Hands off land, GTA told Sabha fumes at govt order

Calcutta, Jan. 6: The Mamata Banerjee government has instructed the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) through an order to follow the state’s hands-off land policy that GTA Sabha members have said is “unacceptable”. The order (picture on on top), issued by principal secretary of the land and land reforms department, R.D. Meena, on December 28, categorically states “in no circumstances there will be any forcible acquisition of land and the land policy of the State Government shall be strictly followed by the GTA in dealing with any case….” The GTA Sabha is yet to receive the order. But several Sabha members said the order was passed unilaterally and will be opposed by the hill body when it reaches the hills from Writers’ Buildings.

“We are coming to know of this from you (The Telegraph). You possess a copy of the order and we don’t. If the state government had to pass such an important order, directly affecting the GTA, we ought to have been consulted,” said GTA Sabha member and Kalimpong MLA Harka Bahadur Chhetri. The order has raised questions over development projects being planned for the area as, according to Sabha members such as Chhetri, “substantial” of land would be required for implementing the projects. Chhetri said the GTA Sabha has been working on plans for colleges, universities, tourist resorts and allied facilities, roads and other infrastructure projects, worth “at least half” of the Rs 200 crore grant from the Centre. “If this government’s land policy is to be followed in letter and spirit, it would be difficult to get any land. Moreover, if the state government tries to impose restrictions on the GTA in every key area of functioning, where is the greater autonomy that was promised to us? How will the GTA then be different from the DGHC?” Chhetri asked. A section of bureaucrats echoed the GTA’s concerns, apprehending “rough weather” for major development projects if the hills body is forced to follow the state’s policy. “Land is an integral part of development infrastructure. Most development projects in the plains are stuck in a limbo because of the land issue. If those in the hills meet the same consequences, then the agitation there could resurface,” said a senior official this evening. Mamata’s aversion to land acquisition has already put several projects such as the widening of highways NH34 and NH31D in north Bengal under threat. Besides, two thermal power plants — a 1,000MW Larsen & Toubro plant and a 1,600MW NTPC plant at Burdwan’s Katwa — are yet to take off because of the government’s persistent refusal to acquire land even for such key infrastructure facilities. In the order, the state has also refused the GTA the authority to carry out land settlements for residential, non-agricultural and tea garden purposes. The order states that in such cases, the GTA could send recommendations to the state government but the final settlement would be done by the latter. “The order is in violation of the provisions of the tripartite agreement and the GTA Act that was passed last year on the basis of those provisions. The state is apparently trying to restrict the powers promised to us in the agreement and the Act, in concurrence with the Centre,” Chhetri said. “We will take this up within the GTA and with the government. We will bring it to the notice of the Assembly. We are not going to take this lying down,” he said. However, one of the government’s seniormost bureaucrats contradicted Chhetri’s claim, saying neither the agreement nor the GTA Act had any provision contrary to the order. “The GTA is a part of the state’s administration. A single state cannot have two land policies. The discussion ends there,” the official said. “The government has not taken a single step so far outside the provisions of the agreement or the Act. Outside of tauzi related matters, taking final decisions on land was never a part of the autonomy that the Sabha was promised. The Sabha could make minor additions to the policy, according to its own needs, but none that is in contradiction to it (the state’s policy),” he added.(TT)

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College to close in transfer protest

Darjeeling, Dec. 23: Bimal Gurung has directed the Gorkha Janmukti Vidyarathi Morcha to close down the Darjeeling Government College office for an indefinite period starting tomorrow to protest the state government’s decision to transfer two teachers from the institution. Although colleges in the hills are closed for winter vacations, the administrative wings of the institutions are open and a closure of the office would mean that the teachers who are to be transferred would not be given release orders, mandatory before joining a new college.

Sherpa Bhutia, the head of the geography department, is to be transferred to Chandernagore Government College. The other teacher, Willie Henry, who heads the zoology department, is supposed to be transferred to AB Sen College in Cooch Behar. “We met our party president Bimal Gurung (today) and according to his directions, we are closing down Darjeeling Government College indefinitely from tomorrow,” Asok Chhetri, the vice-president of the Vidyarathi Morcha, told The Telegraph today. Darjeeling Government College is the only government college in the hills. Under the GTA memorandum, the college is supposed to be handed over to the hill body Gurung, the GTA chief executive, had directed GTA executive member R.P. Bhujel to send a written objection to the state higher education minister asking the government to stall the teachers’ transfers till the institution comes under the autonomous hill body. The letter dated December 18 read: “I, as directed by Shri Bimal Gurung, Hon’ble Chief Executive, Gorkhaland Territorial Administration Sabha, request you to kindly hold the transfer of these teachers till the transfer of Darjeeling Government College is completed.” Gurung had also directed Kurseong MLA Rohit Sharma to look into the issue. The development comes at a time chief minister Mamata Banerjee is about to start a tour of some north Bengal districts and a review meeting between the state, Centre and the Morcha on the functioning of the GTA is also scheduled in Delhi on December 26. “This is a political transfer,” said Bhutia, who has sought the state government’s permission to remain in Darjeeling. He cited the guidelines framed by the higher education department (Letter No. 583-Edn (H)/ION-59/12) dated June 15 which states that government colleges would be categorised in four zones: A, B, C and D. Zone A is classified as areas within 25km of Sealdah/Howrah and B, C and D are zones are within 75km, 200km and beyond 200km from the stations. “The guideline clearly suggests that if a teacher does not want to serve in A and B zones, he would be allowed to stay in C and D zones but not more than 10 years. I am in Darjeeling for only seven years now,” said Bhutia. Darjeeling is in zone D. The teacher also stated that rule number 4 of the guideline says that: “Normally a teacher would not be asked to serve in D zone colleges twice. If the incumbent opts for a second transfer to D zone, his request will be considered.” “However, my request is not being considered,” Bhutia said.(TT)

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Barla to meet CM

Siliguri, Dec. 23: A group of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha supporters led by John Barla would meet Mamata Banerjee in Jalpaiguri’s Nagrakata on Friday in an attempt to get the chief minister’s seal for an alliance in the panchayat elections. The JMM has been in talks with north Bengal development minister Gautam Deb for a panchayat poll alliance between the ruling party in the state and the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha and Barla’s party. Trinamul leaders in the Dooars, where the party lacks a widespread base, said the decision on the alliance with the JMM and Morcha, if spelt out by Mamata would largely help them in the panchayat poll campaign. “The initial move has been made by Gautam Deb (on the alliance). What we now need is the final seal. This would help us as well as the JMM and the Morcha who will work at the grassroots for the panchayat polls,” a Trinamul leader said. Although chief minister Mamata’s visit is planned around government work, Barla said: “The minister (Deb) has agreed to allow us time so that we can meet the chief minister and articulate our demands.” The demands Barla spoke about were of the tea industry in Dooars. Barla and his team will present Mamata a list of 10 demands. “We have consulted among ourselves and met the Trinamul leaders and the north Bengal development minister and expressed our willingness to attend the government event in Nagrakata, where the chief minister would be present,” Barla said. “Tea workers under the banner of the Progressive Tea Workers’ Union will attend the meeting. We have passed the message to each tea garden in the Dooars. People in large numbers will be present at the event from the brew belt,” Barla said after meeting Deb in his Siliguri office today. “Our key demands are for land rights to tea workers, the forming of a separate department for tea in the state government, the reopening of closed tea estates and the creation of a wage board to fix wages of tea workers,” he said.(TT)

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Kurseong tea festival

Siliguri, Dec. 23: A three-day tea and tourism Festival begins in Kurseong from January 3 to highlight the tourism potential of the hill-town. “We are introducing unique items to promote the festival by involving tea pluckers and showcasing the village life to highlight the tea and tourism prospects in our town,” said Jeetu Giri, the press and publicity convener of the festival organising committee. Samir Deep Blon, chairman of the Kurseong municipality, is the president of the organising committee. Asha Mukhia Lama, Vinod Prakash Sharma and Saran Dewan are the vice-presidents. “It is important that the whole town should feel the festive spirit. Hence, we have decided to light up shops and establishments on Hill Cart Road,” said Giri. “The toy train track between Kurseong station and Mahanadi will be used for joyrides for the first time in the past two-and-half years. Paragliding and rock-climbing will also be introduced,” Giri said(TT)

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