SILIGURI, 24 APRIL: The GTA representatives would demand immediate
transfer of departments/establishments to the Gorkhaland Territorial
Administration (GTA) during a meeting with the state Chief Secretary, Mr
Sanjay Mitra, at Writers’ Buildings slated on 30 April.
A senior
GJMM leader, Mr Jyoti Rai today said they would seek clarifications from
the state government regarding the transfer of control of some
establishments like schools, health centres and panchayat bodies located
in 18 mouzas which had been transferred to the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill
Council (DGHC) when the tripartite agreement involving Centre, state
government and GNLF was signed in 1988.
“It is surprising that
these establishments are yet to be transferred though the GTA elections
held last year covered these mouzas. These must be transferred to the
GTA immediately,” Mr Rai said, adding that these are still being
controlled by the Siliguri administration and Siliguri Mahakuma
Parishad.
He also said the GTA Chief Executive, Mr Bimal Gurung, would not
attend
the meeting with the chief secretary. “We, a group of GTA
representatives, would attend the meeting. Mr Gurung would visit Kolkata
later,” he said.
Expressing satisfaction over Calcutta High Court
activism in clearing long-pending matters like the appointment of the
GTA principal secretary, he said this seems to be only way to make the
dithering state government to act.
Asked whether his party would
approach the court again regarding the long-pending transfer of
departments from the state government to the GTA, Mr Rai said they would
wait till the 30 April meeting is held.
“We still believe that
the state government would take prompt initiatives. If things keep mired
in uncertainty we would weigh the legal option. However, things have
not yet come to that stage. We would wait,” he said.
Mr Rai said the state government has not yet transferred 29 out of 58 departments as mentioned in the GTA pact.
statesman news service
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