The proposed construction of a hawkers’ market at Chowrastha has begun blowing out of proportion with town
residents taking to the streets even as the district administration
continues to stand firm on its decision of going ahead with the plan.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee laid the
foundation stone for the market complex in January of this year. The
Aastha Hawkers’ Market, estimated to cost Rs1 crore, is expected to
house more than 300 hawkers from the market areas of town. It is being
constructed by the Rohini Engineering Cooperative Society Limited at CR
Das Road, just below Chowrastha.
Strongly opposed to the construction are
the Morning Health Club, Federation of Societies for Environment
Protection and the Darjeeling municipality as well as most of the
townsfolk. They have got a shot in the arm with GJM president and
Gorkhaland Territorial Administration chief executive Bimal Gurung
recently demanding a referendum on the construction.
However, the district administration is
adamant to start work at the earliest citing the urgent need for a
building to house the hawkers who at present have occupied most vantage
pavements in town.
MHC members today submitted a memorandum
to the district magistrate and also staged a rally to oppose the
construction of the hawkers’ market at Chowrastha. School children and
NGOs participated in the rally displaying placards.
“We are not against the hawkers who do need a permanent place to trade from.
However, our opposition is against the
construction of a concrete structure at Chowrastha, one of the few spots
in town that still has some greenery left. A hawkers’ complex can be
built in some other place,” said MHC president Tshering Dorjee Bhutia.
Further, he threatened to file a lawsuit
if the district administration goes ahead with the building process by
ignoring the people’s demand.
"We submitted a memorandum today, but we
did not get a cordial response from the district magistrate. We will
soon hold a meeting with other organisations and if required, file a PIL
as well,” said Bhutia.
Meanwhile, the newly-floated Aastha
Hawkers’ Welfare Association, which owes allegiance to the Trinamool
Congress, alleged the issue was being unnecessarily politicised by the
municipality in cahoots with the GJM. The association, countering the
opposition to the construction, also served a deputation to the district
magistrate.
“Construction work was supposed to start
from June, but some municipality councilors, in connivance with the
GJM, are opposing the plan and misleading the people for their vested
interests,” alleged AHWA president Bharat Subba.
The association also pointed out that
the municipality has chosen to keep silent despite rampant ongoing
constructions in and around the Chowrastha and Mall areas.
“There are huge constructions underway
on Nehru Road and big resorts have come up in the Mall area. Similarly,
flouting municipality norms massive construction works are ongoing in
other places of town. Why is the municipality keeping quiet over such
cases or is it partners in crime too?” questioned Subba, who leads more
than 300 members.
Darjeeling DM Puneet Yadav confirmed
receiving memorandums from two separate associations and at the same
time asserted a hawkers’ market would be built at Chowrastha as
planned.
"I have tried to assure local health
club members and others opposed to the market that construction work
will be carried out in accordance with municipality rules and
regulations and that the peace and tranquility of Chowrastha would be
maintained. The project is important for town residents and will
commence as planned,” he said, adding soil testing on the construction
spot is in progress while a plan would be submitted to the municipality
after test report comes from Jalpaiguri in a few days.(EOIC)