Dooars Terai- committee formed to decide on the territorial jurisdiction of the GTA

Nov. 23: The committee formed to decide on the territorial jurisdiction of the GTA is unlikely to come up with a solution as a a section of the Adivasi leaders has sought the inclusion of the Dooars and the Terai in the body. The 10-member high-powered committee, headed by Justice (retd) Shyamal Sen, had only been asked to look into the Morcha demand for some mouzas in the plains. The committee that had set a deadline of October 31 for the public to submit their opinion on the areas to be brought under the GTA will hold its first meeting in Calcutta on November 29. However, a day before the deadline expired, a section of the Akhil Bharatiya Adivasi Vikas Parishad leaders had joined hands with the Morcha and said all the mouzas in the Dooars and the Terai should be included in the GTA. The Morcha had staked claim to 199 mouzas in the plains, which they claim were dominated by the Nepali people. The Adivasi leaders’ stand has come as a stumbling block and there are enough indications that the committee might not be able to take a decision on the territorial jurisdiction. Requesting anonymity, a member of the panel, said: “According to the terms of reference, the committee is mandated to look only into the Morcha’s demand for the inclusion of a certain number of mouzas in the GTA. I do not think that the committee can look into the demand raised by the Adivasis as it would be outside the purview of the term of reference.” The member’s statement is an indication that even if the committee does come up with its report on the Morcha’s demand, a final decision on the territorial jurisdiction will still remain elusive as the Adivasi leaders want the entire Dooars and the Terai to be included in the new body. The panel members include four Morcha leaders, apart from the district magistrates of Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri, an official of the state’s home department, director of census who is representing the Centre and the administrator of the DGHC. There are no representatives of the Adivasi community on the committee. The rebel Parishad leaders who want to be part of the GTA admitted that they had not made any submission before the committee demanding the inclusion of the entire Dooars in the new body. “The only submission from the Parishad was made by the state committee,” said Tez Kumar Toppo, one of the five rebels who have joined hands with the Morcha. The Parishad stand was made clear before the panel by Birsa Tirkey, the president of the state committee, which is opposed to inclusion of the tribal areas in the GTA. “I told the committee categorically on October 24 that any area in the Dooars and the Terai should not be included in the set-up for the Darjeeling hills. We demand that the Sixth Schedule status be conferred on the Dooars and the Terai,” said Tirkey. The delay in settling the territorial issue will hold up the formation of the GTA as the Morcha has already said no elections can be held to the body unless a decision is reached on its geographical jurisdiction. Observers believe only if the state government intervenes, the territorial issue could be solved

TT