Ramesh Alay takes over as new GTA executive,GTA back to work after two months

Darjeeling, 22 October
The deputy chief of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA), Mr Ramesh Alay, today took over the vacant seat of the chief executive ~ the  responsibility was officially vested in him by the Sabha today to normalise the functioning of the body that has been hampered due to the recent statehood agitation and until the release of the chief executive, Mr Binay Tamang.
Briefing reporters after the crucial meeting of the GTA Sabha today held at Gorkha Rangmanch Bhawan, Mr Alay said: “I shall perform my duties and responsibilities well.”
He also said to the GTA would immediately start taking up all pending work.
“From today itself, the GTA will start to take up all pending works. The development work of about six-seven months has been pending and we shall work day and night to complete it. Even the chief minister has said to develop Hills through the GTA and we shall fulfill it.”
Importantly, the Sabha adopted two resolutions ~ the first being the release of the salaries of its employees that the state government has put an embargo on and the other being the release of all the  GTA members and GJMM cadres, including the release of the chief executive.
“Since GTA is an autonomous self-governing body, the sabha today requested the new acting chief executive to release the salary of all the employees from the GTA fund, today itself, along with the release of all the arrested GTA and GJMM members,” said the executive member of GTA, Mr Jyoti Kumar Rai.
Twenty-seven GTA members along with two nominated Trinamul Congress-affiliated members were present at the occasion today. However, the principal secretary Mr R D Meena, was absent.
Meanwhile, Mr Alay along with other GTA members affiliated to the GJMM, has hinted they may meet the chief minister in Darjeeling. “On 24 October the chief minister has a political meeting, which we shall not attend,” Mr Rai said. “However, the GTA members must make a courtesy call on her, since she is the chief minister and it is also to maintain good relations with the state government. We are ready to meet her on 25 October,” Mr Alay said.
Meanwhile, the party president Mr Bimal Gurung and the general secretary Mr Roshan Giri, today returned to Darjeeling.
In Kurseong today, Mr Gurung said: “The three MLA’s will meet the CM on 25 October as party representatives.” The GTA members affiliated to the party are expected to report to Mr Gurung and take his consent whether or not to meet the chief minister.(SNS)

GTA back to work after two months - Allay says hill body to function properly, Morcha first patch-up signal to state  

Darjeeling, Oct. 22: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha today made the first sign of reconciliation with the state government as the deputy chief executive of the GTA Sabha took charge as the GTA’s acting chief.

Lt. Col (retd) Ramesh Allay was given the powers to act as the GTA chief executive today as chief minister Mamata Banerjee started her tour of the hills. Around 1pm today, Allay entered his office at Lal Khoti.

Earlier in the day, the GTA Sabha, attended by 27 of the 50 members, empowered Allay to assume all powers until Binay Tamang, who has been elected as the GTA chief, takes charge.

“I have assumed charge and we will function in a full-fledged manner now,” Allay said after entering the office.

The election of the GTA chief executive became necessary because Morcha chief Bimal Gurung quit the post on July 30.

The state government and the Centre had earlier said the Morcha should shun the path of protests and work to strengthen the GTA.

During the July-September statehood agitation, the Morcha had said that it would exit the GTA at an appropriate time.

Other outfits of the Gorkhaland Joint Action Committee (JAC), which was leading the protests, had wanted the Morcha to quit the GTA immediately.

Right now, a turnaround for the Morcha seems difficult as it is left with few options.

Allay today said: “Even chief minister Mamata Banerjee wants development through the GTA. We will immediately review the pending projects as envisaged by our leader Bimal Gurung. The GTA will start functioning properly from now and we will concentrate on developing every nook and corner of the hills.”

The GTA today passed a resolution to give full salaries to the hill set-up employees for the month of August. Yesterday, state government officials in Calcutta had said the GTA had no power to do so as the salaries were slashed heeding a government order.

Binny Sharma, Trinamul (hills) spokesperson, said the party had also apprised the chief minister of employees’ absence during the agitation because of fear and non-availability of transport.

“We are hopeful that government employees from the hills will get to hear some positive news when our leader Mamata Banerjee visits Darjeeling,” he said.

The Morcha leadership seems ready for reconciliation with the chief minister.

“My representatives will definitely meet her (Mamata),” Bimal Gurung said in Kurseong while travelling to Darjeeling from Guwahati.

Gurung and Roshan Giri, the general secretary of Morcha, had gone to seek blessings at the Kamakhya mandir there.

During Mamata’s visit to Kalimpong in September, Morcha and the Gorkhaland Joint Action Committee had asked the hill people to stay indoors as a mark op protest. This time Gurung did not make any such announcement.

“As a chief minister she can visit any place. She will also come to attend a political programme, which she can do,” said Gurung.

He was referring to a public meeting in Darjeeling on October 24 that Mamata is scheduled to address.

It is also the first district conference of Trinamul in the hills.

Morcha MLAs from Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Kurseong will meet Mamata here on October 25.(The Telegraph)