of the move, the state government has drafted separate
election rules for GTA.
The government has extended the term, by six months, of the
high-powered committee headed by retired Justice Mr Shyamal Sen
entrusted to finalise the GTA territory and also the President's
assent is awaited for the GTA Bill.
The draft GTA Election Rules, containing 50-odd pages, has been
prepared by the state home department. It has drawn provisions from
the Representation of the People Act, 1951; Conduct of Elections
Rules, 1961 and the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council (Election) Rules,
1988.
The draft is expected to be finalised in a week or so by a committee
on GTA headed by state home secretary GD Gautama. It will then be sent
to the state law department for clearance.
In the final leg, the GTA Election Rules will go to the state Assembly
for ratification ~ provided President Pratibha Patil has given her
assent to the GTA Bill by then, thus making it an Act.
The GTA Bill was passed in the state Assembly on 2 September 2011 and
was sent for the President's approval in December.
According to sources in the state home department, the proposed GTA
Election Rules have certain special features that were not part of the
DGHC (Election) Rules.
“In the DGHC (Election) Rules there was provision for holding
elections on ballot papers only. In the proposed GTA's rules we have
added the option of EVMs. Since the GTA will be a more powerful
autonomous administrative body, we have incorporated clauses on Model
Code of Conduct (MCC) and other measures to curb corrupt practices
during elections,” said a senior official.
Once finalised, the GTA Election Rules will govern the direct
elections for the 45 proposed constituencies of the GTA Sabha. The
Sabha will also have five members nominated by the state government.
These 50 members in turn will elect a chairperson from amongst
themselves.
It is however, not yet clear if the GTA elections will be conducted by
the State Election Commission (SEC) or the government would appoint a

special election officer as was the case with the DGHC.