1)Mamata asks GJM to accept report and take part in GTA polls
2)Committee for inclusion of five mouzas in GTA, GJM rejects
3)How did the Sen Committee recommend 5 moujas against a demand of inclusion of 398?
How did the Sen Committee recommend 5 moujas against a demand of inclusion of 398?
KOLKATA: The Justice Shyamal Sen Committee, set up by the Mamata Banerjee government to determine the jurisdiction of the Gorkha Territorial Administration (GTA), has recommended inclusion of five moujas — two in Jalpaiguri and three in Darjeeling against the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha's (GJM) demand of 398 moujas of Terai and Dooars.
Chief secretary Samar Ghosh, to whom the report was submitted on Friday, laid bare the contents before the media on Saturday. He announced, "The high-power committee has recommended inclusion of M M Terai, Purba Karaibari and Gulmathari under the Darjeeling district and Samsing and Chalauni moujas under Jalpaiguri district into the GTA Sabha. The GJM had demanded inclusion of 398 moujas (199 each) from the two districts, but the high-power committee has found only these five moujas qualify for inclusion."
A mouja or a group of villages was taken as a unit area while considering the jurisdiction of the GTA Sabha in the Terai and Dooars region. The GTA is the new Hill Councill that would run the administration in Darjeeling. It is armed with more powers that its predecessor, Darjeeling Gorkha Hills Council (DGHC).
The inclusion of five moujas by the nine-member committee, that the chief minister dubbed as "independent of the government" may sound abrupt, but not after the chief secretary elucidated the steps leading to the final recommendation.
Explaining the rationale behind the inclusion of only five against the original demand of 398 moujas, the chief secretary said the areas were included, taking into account contiguity, compactness and ground-level conditions. He explained that out of the 199 moujas demanded by GJM in Jalpaiguri, 149 were excluded for their geographical proximity to eastern Bhutan. Three of the remaining 50 were incomplete moujas. Out of the rest, only ten were Gorkha-dominated.
Among these, Paschim Totagaon, Purba Totagaon and Sundari Basti lacked direct link to DGHC or the proposed GTA Sabha.
Ghosh said, "To include these, Allenbari Tea Estate would have to be brought in. But the Gorkha population there is only 25 per cent." Of the remaining seven moujas, Bagrakote Tea Gardens and Kalaikuti were struck off due to administrative reasons. Patharjhora, Turibari and Manabari moujas had to be left out because the Garubathan block would have to be linked to them for the sake of contiguity. These three were, in fact, linked to Odlabari block which had a high school were students from the three moujas attended.
"Therefore, only Samsing Tea Gardens and Chalauni can fulfil all the criteria and have been chosen out of the 199," the chief secretary said.
As for selection of three among the 199 moujas in Darjeeling, he said two had been repeated and seven were already in DGHC. Out of the 190 in consideration, only 11 moujas were Gorkha-dominated (more than 50 % population). "Considering the ground-level situation and other factors, only three moujas fulfil the criteria," the chief secretary said, adding, "moujas like Demali among the 11 have been left out because they have no link with the Hills and are entirely dependent on the plains of Bagdogra." Again, the Mechhi and Shiuba moujas couldn't be included thanks to their proximity to the Nepal forest.
Mirjanglachhat and Karaibari, Chaupasarichat, Joramarichhat and Jadubektarchhar moujas are surrounded by non-DGHC areas and thus, stand excluded. "Thus, M M Terai, Gulmakhani and East Karabari are recommended all factors considered," the chief secretary said.
Chief secretary Samar Ghosh, to whom the report was submitted on Friday, laid bare the contents before the media on Saturday. He announced, "The high-power committee has recommended inclusion of M M Terai, Purba Karaibari and Gulmathari under the Darjeeling district and Samsing and Chalauni moujas under Jalpaiguri district into the GTA Sabha. The GJM had demanded inclusion of 398 moujas (199 each) from the two districts, but the high-power committee has found only these five moujas qualify for inclusion."
A mouja or a group of villages was taken as a unit area while considering the jurisdiction of the GTA Sabha in the Terai and Dooars region. The GTA is the new Hill Councill that would run the administration in Darjeeling. It is armed with more powers that its predecessor, Darjeeling Gorkha Hills Council (DGHC).
The inclusion of five moujas by the nine-member committee, that the chief minister dubbed as "independent of the government" may sound abrupt, but not after the chief secretary elucidated the steps leading to the final recommendation.
Explaining the rationale behind the inclusion of only five against the original demand of 398 moujas, the chief secretary said the areas were included, taking into account contiguity, compactness and ground-level conditions. He explained that out of the 199 moujas demanded by GJM in Jalpaiguri, 149 were excluded for their geographical proximity to eastern Bhutan. Three of the remaining 50 were incomplete moujas. Out of the rest, only ten were Gorkha-dominated.
Among these, Paschim Totagaon, Purba Totagaon and Sundari Basti lacked direct link to DGHC or the proposed GTA Sabha.
Ghosh said, "To include these, Allenbari Tea Estate would have to be brought in. But the Gorkha population there is only 25 per cent." Of the remaining seven moujas, Bagrakote Tea Gardens and Kalaikuti were struck off due to administrative reasons. Patharjhora, Turibari and Manabari moujas had to be left out because the Garubathan block would have to be linked to them for the sake of contiguity. These three were, in fact, linked to Odlabari block which had a high school were students from the three moujas attended.
"Therefore, only Samsing Tea Gardens and Chalauni can fulfil all the criteria and have been chosen out of the 199," the chief secretary said.
As for selection of three among the 199 moujas in Darjeeling, he said two had been repeated and seven were already in DGHC. Out of the 190 in consideration, only 11 moujas were Gorkha-dominated (more than 50 % population). "Considering the ground-level situation and other factors, only three moujas fulfil the criteria," the chief secretary said, adding, "moujas like Demali among the 11 have been left out because they have no link with the Hills and are entirely dependent on the plains of Bagdogra." Again, the Mechhi and Shiuba moujas couldn't be included thanks to their proximity to the Nepal forest.
Mirjanglachhat and Karaibari, Chaupasarichat, Joramarichhat and Jadubektarchhar moujas are surrounded by non-DGHC areas and thus, stand excluded. "Thus, M M Terai, Gulmakhani and East Karabari are recommended all factors considered," the chief secretary said.
Committee for inclusion of five mouzas in GTA, GJM rejects
Kolkata, Jun 09 (PTI) Dealing a blow to the demand by Gorkha Janmukti Morcha for inclusion of 398 mouzas in the plains in the jurisdiction of the proposed new hill council in Darjeeling, a West Bengal government-appointed committee has recommended inclusion of only five. Gorkha Janmukti Morcha promptly rejected the Justice Shyamal Sen Committee report on the jurisdiction of the Gorkha Territorial Administration terming it as 'biased and insulting' and threatened a renewed stir in the hills. Making public the report of the Justice (retd) Shyamal Kumar Sen committee, Chief Secretary Samar Ghosh told reporters today that "the recommendations have been made on the basis of homogeneity, contiguity, compactness and ground- level situation of the mouzas." The 10-member committee was set up after the signing of the tripartite agreemment by the Centre, the state government and GJM on July 18 last year for setting up a new hill council, Gorkhaland Territorial Administration, to replace the existing Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council. During the signing of the agreement, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had made it clear that there could not be a further division of Bengal. The agreement was reached by the Mamata Banerjee government, which took over the reins of Bengal in May last ousting the Left Front from power, after three and a half years of agitation by the GJM for a separate state of Gorkhaland. Of the five mouzas recommended for inclusion, two were Samsing and Chalouni in Jalpaiguri district and three M M Terai, Gulmakhari and East Kalaibari in Darjeeling district, Ghosh said. A mouza is less than a subdivision. The hill council runs the administration in the three hill subdivisions of Darjeeling district -- Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Kurseong. GJM had demanded that 398 Gorkha dominated areas in the adjoining plains in the Terai and Dooars in Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri districts should also be included in the jurisdiction of GTA. The chief secretary, to whom the report was submitted yesterday, said the committee prepared the report in consultations with all. On February 24 this year, it was agreed by the state government and GJM that all parties would abide by the recommendations of the committee, Ghosh said. Asked when the election to GTA could take place, the chief secretary said "we will work out the date of the election." He said a report on delimitation had earlier been submitted to the Home Secretary. Election would take place in 45 seats while there would be 5 nominated members.
Source: http://ibnlive.in.com/
Mamata asks GJM to accept report and take part in GTA polls
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today asked Gorkha Janmukti Morcha to accept the report of a state government-appointed committee on jurisdiction of a proposed hill council pointing out that it was already agreed upon to accept it.
"There was unanimity at the time of forming of the committee by the state government that all will accept the report and work for the development of the Darjeeling hills", Banerjee told reporters.
The chief minister said "there is no question of my being happy or unhappy at the committee recommendations but I would like to see all in Darjeeling as well as in Terai and Dooars to live in peace."
She also asked GJM to take part in elections to Gorkha Territorial Administration.
It was not the state government which had taken a decision, she said and cautioned "I don't want eruption of fresh trouble in Darjeeling and I would like to advise those trying to do politics over the issue not to do so."
Earlier, making public the recommendations of the Justice (Retd) Shyamal Kumar Sen committee set up by the state government for inclusion of Gorkha-dominated areas in the plains in the proposed new hill council, Gorkha Territorial Administration, Chief Secretary Samar Ghosh said five mouzas would be added.
Gorkha Janmukti Morcha has demanded inclusion of 398 mouzas.
Asked to comment on GJM's refusal to accept the report, the chief minister said "GJM is a political party and can definitely give its opinion."
Banerjee said the committee heard the viewpoints of many, including GJM, the state goverment and central government, before submitting its recommendations.
"We all cooperated with the committee," she said.
Appealing for working hand in hand for the development of Darjeeling, Banerjee said "there is no scope for misunderstanding. It is my appeal to the people in Darjeeling hills, Terai and in Dooars to adhere to the committee's recommendations."
Expressing the hope that tourists in Darjeeling would be happy, she said "let us work jointly for the development of the hills. We will work for the development of Sandakhphu, Mirik and Kalimpong and improve the road network in Darjeeling."
Work would also be taken up for improving power, development of tourism, horticulture and railway projects, she said.
The chief minister said she was happy that the report was submitted in a "record" time.
"We did not expect that the report would be submitted so soon. It will help in the development of Darjeeling hills," she said pointing out that GJM leaders had also wanted early submission of the report.
Banerjee asked all, including GJM, to take part in coming GTA elections for overall development of the hills.
"There was unanimity at the time of forming of the committee by the state government that all will accept the report and work for the development of the Darjeeling hills", Banerjee told reporters.
The chief minister said "there is no question of my being happy or unhappy at the committee recommendations but I would like to see all in Darjeeling as well as in Terai and Dooars to live in peace."
She also asked GJM to take part in elections to Gorkha Territorial Administration.
It was not the state government which had taken a decision, she said and cautioned "I don't want eruption of fresh trouble in Darjeeling and I would like to advise those trying to do politics over the issue not to do so."
Earlier, making public the recommendations of the Justice (Retd) Shyamal Kumar Sen committee set up by the state government for inclusion of Gorkha-dominated areas in the plains in the proposed new hill council, Gorkha Territorial Administration, Chief Secretary Samar Ghosh said five mouzas would be added.
Gorkha Janmukti Morcha has demanded inclusion of 398 mouzas.
Asked to comment on GJM's refusal to accept the report, the chief minister said "GJM is a political party and can definitely give its opinion."
Banerjee said the committee heard the viewpoints of many, including GJM, the state goverment and central government, before submitting its recommendations.
"We all cooperated with the committee," she said.
Appealing for working hand in hand for the development of Darjeeling, Banerjee said "there is no scope for misunderstanding. It is my appeal to the people in Darjeeling hills, Terai and in Dooars to adhere to the committee's recommendations."
Expressing the hope that tourists in Darjeeling would be happy, she said "let us work jointly for the development of the hills. We will work for the development of Sandakhphu, Mirik and Kalimpong and improve the road network in Darjeeling."
Work would also be taken up for improving power, development of tourism, horticulture and railway projects, she said.
The chief minister said she was happy that the report was submitted in a "record" time.
"We did not expect that the report would be submitted so soon. It will help in the development of Darjeeling hills," she said pointing out that GJM leaders had also wanted early submission of the report.
Banerjee asked all, including GJM, to take part in coming GTA elections for overall development of the hills.
Source: http://www.dnaindia.com/
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