Meeting between the GJMM and district electricity officials regarding the electricity outstanding in the Hills

DARJEELING, 1 NOV: A meeting was held between the GJMM leadership and district electricity officials in Darjeeling today regarding the electricity outstanding in the Hills today. GJMM general secretary Mr Roshan Giri said that the people of the Hills would start clearing up the bills from August this year as the cut-off month. “Those who have received the bills for the months of June, July and August should pay only the August bill. This is as per the GTA agreement,” he said. Notably, a majority of the people of the Darjeeling Hills had not paid the electricity bills along with the municipal and other taxes since July 2008 as part of the non-cooperation movement launched by the GJMM in support of Gorkhaland. The district magistrate, Mr Soumitra Mohan, however, said that they had received an order from the state government regarding August having been made the cut-off month. “But we have received no official instruction yet about the waiving of the outstanding accumulated since July 2011,” he said. Meanwhile, the district administration has hinted that the process of filing nomination for the 11 December civic body elections might commence on 8 November. The process might be completed by 16 November, a senior district official said.