Bhanubhakta birthday marks newfound GTA – Bengal bonhomie

4:52 PM

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gta news

A year after the confrontation over the Gorkhaland agitation, the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (BT) and the West Bengal government on Friday buried differences to share the stage in observance of the 204th  birth anniversary of Nepali poet Bhanubhakta Acharya in Darjeeling.

To be precise, there were two separate programmes; one organized by the Darjeeling district administration and the other by the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration. But, representatives of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha were present in the one organized by the administration and those of the administration in the one organized by GTA.

It was a far cry from July 2017, when, during the height of the statehood movement, West Bengal tourism minister Gautam Deb had gone to Panighatta, in the foothills in Kurseong, to observe Bhanubhakta Jayanti but his convoy was chased back by stone-pelters. As a result Deb had to return to Siliguri and on the way offer garland to the portrait of the Nepali poet on the road-side. The other occasion was in 2013 again during the statehood agitation that Bhanubhakta Jayanti could not observed either by the state government or by the GTA.

On Friday, the district administration organized its own program in Chowrasta, in the upper part of the town, to celebrate the Nepali poet’s birth anniversary. Gautam Deb was present in the company of GTA chairman and GJM president Binoy Tamang. The GTA organized a separate programme at the Gorkha Dukha Niwarak Sammelan hall in down-town marketto mark the occasion. The state minister did not attend the programme as he was in a hurry and had to leave for Siliguri, but Darjeeling district magistrate Joyoshi Das Gupta was present on behalf of the state government.

At Chowrasta, the state tourism minister and GTA chairman together offered garland and khaddas (traditional scarves) to the statue of Bhanubhakta and also sat together on the dais indicating that relation between the state government and the hill party was on right track.

Reflecting on last year’s events and disruption in the hills, Deb said: “It is nice that peace has returned in the hills. We need peace and stability so that there is tranquility and development can take place in the region. We (state government and the GTA) are working together.”

In the GTA programme, Tamang did not allude to the past events but assured that henceforth the Bhanubhakta Jayanti programme would be observed in the hills regularly. “Since, the formation of the GTA in 2012, we have been observing Bhanubhakta Jayanti Diwas. I was in-charge of the information and cultural affairs of the council, then. Sadly we could not organize celebratory programmes in 2013 and 2017. I assure everyone that from now on we will organize the programme every year without a break,” he said.

The Bhanubhakta Puruskar was started in 2014 by the GTA, with the aim to honor contributions of personalities in different fields. The award for this year was conferred to Dhan Hang Subba for Lok Sahitya, to Tanka Sharma for cinema and theater and to D.P. Sharma for journalism. On the other hand San Kumar Majhi was conferred with the Master Mitrasen Thapa award for his contribution towards folk-music.

The GTA chairman also announced new awards: Aruna Lama (music), Shiva Kumar Rai (literature), Ganga Prasad Pradhan (education) and D.B. Pariyar (cinema) to be given in the coming years.

[Via: EOIC]

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GJM threatened to drag WB government to court for replacing "Gorkhaland" to "Gorkha' Territorial Administration

8:59 AM

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West Bengal

Writes: Vivek Chhetri

Darjeeling, March 28: Bimal Gurung today threatened to drag the state government to court for “wilfully changing the nomenclature” of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration to the Gorkha Territorial Administration in official documents.

The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha has cited at least one gazette notification where “Gorkha Territorial Administration” was mentioned three times.

“The recognition of the word ‘Gorkhaland’ is of utmost importance to us. The word ‘Gorkhaland’ was recognized by the President, governor and the Bengal Assembly when the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration Act was passed by the Bengal Assembly and the assent given by the President,” Gurung, president of the Morcha as well as the GTA chief executive, said today.

“From the time we have started telling our supporters about the official recognition that Gorkhaland has received from the government, the administration has been discreetly working to change the nomenclature of the hill body. We will not tolerate this and will drag the state government to court,” he added.

GJM chief Bimal Gurung

“Look at the TMC’s manifesto and some of the government documents. They are replacing the word ‘Gorkhaland’ with ‘Gorkha’,” said Gurung.

The Trinamul manifesto for the Assembly election states: “Under the TMC government’s judicious rule, peace has been re-established in the hills. Our hill brethren have also joined the government in its developmental works. We have already initiated a number of progressive policies. Gorkha Territorial Administration (GTA) has been established for their welfare. Developmental work in the hills is under process.”

Gurung could not immediately recollect the government documents where the “Gorkha Territorial Administration” was mentioned, instead of “Gorkhaland Territorial Administration”. But a Morcha leader said there were at least three or four correspondences from the state government with “Gorkha Territorial Administration”.

“For example, a gazette notification of the Backward Classes Welfare department, issued on February 19, 2015 has repeatedly used ‘Gorkha Territorial Administration’,” he saud.

According to the leader, a paragraph in the notification states: “In respect of area under Gorkha Territorial Administration (GTA) in the district of Darjeeling, the Principal Secretary of Gorkha Territorial Administration and in absence of this office, the official performing the duties of this officer or any other officer of Gorkha Territorial Administration to be nominated by the state government.”

However, a senior official in Nabanna said: “The state government cannot change the name of the GTA unilaterally when the accord mentions Gorkhaland Territorial Administration. This must be a mistake.”

Via: The Telegraph

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GTA - Bengal Bipartite Meeting Today

12:03 PM

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West Bengal

A four-member delegation of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha today left for Kolkata for a bipartite meeting with the state government to discuss issues related to the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration. 

The delegation, led by GJM general secretary Roshan Giri, comprises central committee leaders Swaraj Thapa, R.B.Bhujel and former Kurseong MLA Rohit Sharma, will raise issues including the appointment of voluntary teachers, transfer of departments, grant of tribal status to ten hills communities and establishment of a central university in the region, among others. Thapa, who is also a member of the GJM’s study forum, the intellectual wing of the party, said, “We will attend the bipartite talks with state government representatives at Nabanna tomorrow. The GTA principal secretary too will be present. We have about 14 points that need to be discussed so that the GTA is able to function properly and independently.” 

The Home and Hills Affairs department of the state government, through a written communication on October 31, had asked the GJM to attend the talks scheduled on Monday in Kolkata. The state government will be represented by the chief secretary and the home and hills affairs’ department additional chief secretary. 

The agendas pointed out in the stated government’s letter include transfer of departments, rules of business of the GTA, a multi-specialty medical college and hospital in Kurseong and other programmes of the Health Department. The issue of tribal status to the Gorkhas, re-introduction of the three-tier Panchayat System and Implementation of different developmental schemes, hill compensatory allowance to all GTA employees, subordinate service selection board, separate school service commission and college service commission for the GTA will figure in tomorrow’s talks. 

When asked if the delegation would take up the issue of state government interference in the running of the GTA, Thapa said, “When we discuss the issue of transfer of departments, this matter will also be a part of it. It is due to the departments not being transferred properly that interference is being seen in the GTA, we feel.” 

Relation between the GJM and chief minister Mamata Banerjee is at an all time low. The GJM allegation is that the CM is trying to divide the hill communities by setting up development boards and also interfering in the independent functioning of the council body. 

Source: EOIC, file pic

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GTA's development works only on paper - Harka Bahadur Chhetri

11:29 AM

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Kalimpong

Harka questions GTA work in hills
Writes BIRESWAR BANERJEE

Harka Bahadur Chhetri, who quit the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha/GJM, on his return to the hills today said the party was a sham as no development work planned by it was visible in his constituency, Kalimpong.

He dodged the question of which party he would join, but said he would speak to the Trinamul-led state government about the lapses of the Morcha, which controls the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA). He added that he would put his best effort to meet the aspirations of Kalimpong residents before the next Assembly elections scheduled for next year.

At Bagdogra airport, while on his way to the hills, Chhetri said: "I am feeling free now and would be able to do a lot of work for people dwelling in the hills, particularly in Kalimpong, which is my constituency."

Harka Bahadur Chhetri at Bagdogra on Thursday. Picture by Kundan Yolmo

He said: "I have thoroughly visited my entire constituency, including several remote areas. During my visit, I felt disappointed as I found that most of the so-called development work announced elaborately (by the GTA) was only on papers. Even details of infrastructure projects were shared with people and funds were also sanctioned for such projects. But the ground reality presented a sharp contrast. I will bring these lapses to the notice of the state government and will seek a comprehensive inquiry to find out why these projects have not been completed."

He said when he had "raised these issues within the party, differences cropped up" between him and the other leaders. "I had enough reasons to quit the party. Whether the party has any clout in the hills does not matter to me. I will keep working as the MLA and this issue will not create any botheration for me," the Kalimpong MLA, who has for now said he would be an Independent legislator, said.

Ever since Chhetri has resigned from the Morcha, there are speculations that he might join Trinamul. Today, some hill Trinamul leaders and supporters were at the airport to receive the MLA who flew down from Calcutta.

Chhetri, when asked about his possibility of joining Trinamul, said: "I have nothing to comment. I want to work as a neutral MLA. Also, I would like to state that maintaining cordial relations with the state government does not mean that I will join the party which is running the government."

On the demand of declaring Kalimpong a separate district, Chhetri said: "I have spoken with the chief minister. She has patiently heard my point and assured me that she would look into the demand seriously."

Source Telegraph

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The First Nail in Central University Coffin?

6:11 PM

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Presidency University Kurseong

Writes: Upendra for The Darjeeling Chronicle

As Mamata lays the foundation stone for the extension of Presidency University campus offering a handful of courses, we are worried that this may actually be the 1st nail in the coffin of Darjeeling Central University.

Hitler had once said, “The best way to take control over a people and control them utterly is to take a little of their freedom at a time, to erode rights by a thousand tiny and almost imperceptible reductions. In this way, the people will not see those rights and freedoms being removed until past the point at which these changes cannot be reversed.”

What is happening in Darjeeling in these past few years is exactly that, gradually through the formation of Development Boards, appointment of Para teachers, non-transfer for departments actually signed out in the GTA Agreement, Bengal is taking away our autonomy, and the hill people need to speak out against these incursions.

GTA agreement Section 5 clearly mentions that all Government
Schools have been transferred to GTA

The same set of "intellectuals" who say GTA is a stumbling block to the formation of Gorkhaland state, do not see any issues with this sly act of subverting our demand for a Central University. It is sad to see that the "intellectuals" have two set of rules, a double standard of sorts, while they decry GTA as being stumbling block (perhaps rightfully so), they are applauding this move by Bengal, which has every chance of diluting the demand for a Central University in our hills.

As such,
GTA agreement Section 5 clearly mentions that all Government Schools have been transferred to GTA, so how is the state government usurping school lands?

How long will we allow Bengal to dictate terms to us?

Source The Darjeeling Chronicle

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GTA and Sikkim To Work Together for Gorkha Cause

7:30 PM

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Sikkim

Gorkhaland Territorial Administration and Sikkim To Work Together for Gorkha Cause

A five member team of Gorkha Territorial Administration(GTA) led by Shri Bimal Gurung, Chief Executive, GTA called on the Chief Minister Shri Pawan Chamling at his official residence Mintokgang, here in the capital yesterday.

After the meeting a press conference was jointly addressed by Shri Pawan Chamling, Chief Minister of Sikkim and Shri Bimal Gurung, Chief Executive, GTA.

During the press conference Shri Pawan Chamling while welcoming Shri Bimal Gurung in the state said that the meeting between the two decided to jointly take up the issue of Tribal Status for the entire Nepali Speaking Gorkha Community of the Country.

He also stressed that the duo will also collectively work upon protecting the dignity, self respect, political right of the Nepali Speaking Gorkha Community of the country.

In this regard the Chief Minister urged the think tank and intellectuals of civil society to come forward and cooperate, coordinate and make collective efforts and join hands for the cause of the community.

He further added that Nepali Speaking Gorkha Community from all around the country will be brought together to discuss this issue in order to prepare further strategy for this cause.

On Gorkhaland issue the Chief Minister said that Tribal Status to this Community will support the cause of separate state of Gorkhaland.

The Chief Minister further stressed that the state of Sikkim will support the Gorkha Territorial Administration in its various developmental activities by providing intellectual support and provide technical inputs for Capacity Building activities.

Shri Bimal Gurung, Chief Executive, Gorkha Territorial Administration, while addressing the joint press meet stated that Tribal Status to this Community has been a long standing demand of the community.

Shri Gurung also informed that the Chief Minister of Sikkim Shri Pawan Chamling has been pursuing this issue of Tribal Status at the National Level and his vast political experience will play a major role in accomplishing this task.

Hence, my visit to Sikkim is with a motive to have a collective joint effort for the Tribal Status to this Community of the country, he added.

Further, Shri Gurung said that Gorkha Territorial Administration has a lot to learn from Sikkim and the meeting also dwelt upon various initiatives where we can take the help of Sikkim in the development activities of GTA. Special focus was also given in the Skill Development and we have requested the Chief Minister for technical inputs for which the Chief Minister of Sikkim has given a positive response, he added.

[Via:  The Voice of Sikkim]

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Gurung Sceptic Over Transfer of Land Reform Departments to GTA

11:18 AM

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Politics

Gorkha Janmukti Morcha president Bimal Gurung on Wednesday asserted he would not accept the Land and Land Reforms Department if it is not fully transferred to the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration by the state government. On Monday, the state government issued a government order directing the Darjeeling district magistrate to place the services of the officers and employees of the Block Land and Land Reforms Office along with the Sub-Divisional Land and Land Reforms Office within the GTA area under the jurisdiction of the hill body as soon as possible. However, the District Land and Land Reforms Office has been kept out of the purview of the GTA.

Gurung Sceptic Over Transfer of Land Reform Departments to GTA

The GJM president, who is also the GTA chief executive, today expressed scepticism over the transfer saying he would first go through the details.

“I will first minutely study the government order. If we are not satisfied with the way the department is being transferred, we will write to the state government to rectify it. And if nothing happens even after that, we will not accept the transfer,” said Gurung today speaking on the sidelines of a programme to welcome TMC supporters from the Rungbull-Dhotrey constituency into his party. More than 200 TMC supporters from Dhotrey and Balasun under Kurseong sub-division joined the GJM today. The GJM wants 57 departments transferred to the GTA. The state government has complied to most but only in principle.

Important departments such as the PWD, transport, social welfare, fire services and information and cultural affairs and forest and panchayat are yet to be transferred to the GTA.

The SDL&LRO and BL&LRO have been transferred to the GTA, but the DL&LR has been left alone, which is one of the factors behind Gurung’s scepticism.

“Even though some departments have been transferred, we are still facing problems of dual jurisdiction. Under such a circumstance, we want the entire directory of the Land and Land Reforms Department to be brought under the hill body from the district magistrate’s office, as only then will it ensure the GTA’s independent functioning,” he pointed out.

During the days of the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council too, some departments had been transferred, but the transfers had been for namesake as the state government had the final say in almost all of them.

This time, however, the GJM does not want a repeat of the farce.

Gurung said he would talk to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to pursue the demand for the full transfer of the entire department and also seek compensation for the victims of the recent landslides that claimed 32 lives.

Banerjee is slated to visit Darjeeling on August 24 to attend a government programme, but the GJM chief will not be meeting her.

“I will be in Sikkim on August 23 and then leave for Delhi the next day to conduct a puja. But I will take up the issue with the CM on my return,” he said.

Gurung is expected to meet Sikkim Chief Minister Pawan Kumar Chamling to seek his support for the ongoing demand for granting tribal status to 11 Gorkha communities.

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GTA awards 61 meritorious students with laptop and Rs10,000

10:26 AM

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West Bengal

On the 69th Independence the GTA (Gorkhaland Territorial Administration) awarded 61 meritorious students from GTA region who secured top 10 position in class X and XII examinations conducted by CBSE, ICSE and the West Bengal Board.

The students were awarded with a laptop and Rs.10000/- each.
Congrats to all the deserving students!! Well Done!!

Photos & news via TheDC

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First ever Bengal-GTA joint programme in Darjeeling

11:53 AM

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West Bengal

For the first time ever, the West Bengal government and the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration will organise a joint programme in Darjeeling on August 6 in an apparent bid to strengthen the warming up of relations between the two sides which had soured up in the past few years.

Bengal - GTA TOGETHER on  “Clean and Green Darjeeling”  programme

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will be in Darjeeling to launch the “Clean and Green Darjeeling” project, which is part of the Swach Bharat Abhiyan, a Central initiative launched Prime Minister Narendra Modi last year. Relations between the state government and the GTA had gone bitter with the hill body accusing the former of unnecessarily interfering in its independent functioning.

Last month, the chief minister said the state government and the GTA would work together to develop the hills and even announced a slew of programmes to be taken up. Meantime, GTA chief executive Bimal Gurung, after a meeting with Mamata, had termed it the “best of all the meetings so far” with her or the state government.

Darjeeling district magistrate Anurag Srivastav said, “The chief minister will be arriving on August 5 and attend the launch of the Clean and Green Darjeeling drive the next day. This programme will be organised jointly by the district administration and the GTA. Other than this, we have not been informed about her itinerary.”

During her June visit, the chief minister had announced that the Green and Clean Darjeeling project would soon be started in the hills. She had also talked about constructing 53,000 toilets for various households and about making Darjeeling plastic free. All these initiatives are expected to be announced by the chief minister on August 6. Talks on the modalities of the programmes are being discussed between the district administration and the GTA.

"Since it is a joint exercise, we are discussing the modalities with the GTA and a meeting was also held yesterday. The Clean and Green Darjeeling project is not only about keeping the hills clean, but also encompasses sanitation. The chief minister will not only be launching the project but is expected to announce a comprehensive programme ranging from afforestation to banning plastic,” said the DM.

Preparations for the chief minister’s visit are already in progress with a pandal being set up at Chowrastha, the venue of the programme. The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha president, in his speech on the occasion of Shahid Diwas on July 27, had said the GTA Sabhasads, secretaries and municipality chairmen would welcome the chief minister in his absence. “I will not be in Darjeeling when the CM visits but in Delhi. I have already communicated this to the chief minister. However, she will be welcomed by the Sabhasads and other officials of the GTA,” he said that day.

The GJM chief also said he did not want to get into any confrontation with the state government and that the CM should not be spoken ill of and she should be happy when in the hills.

Jyoti Kumar Rai, the GJM assistant secretary and a Sabhasad, said, "This is the first time that the GTA and the state government are jointly organising a programme in Darjeeling. Our president will not be able to attend the programme but we will be there.” When asked if the joint programme was an indication of the improving relationship between the state government and the GTA, Rai declined to give out much. "The programme is part of the Swach Bharat Abhiyan; hence both the state and the GTA are executing it together,” he said. Gurung will leave for Delhi on Saturday to meet the prime minister and pursue the issue of providing compensation to those affected by the recent landslides in the hills. He is also expected to take up issues related to the GTA.

Source - EOI

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Why it should be "All India Gorkha Channel" ? and not "All India Nepali Channel"

7:54 PM

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TV News

Sanjog Chamling for IG

According to the Statesman article titled "GTA announces ‘own’ TV channel" which was later published on Darjeeling Times (details - http://goo.gl/Jl7m4X)  Gorkhaland Territorial Administration have recently announced 24 hr Nepali channel, hosted by NTV, named "All India Nepali Channel" which will be fully functional from the month of September this year. It is to be noted that this has not yet been confirm by the GTA officially.

If the new is  true, this would be the great initiative on the part of GTA, however, there has been campaigns in social medias and change.org to change the name of the channel from "All India Nepali Channel" to "All India Gorkha Channel". Online Petition addressed to GTA chief Mr Bimal Gurung, Chief Executive and other executives members of the GTA  has been submitted.

All India Nepali Channel" or "All India Gorkha Channel"?

It was mentioned in the article that .. Addressing a gathering organized to mark the 201st birth anniversary of Bhanu Bhakta Acharya at Gorkha Ranga Mancha Bhawan here, Assistant general secretary of the Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha (GJMM) and Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) executive member, Binoy Tamang said: “ Initially we had thought of keeping the channel’s name Kanchangunga TV or Gorkha TV, but we finalized on All India Nepali (AIN) because the channel will be for all the Nepali speaking population of India”

Language, Nepali, has already been recognized, on 20th August 1992 the Constitution of India gave recognition to Nepali language in the eight schedule of the Indian constitution. It is the term "Indian Gorkha" that needs to get highlighted at the national arena.The term "Indian Gorkha" tries to make a distinction between citizen of Nepal and the Indian citizens of the Gurkha ethnic group.

By including the word "Gorkha" in the channel name, people think, it would help take the demand of Gorkhaland to the national level, outside the political realm ... one by asserting our presence, two by making people debate more about Gorkhas on national level.

Moreover, word “Nepali” is not only the language but also synonymous with the citizenship of Nepal. Hence, the name "All India Nepali Channel" would only add to the Identity issue  arising out of Indo Nepal Treaty of 1950 which has already blurred the citizenship of the Indian Gorkhas.

Since, every Nepali speaking Indian or Indian Gorkhas aspire for their homeland, Gorkhaland, inclusion of the Word Gorkha in the name of the proposed channel would be supported by the mass. Nevertheless, its up to the concerned authorities to decide whether to go with the mass and use the opportunity to take the demand on national level or stick with their own decision.

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Bharat Ratna and statue of Tenzing Norgay Sherpa in Parliament demands GTA

9:10 AM

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Tenzing Norgey

Taking cue from NASA, the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) has become proactive and has decided to write to the Centre, to install a statue of Tenzing Norgay Sherpa in the premises of Parliament and naming the Bagdogra airport in the legendary mountaineer’s name.

Tenzing Norgay receiving his Padma Bhusan

This comes in the wake of NASA naming the first discovered mountain in Pluto- ‘Norgay Montes’ after Tenzing Norgay. “We thank NASA for conferring such a huge honour to Tenzing Norgay which gives pride to all Gorkhalis and the Darjeeling Hills. They (NASA) could have named the newly discovered mountain in Pluto after any American legends but they did not,” said GTA chief executive Bimal Gurung on Sunday.

Terming the legendary mountaineer as a global icon, the GTA chief executive said time had come for the country to acknowledge Tenzing Norgay’s greatness. “As NASA honours our legend, time has come for our Government to acknowledge Tenzing’s greatness and contribution to the country,” Gurung said in a Press statement that was issued after an internal meeting of the council body during the day in Darjeeling.

Tenzing Norgay along with New Zealander Sir Edmund Hillary was the first to set foot on Mount Everest on May 29, 1953, a feat which at that time was unimaginable.

The Sherpa community in the Darjeeling Hills have long been demanding conferring Tenzing Norgay with the Bharat Ratna but which the Centre has not acceded to.

On Sunday, the GTA took a decision to write to the President and the Prime Minister in this regard. “In 2014, our Prime Minister had stated how the entire nation was inspired by Tenzing Norgay’s unparallel achievement. We will remind him about his statement and also request the President to confer Tenzing Norgay with the Bharat Ratna, to respect his legacy and also encourage the present and coming generations to strive for excellence,” said Gurung.

The GTA will also write to the Centre seeking the renaming of NH-55, the primary link between the Hills and plains and Bagdogra airport. “NH-55 is officially named Tenzing Norgay Highway but this nomenclature is not used. I will write to the union road transport and highway minister to rename NH-55 in the mountaineer’s name. This aside, we also want Bagdogra airport, the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute and the Rajdhani Express from NJP to Delhi to be named after the late mountaineer,” Gurung said.

The late mountaineer’s son Jamling Tenzing Norgay Sherpa expressed gratitude to NASA for the honour conferred to his father. “It is surprising. Wish our Government took the initiative to remember and honour my father’s achievements and laurels he has brought to the country,” he said.

Tenzing Norgay was awarded the George medal and Coronation medal from the British government, the Iran Shah Medal and the Nepal Tara and Nepal Pratap Vardak awards. The Indian government had on the other hand honoured Tenzing with the Padma Bhusan. PTI

Via : EOI

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GTA Press Release on landslides in the Darjeeling hills

10:26 PM

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mirik

Press Release from Gorkhaland Territorial Administration on 9th July 2015.

The Gorkhaland Territorial Administration's Chief Executive Mr Bimal Gurung is visiting all the areas affected by the landslides in Kalimpong including Todhay Tangta, Lava Lingsey, Gitadabing and Khola Khan at lava.

Bimal Gurung visiting the damaged areas during heavy rainfall on 30th june 2015 to 5th july 2015 in the hills

Principal Secretary, Dr Ravi Inder Singh chaired a high-level meeting to review the status of relief and rescue operations in areas affected by the recent landslide.

Mr Bimal Gurung , the Hon'ble CE was briefed over the phone on the extent of destruction, including the damage to infrastructure such as roads, Schools, Colleges, Government buildings and power lines by the Principal Secretary. In the meeting an overview of the status of relief operations and steps taken to ensure supply of essential commodities including food and drinking water was discussed. GTA is currently accessing the damage caused and shall be sending their report to the State and Central Government.

List of roads damage during heavy rainfall on 30th June 2015 to 5th July 2015 in the #Darjeeling hills PART ONE

List of roads damage during heavy rainfall on 30th June 2015 to 5th July 2015 in the Darjeeling hills. PART 2

Mr Bimal Gurung, instructed top officials of the GTA to continue to work closely with the affected area to ensure that there are no bottlenecks in relief and rescue work. He also emphasized the need to document learnings from this landslide. The meeting was attended by all GTA Executive Directors, Engineers and other top officials along with Shri Trilok Dewan, MLA Darjeeling.

In the meeting a list of roads restored by the GTA was also presented.GTA in the last one week have been working round the clock and has restored nearly about 40 roads in GTA area.

Media Cell, Department of Information and Cultural Affairs, Gorkhaland Territorial Administration.

Via: Bimal Gurung Official

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Bimal Gurung - State not co-operating with GTA

2:04 PM

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Politics

Gorkha Janmukti Morcha president and GTA chief Bimal Gurung today criticized the state saying it was continuing non-co-operation in matters related to the hill body making it difficult for them to run it.

Bimal Gurung shut Redbank, Surendranagar, Dharanipur and Bandapani tea estates in Dooars

He added that talks on transferred subjects have been "fruitless" and disappointing.

"The state is not co-operating in matters related to GTA. Because of such non-co-operation, we are finding it tough to run the autonomous body. Many state departments are yet to be transferred and on several occasions, the state is overruling the GTA. Also, no assessment or discussion is being held on the tripartite agreement we have signed along with the state and the Centre for the formation of the autonomous body," Gurung, who visited closed Dooars estates today, said.


"Despite several rounds of talks with state representatives, the problems have not been resolved. Such fruitless meetings have left us disappointed. Let the GTA run in the manner in which it is running these days. Our principal demand is statehood and we are working on it. The GTA is just a stepping stone. If such non-co-operation continues, we will have to ponder over whether we will run the GTA," Gurung added.

Yesterday, he reached Chamurchi near Banarhat in Jalpaiguri district to attend a party workers' meet. Today, he visited the shut Redbank, Surendranagar, Dharanipur and Bandapani tea estates.

"The state has miserably failed to address the problems of thousands of jobless workers and their dependents in the closed estates. The state has acquired some of these gardens but could not reopen them to end the plight of the people," Gurung said. "People are dying of malnutrition and starvation in these estates," he said.

In November last year, the state acquired Redbank, Dharanipur and Bandapani estates and cancelled the land lease of these three gardens.

"Along with the state, all political parties who have trade union fronts in these estates are also responsible. They are doing politics with the hapless workers and they are least concerned about how they and their families can be saved. We are not for politics and we will soon write to the Centre requesting intervention and necessary steps to reopen these gardens," Gurung said.

Source: Telegraph

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GTA Team to Adopt a Village in Nepal to provide relief

11:48 AM

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gta news

Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) Team Proposes to Adopt Birta Deurali Village in Kavre.

GTA Team to Adopt a Village (Birta Deurali)  in Nepal to provide relief

The GTA team which is providing relief in Nepal have proposed to adopt a village - Birta Deurali in Kavre, in Nepal.

The team arrived last night with food and relief materials, where around 150 houses have totally collapsed, 4 people have been killed by the quake and 7 people have been injured.
The GTA team was the 1st to reach the village, where no relief had reached even 10 days after the quake.

As the Nepal government has asked rescue teams to move out, the fate of thousands of those who are yet to be reached in remote parts of Nepal are uncertain.
Senior GTA functionary Mr. Binoy Tamang stated that they have proposed to adopt this village, and requested all the various governments and donor agencies to adopt a village each, and help them in rebuilding each village.

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GTA to promote tourism at Sidrapong hydel project

3:09 PM

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Tourism

The GTA today kicked off a project to promote tourism at the site of Sidrapong hydel project, which is the country’s oldest hydel power plant commissioned in 1897.

A building on the premises of the Sidrapong hydel project.

At present, there is no road connectivity to the hydel site, situated 12km from Darjeeling and in the foothills of Arya tea garden

“We realised that despite a virtually non-existent connectivity, some tourists, basically foreigners, trek to India’s oldest hydel project. We feel the place has a potential to be developed into a major tourist attraction and that is why we have decided to improve connectivity and put in place amenities for the tourists,” said Binay Tamang, executive GTA Sabha member.


Tamang today took part in a bhumi puja to start the construction of a road from Orange Valley tea garden’s factory to the hydel project. “A road will be constructed over a distance of 2.5km. We will also build a steel bridge (over the Kotwali stream). The total cost of the road and the bridge is Rs 3.96 crore,” he said.

“The GTA will also start the construction of eight cottages for the tourists. The area will be beautified also,” he added.

The total cost of the entire project will be around Rs 8 crore which was sanctioned by the Centre in November 2014. “In the memorandum of agreement signed with the Centre and the state government (for the formation of the GTA), we had demanded that Sidrapong hydel project, the oldest in India, be restored. The Union finance department has allocated Rs 8 crore for its restoration from the annual central package of Rs 200 crore for the GTA,” said Tamang.

The hydel project at an altitude of 3,600ft was commissioned on November 10, 1897, by the then acting lieutenant-governor of Bengal, Charles Cecil Stevens. The power plant that still generates 0.6 megawatt of electricity a day is fed by three streams, Barbata, Hospital and Kotwali.

The project was under Darjeeling municipality till 1978. On January 30 that year, the state government had taken over the hydel project, along with 12 other power plants around Darjeeling town.

Source: Telegraph

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Agriculture Tourism festival at Meghatar - GTA announces Rs 250 Crores Tourism projects

10:15 AM

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Tourism

Vivek Chhetri
Bimal Gurung today inaugurated an agriculture and tourism festival at Meghatar near here, where it was announced that the GTA had finalised tourism projects worth more than Rs 250 crore, which includes setting up of at least eight new tourist points in the hills.

Bimal Gurung plays a traditional instrument at Meghatar near
Darjeeling on Thursday. Picture by Suman Tamang

The Gorkhaland Territorial Administration plans to develop Meghatar as a new tourist destination.

Meghatar is around 45km from Darjeeling

Bimal Gurung, the chief executive of GTA who inaugurated the nine-day festival, said: "There are hardly any open spaces left in the urban areas of the hills. This makes the tourists want to visit far-flung areas, and that is why we are developing new spots."

At Meghatar, the tourism department proposes to set up cottages, a lake, watchtowers and a statue of Lord Shiva at an estimated cost of Rs 13 crore. Meghatar, situated at an altitude of 5,800 feet, provides a panoramic view of Sikkim, Kalimpong and Darjeeling.

"At present, we will be spending about Rs 250 crore on tourism development in the hills. Most of the projects will be completed in three years. We will only be using local materials like bamboo and wood to construct the cottages. We will not use any concrete materials," said Sonam Bhutia, the executive director of the GTA tourism department.

The other new tourist spot which the GTA is working on is Nook Dhara (which is expected to cost Rs 9 crore) and Mulkhagra (expected to cost Rs 13 crore) in Kalimpong subdivision.

"Mulkhagra has is a lake where one can see the reflection of Mount Kanchenjungha," said Bhutia.

The other new tourism spots being developed by the GTA are cottages at Puttabong (which will cost Rs 5 crore), organic resort at Singla (expected to cost Rs 14 crore). They also plan to develop the hydel project at Sidra pong as a tourist spot at a cost of Rs 8 crore. These projects are based in Darjeeling subdivision.

"We are also reviving the Old Military Road from Dilaram to Kurseong. This would be a new tourist route," said Bhutia. The road is being repaired at an estimated cost of Rs 17 crore.

The other new tourism project in Kurseong subdivision will be at Belatar.

"The survey for ropeways from Giddepahar to Rohini in Kurseong, Deolo to Relli in Kalimpong and Tukvar to Goke in Darjeeling is complete. We are now waiting for environment clearance," said Bhutia.

The GTA is also planning to develop Mirik Lake at a cost of Rs 37 crore.

"We will also develop the existing Manjushree Park in Mirik apart from developing the Tanga Road at Thurbo in Mirik," said Bhutia.

The tourism department is also building circular roads in Darjeeling and Kalimpong, apart from widening the Pankhabari Road, which connects Kurseong with Siliguri.

Source: Telegraph

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Centre instruction to stick to the provisions of GTA for Bengal

9:00 AM

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Roshan Giri

Darjeeling, Jan. 29: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha today said the Centre had asked the Bengal government to stick to the provisions of Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) memorandum of agreement and the Act to ensure that the hill body functioned autonomously.

(From left) State home secretary Basudeb Banerjee, additional secretary, home affairs (Centre-state relations) Anant Kumar Singh, and GTA executive Sabha member Roshan Giri in New Delhi on Thursday

A tripartite meeting between the Morcha, the state's and the Centre's representatives was held in New Delhi today, after which Roshan Giri, a GTA executive Sabha member, said over phone from Delhi: "The meeting has been fruitful. The Centre has made it clear that the state should stick to the provisions of the MoA and the GTA Act to ensure that the GTA functions autonomously."

Giri said that regarding the transfer of departments such as land and land reforms, tauzi, PWD, food and supplies, lotteries etc, Anant Kumar Singh, the additional secretary in charge of Centre-state relations in the Union home ministry, "has asked the Bengal government to ensure that it sticks to the MoA and GTA Act and to expedite all process to ensure that the hill body functions autonomously."

Union home ministry sources said the Bengal government had already transferred several departments to the GTA but were asked to explore the possibilities of transferring more areas to the hill body.

Giri said that it was decided that the state government would form a committee to frame the rules and regulations of the GTA.

About this, the source in the Union home ministry said the committee would necessarily deal with capacity building within the GTA on how to run business.

Every administration or elected body has rules of business for which training is imparted in any new body.

The source said the bestowing of Scheduled Tribe status on some of the hill groups was also among the issues discussed at the meeting.

"They have been asking for ST status from time to time and we have sent a proposal to the Registrar General of India for that," said an official.

Giri, too, spoke about the ST status demand. "We also raised the demand for granting of tribal status to the 10 hill communities and we were informed that the file had reached the registrar-general of India's office. The development seems positive," the Morcha general secretary said.

Regarding the transfer of mouzas from the Terai and Dooars, the Morcha has been asked to send its grievances in writing to the state government.

"With regard to transfer of reserve forests to the GTA, we were informed that the ministry of environment and forests has made a note on the issue and this would be forwarded to the GTA soon," said Giri.

During the meeting it was revealed that the Centre had so far released funds to the tune of Rs 315 crore to the GTA. "Of this, the GTA has spent Rs 240 crore," Giri said.

The Morcha also claimed that the state government had informed its leaders that a draft to set up a Subordinate Selection Board (for recruitment in the GTA) had been forwarded to the Public Service Commission for its views. "A draft on the setting up a separate School Service Commission has also been sent to the state education department. We are also working for setting up a separate College Service Commission and a regional pension and provident fund office, as has been agreed in the GTA agreement," Giri said.

The Morcha leaders said the Centre had assured them that the process of implementing the three-tier panchayat system would be expedited. A constitutional amendment is needed to implement the three-tier rural system in the hills.

"The state government has also been asked to look into the issue of withdrawing cases (except those of murder) slapped against the statehood agitators. The state government has been asked to complete the process within two months," Giri said.

The Centre has reportedly told the state government and the GTA to explore the possibility of filling up vacancies in the GTA where sanctioned posts are lying vacant and where reservations policies have to be adhered to.

The Morcha today demanded a one-time financial aid of Rs 170 crore to set up a GTA secretariat, quarters and other infrastructure. Giri said the Centre had asked the state to "examine" the proposal.

"We have also demanded that the Darjeeling Mail should start from Gulma railway station near Sukna, and the setting up of a central university and hospitality management institute in the GTA area," Giri said.

The Morcha delegation had Trilok Dewan, the Darjeeling MLA and Barun Roy, Jalpaiguri divisional commissioner who has currently taken up additional charge as principal secretary of the GTA, and Don Bosco Lepcha, the GTA secretary.

"The Centre was represented by Anant Kumar Singh, the additional secretary, home affairs (Centre-state relations), A. Jain, director (Centre-state relations) and other joint secretaries. The Bengal government was represented by home secretary, Basudeb Banerjee, additional secretary (hill affairs) P.N. Bhutia, R.D. Meena, the resident commissioner, and Puneet Yadav, district magistrate of Darjeeling," said Giri.

Source: Telegraph

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GTA Demands Gorkhaland Financial Development Corporation to be Established

11:29 AM

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Roshan Giri

Vivek Chhetri
The GTA (Gorkhaland Territorial Administration) Sabha today requested the Centre to set up a Gorkhaland financial development corporation to provide soft loans and other incentives to prospective investors in the GTA area.

GTA Demands Gorkhaland Financial Development Corporation to be Established

S.S. Ahluwalia, the Darjeeling BJP MP, along with a GTA delegation, today called on Union finance minister Arun Jaitley in Delhi and put forward the request.

Speaking over the phone from Delhi, Ahluwalia said: "There is a provision in the GTA memorandum of agreement which states that the GTA can take up issues of providing tax holidays. Accordingly, we have requested the finance minister to provide special incentives to investors in tourism, agro industry, IT and electronics industry and also grant subsidies and tax waivers for the region."

Clause 25 of the GTA agreement states: "The GTA, once established, will separately take up the issues relating to grant of incentives, subsidies, waiver of taxes and tariff and other benefits as appropriate to the region's backwardness, with the Central and state governments."

The GTA delegation included executive GTA Sabha member Roshan Giri, Darjeeling MLA Trilok Dewan, GTA secretary Don Bosco Lepcha and K.B. Yogi, the executive director of the GTA,

Ahluwalia said the Gorkhaland Financial Development Corporation was aimed at facilitating soft loans to investors.

"The corporation will play a role in providing soft loans as well as various grants to prospective investors in the GTA area. The topic was discussed at length with the finance minister and the response to the proposal has been good," said Ahluwalia.

Asked if the GTA had discussed the matter with the state government, Ahluwalia said: "This has already been agreed upon in the agreement which has been signed both by the Centre and the state government. We are sure that the Centre will discuss the matter with the state government."

Providing tax exemption and subsidies to investors on the lines of benefits extended to eight states of the North Eastern Council has been a long standing demand of the GTA.

Among the benefits enjoyed by the residents of the north eastern states is the exemption from paying income tax.

Ahluwalia said the GTA delegation, which had met Union human resource development minister Smriti Irani in Delhi yesterday with a demand to set up a central university in the hills, took up the matter with the finance department today.

"We sought financial support to set up the central university. The response to this demand has also been positive," said Ahluwalia.

A central university can be set up only by an act of the Parliament. Asked if there were any assurances on this front, Ahluwalia said: "We are expecting some announcement to be made during the budget session (of Parliament)."

Source: Telegraph

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GTA Act Leds to Sanjay Thulung Suspension Complications

10:51 AM

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GTA Sabha

Vivek Chhetri
The (Gorkhaland Territorial Administration) GTA Sabha is in a fix over its decision to suspend elected member Sanjay Thulung, who is wanted in cases related to recovery of arms in Assam and Darjeeling, as the GTA Act does not have provisions for suspension of an elected member.

GTA Act Leds to Sanjay Thulung Suspension Complications

When the issue was taken up in front of Bhupendra Pradhan, the chairman of the GTA Sabha, by The Telegraph, he agreed that there was a mistake and they would look into the matter.

The GTA Sabha had taken the decision to "suspend" Thulung on January 6.

The next day, The Telegraph had pointed out that the GTA Act does not have such a provision and Pradhan had said: "I will refer to the Act and get back."

Today, he said: "We will go through all the provisions and see what can be done."

Earlier this month, the GTA Sabha had said Thulung had been suspended till his name was cleared in the arms haul cases.

The elected GTA Sabha member had been named in an FIR related to recovery of arms from Assam in November last year and from 27th Mile in Darjeeling district in December.

The "suspension" resolution taken up by the GTA Sabha has come under scanner as according to Section 18 of the GTA Act, which deals with "removal of members", "government, may after giving an opportunity to an elected Member to show cause against the action proposed to be taken against him, by order, remove him from office".

The section clearly states that it is the government that can "remove" a member.

Although the GTA Sabha had "suspended", Thulung, there is no provision in the GTA Act that empowers either the government or the GTA Sabha to "suspend" any elected member.

According to the GTA Act the government could "remove" an elected member on several grounds one of which is: "if after an election a criminal court convicts the member of an offence involving moral turpitude punishable with imprisonment of more than six months".

This provision cannot be applied even in Thulung's case as he has neither been arrested nor convicted by a court.

The GTA Sabha member is currently absconding.

Another provision regarding the removal of a GTA member in the Act is: "if he fails to attend three consecutive GTA Sabha meeting without its permission".

After Thulung went missing, the GTA Sabha has not held three meetings.

Even if the government is to "remove" Thulung, on the behest of the GTA Sabha, the Act clearly states that the government must form an authority to which the removed member can make an appeal against removal.

Although there are other grounds for removal, for example, if an elected member is below 18 years old, or is not a citizen of India, and others, none of the grounds can be applied in Thulung's case.

The other ground for disqualification of a member of the GTA is on grounds of defection but this does not hold for Sanjay Thulung as even for disqualification on this ground, a "prescribed authority" cannot declare any member disqualified without giving the member a reasonable opportunity to represent his case and to be heard in person.

Sources in the GTA Sabha said the decision to suspend Thulung was taken as no one was aware of the provisions of the Act.

"Everyone started talking about the need to suspend him and this is how the resolution was passed," said a GTA Sabha member.

The Sabha members could not say what would be the next course of action now that it was known that the "suspension" of Thulung was not in accordance with the provision of the GTA Act.

Opposition parties in the hills were quick to criticise the GTA Sabha members for not knowing the provisions of the GTA Act.

Binny Sharma, the general secretary of Trinamul hills, who is also the party spokesperson, said: "The GTA members do not even know the act of the body that they are currently administering. What else can be expected of them."

"Anyway, the Sabha took the decision (to "suspend" Thulung) to save its face. The issue is about arresting the mastermind," he added.

Source: Telegraph

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Darjeeling winter festival 2015 begins with ‘Hamro ghar’ scheme

9:29 AM

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gta news

The 7-day winter festival at Chowrasta in Darjeeling began today with the distribution of cheques amounting to Rs 80,000 to 100 families of the below poverty line (BPL) as part of the first phase of the ‘hamro ghar’ scheme initiated by Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) today at the inaugural programme of winter festival 2015.

Darjeeling winter festival 2015 begins 

‘Hamro ghar’ scheme had been launched for the BPL people under GTA areas by the GTA, where 20 houses will be build in each constituency with a budget of rupees 1,60,000 for each house.

The 7-day festival is organised by the tourism department of GTA in collaboration with the state government. “Tea and tourism is Darjeeling’s identity, development in tea and tourism means all sectors of life in Darjeeling will benefit from it. This winter festival is also a means of tourist attraction” said the finance secretary of GTA, Mr D.B.Lepcha.

The winter festival was inaugurated by the GTA chief and Gorkha Jana Mukti Morcha (GJMM) supremo, Mr Bimal Gurung, by lighting a lamp which was followed by a welcome speech by Mr D.B.Lepcha. The programme then moved forward with ‘maruni nritya’, ‘pachhimi Chutka nritya’ and Nepali folk song by the Artists of Teesta Rangit Sanskritik Toli of Darjeeling.

The event also witnessed speeches by the MLA Darjeeling, Mr T K Dewan and Mr Cheyong Pulzar, the Excecutive Director of P&RD Department of ‘hamro ghar’ scheme. The ‘dhaan naach’ by an artist of Teesta Rangit Sanskritik Toli marked the last programme of the inaugural ceremony of the winter festival which was further followed by a speech from Mr Bimal Gurung.

The winter festival of 2015 will witness a host of star attractions and band performances like Bipul Chettri, Adreen Pradhan and Nima Rumba and bands like Mantra, Pralaya, Parichaya, US band, Wafwot band, Carnival and winners of International Hornbill Festival, Adams Apple and Nightmares “We want our local people coming up with their talents. That is why we have invited local stars to perform during this festival,” said Mr Gurung.

Adreen Pradhan who is a vocalist, composer and songwriter,
performed at Chowrastha in the evening amidst much cheers. When Mr Pradhan was asked about how he is feeling about performing at the festival, he said, “I am a bit excited.”

Source: Sns

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