Why Sandakphu has to be dropped - CM’s trip troubles: logistics, time shortage

VIVEK CHHETRI

(From top) The road to Sandakphu; the Land Rover, the only vehicle that can negotiate the steep gradient; and cottages at Sandakphu. Pictures by Suman Tamang Darjeeling, Feb. 16: Chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s plan to set foot in Sandakphu, the highest point in Bengal, is likely to hit logistic and time hurdles and administrative sources said she might have to drop the idea of visiting it. Mamata had said in Siliguri on February 11 that she would not only visit Darjeeling to announce some projects but would also make a trip to Sandakhphu at 12,000 feet. In that case, she will be the first chief minister to visit the high-altitude tourist hotspot located in the Singalila wildlife sanctuary. Sources in the chief minister’s office in Calcutta said they were yet to finalise Mamata’s itinerary for the Darjeeling tour. “She had expressed her desire to visit Sandakhphu. Although she had not said anything more about her visit, we are keeping it tentative as of now. The final plans for her Darjeeling visit will be made after she returns from Delhi,” a senior member of the chief minister’s secretariat said. Mamata had said she would meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on February 24 for the early implementation of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration. A senior Darjeeling district administration official said the chief minister might not be able to make it to Sandakphu despite her announcement. “According to information received, the chief minister will come to Darjeeling on February 29 and will hold a meeting with district officials on March 1 before leaving for Calcutta the next day. To visit Sandakphu, one would need at least two clear days and there is very little time available,” he said. The local people — around 2,000 of them live in settlements scattered along the Maneybhanjyan-Sandakphu route — had hoped that the chief minister’s visit would usher in development in the area, which is only about 60km from Darjeeling but is one of the most backward places in the region. Even if the chief minister does decide to visit Sandakphu at the last moment, working out the logistics would be a major problem. This is largely because only the 1950s-made Land Rovers ply on the 31km stretch from Maneybhanjyan to Sandakphu. Maneybhanjyan is about 30km from Darjeeling. No modern vehicle, even if it has a four-wheel drive, dare climb the rough terrain of the Singalila range. Apart from the drivers of the 34 Land Rovers that ply on the route, not many are ready to take their vehicles to Sandakphu. “Even though the route from Maneybhanjyan to Meghma is in good shape, those unfamiliar will find it difficult to drive because of the steep gradient. It is better not to talk about the remaining stretch,” said Nima Sherpa, a resident of Maneybhanjyan. The road from Meghma passes through Tumling — a favourite haunt of sky watchers — Gairibas, Kaiyakatta and Kalpokhri before reaching Sandakphu. Phalut, another tourist hotspot, is 10km away but the stretch is virtually unmotorable except for the Land Rovers. At Sandakphu, accommodation could be a major problem given the size of the entourage of the chief minister. There are three DGHC cottages, apart from two private lodges and a guest house each of the forest department and the Darjeeling Improvement Fund. “If the chief minister does decide to go, then the entourage will definitely have to be made small. In such an event, there would not be problems in accommodations,” said the official. He said usually a chief minister is accompanied by two-three ministers of her cabinet. “Then, at least 30 people will be in her entourage. Maybe more,” he said. A Land Rover can comfortably accommodate around five persons. The local people of Sandakphu, however, said the DGHC cottages were in bad shape and needed immediate repair. The district administration will also have to arrange for all food items and other amenities to be ferried over from Darjeeling. Besides, there is no electricity and cellphone connectivity is also very poor in the region. “We charge Rs 4,300 for a trip to Sandakphu and back with an overnight halt,” said Chandan Pradhan, secretary of the Singalila Land Rovers’ Association. Taking the chief minister by helicopter would largely depend on the weather conditions which change every hour. “There was once a talk of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi visiting Sandakphu and a helipad was also constructed at Chandu, 3km away. However, the visit got cancelled for some reason,” said Migma Sherpa, who runs a homestay in the area. The district administration has submitted a Rs 15-crore proposal to construct a road from Meghma to Sandakhphu-Phalut but it is yet to be sanctioned.(Telegraph)

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Sukna gets a taste of Barfee - Director back with Priyanka and Ranbir

MRINALINI SHARMA

Priyanka Chopra shoots for Barfeeat a Sukna village, 12km from Siliguri, on Thursday; and Priyanka with Ranbir Kapoor during the shooting of a scene from the film. Pictures by Kundan Yolmo Siliguri, Feb. 16: Anurag Basu kept his promise and came back with Priyanka Chopra and Ranbir Kapoor to shoot in Sukna today. The Life in a Metro maker had said he would return with the entire Barfee team after the hills apologised for the spat that his crew had with some local people at the Mall. For residents of Khairani-Punding, this was their second tryst with high-profile visitors after chief minister Mamata Banerjee had sauntered into the village while sightseeing at nearby Mahananda wildlife sanctuary when she came to sign the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration agreement in July. Basu had also chosen to shoot in a house above the one in which Mamata was treated to a cup of tea during her visit. Unaware of the arrival of the Barfee team, 27-year-old Sharmila Rai had started her day with her usual chores at 6am. Around 7.30am she saw “a few unfamiliar faces” setting up cameras outside a house a few yards away. “I was surprised to see unfamiliar faces moving around in our neighbourhood with cameras so early in the morning. When I enquired, a group of local people who had gathered there told me that Priyanka and Ranbir would be shooting,” said Sharmila who quickly wound up her chores to watch the shooting from 9am. The story of the film is set in Darjeeling of 1960’s and 70’s. It revolves around a deaf-and-mute man, played by Ranbir and the two women in his life, played by Priyanka and southern star Ileana D’Cruz. The news of the shooting was kept under wraps to avoid chaos like the one that took place when the team was shooting for the first time in Darjeeling in June last year. During the earlier visit, only Ileana and Ranbir had come to Darjeeling. “The director had come to our village to scout for locations earlier this month. The news of the shoot was kept a closely guarded secret to avoid a crowd here. Only a few of us chosen as volunteers were aware of it and had been making arrangements,” said a volunteer from the village which has barely 100 households. Priyanka who was in Siliguri last night arrived in Sukna, 12km away, around 8.30am. Ranbir landed at Bagdogra around 10.30am today and reached the shooting spot in the afternoon. The first scene shot was of a woman weaving brooms outside the house. Next, Priyanka sporting a white frock with red sweater and Ranbir in a check coat and brown pants were shot arriving at the house in a rickshaw. “She looks as good as in the movies,” said 21-year-old Sovit Sharma, a resident of Khairani-Punding. Villagers had volunteered to manage the crowd and adequate combat force, too, was present. Diksha Rai, a college student, first waited for Ranbir at the Bagdogra airport and then came to the shooting site to catch a glimpse of Priyanka. “A group of us got to know that Ranbir would be arriving at Bagdogra airport. We were lucky that he agreed to pose for a photograph with us. I have already posted it on a social networking site. We also visited the shooting spot later and saw Priyanka too. It was a hectic trip but was worth it”, Diksha said.(Telegraph)

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Police meet

Gangtok: The All India Police Science Congress began at Chintan Bhavan in Gangtok on Wednesday. Sikkim chief minister Pawan Chamling inaugurated the three-day event. Around 150 serving and retired officers of the state police forces, intelligence agencies, paramilitary forces and representatives of the ministry of home affairs are taking part in the meet.

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3 die in hill car crash

Kalimpong, Feb. 15: Three persons were killed and three others were injured when a Maruti van rolled down a hill at Mahakaldara in Bada Bhalukhop around 6pm today. The vehicle overturned and rolled about 150 feet downhill.The van was going to Sangsey village.

In a separate incident, seven persons were injured when a jeep overturned at 12th Mile around 3.30pm. Police sources said there were about 15 people in the jeep that was on the way to Samthar village.

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Aamir’s TV shoot in Sikkim

BIJOY GURUNG

Aamir Khan at Bulbuley on Wednesday. (Prabin Khaling) Gangtok, Feb. 15: Sikkim will feature in Aamir Khan’s upcoming television series with the actor spending the past two days in the Himalayan state shooting at different locations. “We have been touring different parts of the country for the television project. We are doing the tele-series on the celebrated thought of the country, Satyameva Jayate. We did some shooting here yesterday and today for the project,” said Aamir. The actor was talking to journalists after a two-hour shoot in the forest of Bulbuley, 15km from Gangtok. He had visited Kashmir and Udaipur last week. Certain sequences of the serial were shot at Sangmartan, 25km from the state capital, yesterday. The star had denied yesterday that he was in Sikkim scouting for locales for shooting. “I have come to Sikkim just for sightseeing… I heard that Sikkim is very beautiful and people here are fond of music,” he said after landing at Burtuk helipad in Gangtok yesterday. Aamir, the face of Incredible India campaign of Union ministry of tourism, today sent out an “All Izz Well’ message to tourists as the hilly state looks forward to a summer season. “Sikkim is a beautiful place for tourists to visit. I found Sikkim very fascinating. Natural calamities are not under anybody’s control. They happen everywhere. People should come to Sikkim to see its beautiful hills and receive hospitality from the wonderful people as All Izz Well here,” said Aamir. Tourism industry in Sikkim had suffered a jolt following the earthquake on September 18. The actor’s visit has boosted the confidence of tour operators, who kicked off the two-week-long Sikkim Snow and Cultural Festival yesterday to lure the visitors back to the state. Aamir cited a cloud burst in Ladakh to tell tourists that they should not shun Sikkim. “There was a big incident in Ladakh (two years back). But when I went there, it was safe. Tourists can come to Sikkim also as it is a safe place,” said the actor. After wrapping up shooting at Bulbuley, the crew proceeded to Lingdum monastery at Ranka, 25km from Gangtok. Aamir will leave Sikkim tomorrow.(Telegraph)

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Morcha ‘blocks’ CPRM members

VIVEK CHHETRI Youth members of the CPRM in front of the Kalimpong block 1 office on Wednesday. (CF Lepcha) Darjeeling, Feb. 15: The CPRM was today allegedly prevented from submitting a memorandum to a block development officer by Gorkha Janmukti Morcha supporters, sparking charges that the predominant party in the Darjeeling hills was once again stifling Opposition voices. “Members of our youth wing had gone to the Rongli-Rungleet block development office at Takdah after seeking an appointment with the BDO. Our supporters, however, could not enter the office as a large number of Morcha supporters had gathered in front of the building,” said Govind Chhetri, the spokesperson for the CPRM. However, the Democratic Revolutionary Youth Front (DRYF) — the youth wing of the CPRM — submitted memorandums to all other seven BDOs in the hills. Sources said the DRYF workers returned from the Takdah office without any resistance as they had been outnumbered. Shekar Chhetri, the president of the DRYF, said: “The Morcha which claims that it believes in democracy has shown its true colours at Takdah. We will immediately write to the Bengal chief minister and the governor highlighting the terror unleashed by the Morcha in the hills.” Today’s incident comes close on the heels of the Morcha’s allegation that the CPRM was hobnobbing with Maoists. The Morcha has come under attack from other parties as well. “Memorandums are always submitted by political parties for the benefit of the common people. If the Morcha believes in democracy, it should have allowed the CPRM to submit the deputation to the BDO. The Morcha is unnecessarily creating tension in the hills and this has to be stopped immediately,” said Laxman Pradhan, the vice-president of the ABGL. In the past, the Morcha had been accused of obstructing ABGL meetings also. The DRYF memorandum had nine demands, including the creation of Gorkhaland and increase in the number of working days under the national rural employment guarantee scheme from 100 to 200. Asked if the Morcha supporters had stopped the CPRM delegation, Rongli-Rungleet BDO Esther Lepcha said: “Since no one entered my office to submit a deputation, I cannot comment.” Takdah is 35km from Darjeeling town. The Morcha alleged that the Opposition was deliberately trying to defame the party. “The Morcha is a democratic organisation and we do not indulge in such practices. The CPRM’s claim that it was stopped from entering the Rongli-Rungleet block office was strange as it did not face any such problem in seven other blocks. They are probably creating a story to defame us,” said Jyoti Kumar Rai, a central committee member of the Morcha.

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Sikkim, Aamir’s valentine - Star hits snow-clad state

BIJOY GURUNG Aamir Khan at Burtuk helipad in Gangtok on Tuesday. Picture by Prabin Khaling Gangtok, Feb. 14: Sikkim had a date with actor Aamir Khan on Valentine’s Day. It was his maiden trip to Sikkim and the timing could not have been better as a two-week long festival took off today to lure tourists back to the state. “I have come to Sikkim just for sightseeing. I have never been here before but I have heard a lot about Sikkim. I heard that Sikkim is very beautiful and people here are fond of music. I have been touring different places of the country and wanted to come here as well,” Aamir told journalists after his landing at Burtuk helipad in Gangtok today. The actor arrived here at noon from Siliguri on a Pawan Hans helicopter along with three members of his team. While two of his personal bodyguards had already arrived here yesterday, six other members of the team reached Gangtok from Siliguri by road. The actor is staying in a private resort in the state capital. Asked whether he was scouting about for locales for shooting, Aamir said: “Not for films. I will stay in Sikkim for a couple of days and tour different places here. I love the people of Sikkim a lot and wish them a very happy Valentine’s Day.” Speculations are that the actor, who makes his television debut later this year, is criss-crossing the country looking for locations and subjects for his new project. He had visited Kashmir and Udaipur last week. Although announced in October last year, Aamir’s TV debut — set to air on STAR Plus — remains a closely guarded secret, with the actor not revealing either the format or the name of the show. “It’s an audacious and a challenging idea and the show is very much about real-life situations and real people. There are emotional stories that will touch every Indian,” is what Aamir had told The Telegraph at the launch of the show in Mumbai. The actor and the whole entourage spent more than half-an-hour in Sangmartan, East Sikkim. Sources said the team was in search of locales at Sangmartan, 25km from Gangtok, and might leave Sikkim tomorrow. However, Aamir might visit more places in East Sikkim, possibly the Chhangu Lake, if the team decides to extend the stay by one more day. “It all depends on an unnamed producer who is accompanying Aamir,” said a source. As Aamir’s trip to Sikkim had been kept under wraps, only a handful of people could catch a glimpse of him. A bunch of students of Sikkim Law College located near the helipad, security personnel and those waiting to board the chopper managed to see the star when he landed. The actor’s trip will be cashed in on by tourism stakeholders for sure as the number of visitors to Sikkim dwindled after the earthquake on September 18. His arrival synchronises with the launch of the Sikkim Snow and Cultural Festival here today. The event is being conducted to regain Sikkim’s image as a safe destination. An exhibition football match featuring World Cuppers had been organised at Paljor Stadium last month as a tourism recovery mission. Players like Ruud Gullit and Christian Karembeu, Scorpions guitarist Rudolf Schenker and actors Rahul Bose and Neha Dhupia had taken part in the match on January 22. “Although Aamir’s visit to Sikkim is a personal one, it does add to the efforts made by all tourism stakeholders to send a positive message to the tourists,” said a tour operator.(Telegraph)

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Nod to tea tourism without land lease

BIRESWAR BANERJEE AND AVIJIT SINHA

Makaibari garden in Kurseong, which has introduced tea tourism Siliguri, Feb. 14: The government will support tea tourism based on infrastructure already existing in plantations but will not issue fresh lease for any portion of the garden land to be used for tourism. The government fears that issuing fresh lease would lead to rampant clearing of plantations for tourism, affecting the apex industry that employs lakhs of people. A new lease for a portion of garden land would mean that the plot could be used for alternative purposes like tourism. Industries minister Partha Chatterjee, who was here last week to attend the North Bengal Festival, told journalists that tea planters had not yet sent any proposal to utilise the available infrastructure on their estates for tourism. “We feel the planters should take stock of the bungalows, rest houses and other infrastructure available and send us specific proposals. We are ready to endorse such proposals,” Chatterjee said. “We, however, will not grant fresh lease for any portion of garden land that may be used for alternative purposes like tourism.” The minister also said the new lease might lead to uprooting of tea bushes. “Tourism infrastructure might come up on the garden land for which the new lease will be acquired. Tea tourism must be developed but in a controlled manner, without affecting the apex industry that employs lakhs of people in the region,” the minister said. The tea tourism concept was conceived by the Left Front government in 2005. So far, only a handful of planters, with gardens in idyllic surroundings, have started promoting their properties as niche product with good response from both India and overseas. Indranil Bhowmik, representing Solutions INC, a Calcutta-based company that runs tea tourism facilities in association with four estates — Zurrantee, Selim Hill and Runglee and Serrani — said already there was a shortage of accommodation. “As of now, there are around 50 rooms available in bungalows in north Bengal gardens. The demand increases to over 140 rooms during the peak season,” he said. “We have found out that 20 more bungalows are in a position to supplement the need.” Zurrantee alone, Bhowmik said, had 550 room nights (one room booked for one night) in the past fiscal and the figure is expected to reach 650 by the end of this fiscal. “Of the total tourists we have handled, around 40 per cent were foreigners, hailing from countries like the UK, US and even Hong Kong,” Bhowmik said. Stakeholders of the industry, who had interacted with the minister, said all gardens didn’t have adequate accommodation for tourists. “On some tea estates, it is possible to part with a portion of the available infrastructure and use it for tourists’ accommodation. But on most estates, new infrastructure is required. We have been asking for fresh lease for a specific portion of the tea land, so that we can set up the tourism facilities,” said Amitangshu Chakraborty, the principal adviser to the Indian Tea Planters’ Association. “Many planters are interested in investing in tea tourism but cannot do so as the decision on lease is pending with the state. They don’t have the available infrastructure either.”(Telegraph)

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Rs 130cr package for north growth

Siliguri, Feb. 14: North Bengal development minister Gautam Deb announced over Rs 130 crore for several projects from his new office on Hill Cart Road where he started working today.

Of the total, Rs 20 crore would be used for developing infrastructure in the hills, said the minister.

“It has been decided that Rs 20 crore would be sanctioned for the hills to develop infrastructure like roads, drains and culverts. The funds would be paid from my department and work would start in this financial year,” Deb said.

The minister added that Rs 48.67 crore has been distributed in the six districts of north Bengal. “It would be used to finish 228 ongoing projects across the region. The district magistrates have been provided with a deadline of May 31, 2012, and all the projects will have to be completed by then,” he said.

Deb said his department has allocated funds for the development of Jalpaiguri Sports Complex. “In the first phase, Rs 22 crore would be spent to build a gallery, gymnasium and a media centre. In the second phase, a synthetic track and some other infrastructure would be developed,” Deb said. Fresh funds would be sanctioned for the second phase.

He added that the department has received cash under the rural infrastructure development fund and the backward regions grant fund. “We have received Rs 12 crore and Rs 18 crore under the two central schemes. It would be used for infrastructure development in the rural and backward areas.” Deb added that Rs 6.2 crore would be allocated for tourism development. “A sum of Rs 10 crore will be sanctioned for the health sector.”(Telegraph)

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Makeover takes off at Mall

VIVEK CHHETRI

Darjeeling, Feb. 14: The DGHC has started revamping the Mall and the first phase of the Rs 9 crore project for Darjeeling’s famous promenade is expected to be completed in five months. Nearly Rs 2 crore has been sanctioned for the first phase which includes an amphitheatre and landscaping the park where it will come up. Dismantling the band stand or the “hawa ghar” for an unhindered view of the mountains will be part of the second phase of the makeover. P.R. Mehta, an architect from Delhi, has been hired as a consultant for the project. “The entire revamp will be taken up in two phases. During the first phase, the park will be renovated,” said Anil Verma, the administrator of the DGHC. The revamp of the Mall, with a daily footfall of 1,000 in peak seasons, has probably been propelled by Mamata Banerjee’s announcement to turn Darjeeling into Switzerland. In November, the state government had brought in RITES to draw up a comprehensive tourism master plan for the Queen of Hills. But the Mall overhaul is a wholly DGHC initiative. The amphitheatre with a seating arrangement for 300 people will be set up at Brabourne Park. “Work has just started and we expect to complete the project within the next four to five months. The open-air theatre in the park will have a very comfortable seating arrangement for about 250-300 people. The lighting arrangement in the park and its landscape will also be worked out. Green rooms and lavatories will also come up,” said Verma. He said Rs 2 crore had been sanctioned for the first phase of the project. “Work has started as per chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s earlier announcement for the need for an integrated development plan for Chowrastha (or the Mall),” said Verma. Brabourne Park is not a favourite with tourists. Darjeeling has around 3.5 lakh domestic tourists annually and another 50,000 foreign visitors. “During the peak season, almost 2,000 tourists arrive in Darjeeling town every day. Of them, 1,000 tourists can be found in the Mall in the afternoon,” said a tour operator. The park turns slushy during monsoons. The DGHC under Subash Ghisingh had constructed a much-hyped musical fountain in the park for Rs 20 lakh in 2006. The fountain needed 10,000 gallons of water to function. But with the Darjeeling municipality unable to supply potable water to its residents, the fountain was bound to go dry and it stopped working after a year. Last year, after the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha replaced the GNLF at the Darjeeling municipality, the steel seating arrangement in front of the fountain was dismantled and a martyr’s column was erected in the park. The estimate for developing the Mall has been pegged around Rs 8-9 crore. “The proposal had been sent to the Centre based on the GTA agreement. Till the grants arrive, DGHC will fund the project,” said Verma. The Gorkhaland Territorial Administration agreement has provision for allocating funds for hill tourism. During the second phase, the “hawa-ghar”— the concrete structure where the bands, specially that belonging to the police have been playing since the colonial era — will be dismantled. “The hawa-ghar is obstructing the panoramic view of the hills and the designers have decided to do away with it. Instead, proper seating facilities will be made, though we will retain the old wooden benches that are here. The lighting system will also be improved,” said Verma. Earlier, the Darjeeling Police used to operate an electronic temperature board at the tourist assistance booth at the Mall. It was a huge hit among tourists and locals but it stopped functioning more than two years ago. The police have also stopped playing instrumental music in the Mall through its music system.(Telegraph)

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Couple found dead

Jalpaiguri, Feb. 12: A security guard of a tea garden and his wife were found dead in their house at Jyotinagar here this morning.Thirty-year-old Sandeep Kachhap’s body was found on the floor of his room and Reema was found hanging from the ceiling. Today when Sandeep’s father Kushan found that the couple’s room was locked from inside even after 8am, he started knocking on the door and calling his son and daughter-in-law. When no one answered after repeated knocks, Kushan called the neighbours who broke open the door. They found the couple’s bodies in the room. Deputy superintendent of police (headquarters) Haripada Shee said there were no injury marks on Sandeep’s body. He added that an investigation had started(Telegraph)

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Toyota & tourism plans in north

Siliguri, Feb. 12: Automobile majors Toyota and Maruti and four tourism entrepreneurs have expressed interest in investing in north Bengal, industries minister Partha Chatterjee said here today.

“Toyota and Maruti have written to us, saying that they would like to set up logistic hubs in north Bengal. We are very glad at their intent. They want to set up spare parts manufacturing and other ancillary units in the region,” Chatterjee said.

Although Chatterjee refused to divulge where the hubs would come up, Maruti Suzuki had announced during the Bengal Leads summit last month that it would invest Rs 80 crore in the project at Siliguri’s Kanchenjungha Integrated Park. The park is a joint venture of the WBIIDC and Shristi Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd.

The minister said four tour operators had expressed their intent to invest in the region. “They want to set up eco-tourism centres in the Darjeeling hills. Chief minister Mamata Banerjee will disclose their names during her visit to Darjeeling on February 28,” Chatterjee said.

“We have taken several steps to utilise the agricultural products of north Bengal and its IT potential. We have identified four-five areas in the hills, where we plan to set up IT hubs. We have chosen the area because of good English communication skills of the youths here,” Chatterjee said.

The minister said the government also wanted to explore the scope of floriculture and medicinal plants in Kalimpong subdivision. “We will also open a jute hub in Cooch Behar,” he said.

At a CII symposium that he attended yesterday, the minister said the government was willing to explore the business potentiality of the region but it needed specific projects for it.

The minister today lashed out at the previous Left Front government for failing to develop the state industrially and neglecting the region. “The previous government got 4,710 projects and was able to execute only 833 of them.”

Earlier in the day, former municipal affairs minister Asok Bhattacharya said the present government was spending huge amounts on festivals instead of developing infrastructure.

“The chief minister is keen on organising Utsavs instead of developing the ailing Himul (Himalayan Cooperative Milk Producers’ Union Limited) or the transport corporations,” said Bhattacharya. He was referring to the 10-day north Bengal festival that Mamata Banerjee inaugurated in Siliguri on Friday.

“All I would like to say is that for 34 years they misused the government funds, which we are now trying to utilise through concrete projects,” said Chatterjee.(Telegraph)

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Dredge plan for Karala revival

Jalpaiguri, Feb. 12: A Rs 23 crore project that entails dredging and diversion of sewerage to clean up and revive the Karala has been prepared by the North Bengal Flood Control Commission.

The chief minister is set to submit the project report personally to the Planning Commission during her upcoming trip to New Delhi and seek funds from the Centre.

The pollution of the river that has virtually become a refuse dump came to the limelight when thousands of fish floated up dead in Jalpaiguri on the morning of November 28.

Tests conducted at different laboratories revealed that endosulfan, a banned pesticide, had killed the fish like puti, boal, kholsey, tangra and boroli.

Narayan Chatterjee, the chairman of the North Bengal Flood Control Commission, said irrigation minister Manas Bhunia had handed over the detailed project report to Gautam Deb, the north Bengal development minister, at a meeting chaired by Mamata Banerjee in Siliguri on Friday.

“According to the report, the bed of the Karala will be dredged by one-and-a-half feet for a distance of 26km — from Shikarpur tea garden to the confluence of the river with the Teesta at Jubilee Park,” said Chatterjee.

The garden is 18km from Jalpaiguri.

Chatterjee said the dredging alone would cost about Rs 5 crore.

“The project also aims at diverting sewers away from the river. The sewers are connected to houses and shops along the bank. Once the natural flow of the river is restored, there will be scope for the irrigation department to introduce boating. The banks of the river will be paved and beautified by planting flowering plants and trees,” he said.

The construction of a spur and a bund at the confluence of the Teesta and the Karala also found a mention in the report. Both the structures will help stem the inflow of water from the larger Teesta to the Karala.

Minister Deb said north Bengal development department would give top priority to the revival of the Karala.

“We will soon launch the project in stages. I am certain that funds can be made available from the Planning Commission. I have spoken in detail with the chief minister about the project and she has said she will personally submit the report to the Planning Commission during her trip to Delhi between February 22 and 24. I will also accompany her,” said Deb.(Telegraph)

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Morcha oils street levers for GTA - Sunday protests kick off a day after Mamata visit

RAJEEV RAVIDAS

Kalimpong, Feb. 12: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha took to the streets for a separate state for the first time today since the signing of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration agreement and a day after Mamata Banerjee’s visit to the hills.

The move, party leaders admitted, was part of a two-pronged strategy to force the government for an early implementation of the pact and to counter rivals who have been trying to use the delay to drum up support in their favour.

Rallies and public meetings were held across the hills by the frontal organisations of the Morcha, whose supporters shouted slogans for Gorkhaland.

The processions culminated in public meetings, where speakers spoke in favour of statehood. Although planned earlier, the rallies come a day after chief minister Mamata Banerjee blamed the Centre for the delay in implementing the GTA and promised the Morcha that she would discuss the matter with the Prime Minister.

Asked why the rallies were still being held despite the chief minister’s assurance, Morcha general secretary Roshan Giri said: “The programmes announced will continue. We want speedy implementation of the GTA.”

The Morcha will hold similar rallies and public meetings all over the hills every Sunday in the weeks ahead.

Binay Tamang, the Morcha assistant secretary, said the GTA would not be a stumbling block to Gorkhaland and the party would continue to raise the demand for a separate state before and after its formation.

Tamang said a series of programmes would also be held in Mirik from February 24 to March 1 in favour of Gorkhaland.

Although Tamang denied the Mirik programme was an attempt to thwart the GNLF from campaigning for a Sixth Schedule status for the hills, many felt it was otherwise. “The GNLF has said it will hold a public meeting in Mirik on February 26 to drum up support for the Sixth Schedule. The Morcha’s Mirik-centric programmes are an obvious attempt to counter that,” said an observer.

Arjun Rai, a GNLF leader from Mirik, said his party was yet to decide on the public meeting.

“Nothing is firmed up. We are thinking of holding the meeting. I don’t want to react to other parties’ decisions but what is important is that we are in favour of Sixth Schedule. We will do all that is in our means to force the Centre to implement the tripartite pact granting Sixth Schedule status to the hills,” he said.

The Morcha has accused its rivals of trying to use the delay in the formation of GTA to their advantage.

Morcha president Bimal Gurung last week launched a scathing attack on Gorkhaland Task Force, targeting Chhatrey Subba in particular and accusing him of harbouring Maoists.

The ABGL, CPRM, GNLF(C), Bharatiya Gorkha Parisang and the Gorkha Rajya Nirman Morcha are members of the GTF.

“The Morcha obviously believes that the opposing voices are getting vocal by the day because of the delay in the implementation of GTA. They seem to have learnt the lesson from the GNLF, which lost ground partly because of the long delay in the implementation of the Sixth Schedule pact,” said an observer.

Gurung has also accused a section of the media of providing a platform to his opponents so that they can continue with their campaign against his party even though they do not enjoy any public support.

The local channel here has stopped airing news based programmes after Gurung’s allegation.

The Morcha denied that the party had anything to do with the programmes going off air. “The decision to stop telecasting the news is that of the cable operator,” said Tamang. The civil society has taken strong exception to the development.

“The news programmes must be allowed to resume. The local cable operator should not be allowed to feel insecure. This is the demand of the public,” said N.P. Dixit, the president of the Citizens’ Rights Forum, Kalimpong.(Telegraph)

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