Hills list fresh demands

TT, Darjeeling, April 28: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha has decided to seek the reorganisation of subdivisions and blocks in the hills and a change in the name and profile of the board that deals with primary schools in the GTA Sabha area.

The two demands, which are not part of any understanding reached between the state government and the Morcha, will be placed before the Bengal chief secretary when a party delegation meets him on April 30.

“We have prepared a list of 14 issues that we would like to discuss with the chief secretary and the education minister on April 30,” Morcha general secretary Roshan Giri told The Telegraph.

Sources in the Morcha said the delegation would be led by Giri.

“We want a reorganisation of subdivisions and blocks in the GTA area. Some of the blocks are very big and their bifurcation is important for the smooth functioning of the GTA. Once the government starts the process of the reorganisation, we will place our exact demands on the number of subdivisions and blocks that need to be created,” said a Morcha leader.

At the moment, the GTA area comprises eight blocks that form three subdivisions — Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Kurseong.

A source said the Morcha delegation would also demand that the district primary school board be renamed the GTA Primary Council and more offices be created under the body.

“We want the whole set-up of the administration of primary schools to be changed. The district primary school board has an office only in Darjeeling. The board should be renamed the GTA Primary Council and there should be sub-offices in other hill towns also. The sub-offices can take care of the recruitment of teachers and other matters, while the council will act as an apex body,” said the source.

The hills have 774 primary schools which are currently governed by the board under the GTA.

The revamp of the subdivisions and the creation of the GTA primary council are not mentioned in the memorandum of agreement signed by the Morcha, state government and the Centre and the subsequent act passed by the Assembly for the formation of the GTA.

Morcha sources said the two additional demands were necessary for the smooth functioning of the GTA.

The delegation will also seek permission to fill up 1,040 vacant posts in the Sishu Siksha Kendras and an additional 62 vacancies in the Madhyamik Siksha Kendras.

The Morcha will ask the government to set up separate school and college service commissions in the hills and start the process to amend the Constitution to put in place a three-tier panchayat system in the region.

Another demand is the complete transfer of 16 mouzas in the Terai to the GTA. “The GTA elections were conduced in these mouzas. But so far, only land has been transferred to the GTA. These areas are still under the Siliguri Mahakuma Parishad and people are facing a lot of inconveniences because of this. We want a complete transfer of the entire administration of the 16 mouzas to the GTA,” said the source.