In the run up to the Lok Sabha election,
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had promised to set up a hawkers’ market
at Chowrastha, saying this was one of her pet projects for the
Darjeeling hills, but the pledge is in danger of being broken amid
strong objections by several residents and social organisations.
Members of the Morning Health Club (MHC)
today obstructed workers of Rohini Engineering Co-operative Society
Limited, the company that has been awarded the project, and refused to
let them fell trees any further at the proposed construction site. The
Federation of Societies for Environment Protection (FOSEP) too joined
the protest against the felling of trees to make way for the hawkers’
market.
The foundation stone for the ‘Aastha
Hawkers’ Market’ was laid by the chief minister on January 23 of this
year at Chowrastha during the celebrations of Netaji Subash Chandra
Bose’s birth anniversary. MHC members were the first to notice RECSL
workers engaged in cutting down the branches of a tree around 10.30am
this morning. When they enquired, the workers told the health club
members they have been directed to fell a few trees to facilitate the
construction of a market complex in the area. Upon hearing this, town
residents who go to the Chowrastha area for morning walk and to soak in
the morning sun’s rays also joined in the protest.
The MHC members stressed they have no
objection to the construction of a market complex in the area, but are
strongly opposed to the destruction of trees that are an integral part
of the scenic and surreal beauty that has made Chowrastha so likeable.
“There are only a very few areas left
in town that boast of some greenery and Chowrastha is one such crucial
area. Building high rises in and around the promenade will spoil its
beauty and charm and we will not allow this to happen. On the pretext of
development, we will not tolerate the disappearance of the peace and
tranquility the place has been providing since decades,” said MHC
president Tshering Dorjee Bhutia, even as he clarified their objection
was nowhere related with politics.
FOSEP secretary Bharat Prakash Rai,
meantime, pointed out that the RECSL has not obtained even the necessary
permission required to fell trees.
“We enquired and found that those people
who were busy cutting the trees and their branches have not secured
official permission to carry on with the job. Therefore, how can people
simply enter Chowrastha and start cutting trees and branches on their
own account? This is beyond our comprehension,” he said.
When contacted, some officials of the
Land and Land Reform Department confirmed on condition of anonymity the
department has not issued any permission to cut trees at Chowrastha.
The FOSEP secretary also emphasised he
was not against construction of a structure to house shops of small-time
traders and vendors.
“Our objection is only towards
construction woks that will spoil the beauty of this (Chowrastha) place.
We understand quite clearly hawkers must be provided a permanent
structure, but such as development can be planned in any other part of
town,” said Rai.(EOIC)