District demand committee

RAJEEV RAVIDAS, TT, Kalimpong, Oct. 11: Political parties and social organisations together formed the Kalimpong District Demand Committee yesterday to raise the pitch for a separate district and Kalimpong MLA Harka Bahadur Chhetri was chosen as the chief co-ordinator of the panel.

Two other co-ordinators, Yusuf Simmick, the vice-chairman of the Lepcha Development Board, and Nayan Pradhan, a member of an NGO called Centre for Mountain Dynamics, would assist Chhetri in the committee.

"Yesterday, I held meetings with representatives of different social organisations and NGOs, civil society leaders and leaders of political parties, following which it was unanimously decided that the Kalimpong District Demand Committee would be formed. I have been chosen as the chief co-ordinator," said Chhetri who quit the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha recently.

Representatives of anti-Morcha parties like ABGL, CPRM and Gorkhaland Rajya Nirman Morcha were present at the meetings, along with social organisation members.

The committee will start its campaign with street corner meetings across the subdivision from tomorrow. On October 16, a public meeting will be held here. The venue has not been decided. "People need not change their political allegiance to support the district demand," Chhetri said. He said although Morcha was in favour of the demand, it did not pursue the matter seriously.