Darjeeling and Dooars : High Economic Potentials...Reasons of State -Mahendra P Lama

KalimNews, 9 August 2013: As a separate state, the Darjeeling region will complete the definition and geographical configuration of the Northeast. The demand for a separate state comprising of Darjeeling district and the adjoining Dooars is over a century old now. 
This region has a distinct political history and  socio-cultural background far away from the complexities of Bengal’s politico-economic structures. Two phases of intense agitations during 1985-88 and 2008-2012 had violent eruptions killing hundreds of people. It was preceded by the fierce Naxalite movement in 1960s and 1970s originating at the very core of Darjeeling’s foothills. This region has little to do with the state of West Bengal in terms of geographical features, natural resources, socio-cultural pattern and livelihood. Merely focusing on its size and terrains a fabricated discourse is floated to question the economic viability of this region. In fact, as a state it will be most economically viable. It is possibly for this reason Bengal Government would not like to part with it. This new state could also bring the comprehensive security to India. 
Despite the setting up of the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council in 1988 and the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration in 2012, people have now realised that the Bengal Government is inclined to neither make substantive development interventions nor putting right its conscious historical injustices. Once celebrated as the “Queen of the Hills”, Darjeeling district and Dooars (D & D) today remain in a state of total ruin. The forest resources, cinchona plantation, tea industry, opulent biodiversity, water resources, human resources and most importantly the traditional institutions have all been systematically plundered. This smacks of an internal colonialism practiced from the Writers Building in Calcutta. People in the hills have suffered from this planned manipulation and organised alienation by successive regimes in West Bengal. The hunger deaths in the tea gardens of Dooars and the massive demographic change in Darjeeling district is only the tip of the iceberg. A separate State will be a viable entity on five significant grounds. 
First, this new state will be the only one to have four international borders -. Bangladesh, Bhutan, China (a little beyond inside Sikkim) and Nepal. Even if it undertook cross border trade including through land customs  within regulated framework, it could earn fortunes and generate a huge development multiplier. As the regional and global trade scenario becomes more liberal and the cross border connectivity improves, these trade routes are likely to become robust and vibrant in very near future thereby triggering wider variety of sub-regional cooperation and integration. Unlike in the past the trade linkages could now count not only on goods and products but on services like tourism, health, education, communications, energy, banking and insurance. 
Second, this will be the only state where two topographically varied plantations-agricultural and social systems will be available. Largely dominated by the tribals and linguistic and religious minorities, the tea, cinchona, floriculture, horticulture and direct access of these farm items to both national and international markets mostly towards the South East and East Asia through even ports like Chittagong and Mongla in Bangladesh and Sittway in Myanmar could have no parallels. For instance, D & D together constitute 20% of the total land under tea cultivation in the country. These two regions contribute almost 7 percent of the total world tea production and fetch huge resources. Interestingly the auction centre and the tea companies are all located in Calcutta and other places thereby taking the cream of development to the cities. 
Third, this entire region is declared as one of the 25 biodiversity hotspots in the world. D & D alone have Singalila and Mahananda national parks and Sinchel, Neora Valley, Gorumara and Jaldapara water and game sanctuaries. Given this and the fabulous mountain ranges, this will be the only state in the country where bio-diversity and scenic beauty led eco-tourism could be blended with educational and health services of a diverse range. If Sidrapong power house, the first hydel power project in Asia built in 1897 and the entire tea industry mostly initiated in 1860s are included as heritage items, Darjeeling will be the only district where in such a small geographical location it will have three sites including already enlisted Darjeeling Himalayan Railway built in 1881 in the World Heritage list of UNESCO. This unparallel heritage trail with magnificent 19th century churches, temples and monasteries could lead to a huge foreign tourists influx. If a Central University, IITs, IIMs, NIITs, Disaster and Natural resource management institutions and other national organisations are set up, it could be a major education hub in the entire North East and East India as the schools and colleges in this region have traditionally attracted both national and international patronisations for more than a century now. Global market linkage between folk medicines based on cultural practices and rich biodiversity could lead to massive revenue and income mobilisations if they are scientifically and institutionally harnessed. The folk knowledge related intellectual property like that of Jhankris, Phedangmas, Dhami , Bonbo (in Gorkha community), Pow and Nejum (Bhutia), Bumthing (Lepcha) and similar such ethno medicines practitioners among Bengalese, Biharis, Rajbongshi, Muslims and Adivasis could bring huge number of licenses and patents. It has been a colossal national loss to see all these practices steadily vanishing and also surreptitiously making their ways into Chinese, European and American laboratories and global markets. 
Fourth, this would be a state where hydel-power resources have not been commercially harnessed in a systematic way. There are a range of local, national and international rivers (including Teesta, Mechi, Rangeet, Balasun, Relli and Soonkosh) that flow through this region. The generated power could be sold to both the national and cross border grids. 
Finally, this new state and the “chicken neck” will be the smooth gateway to the entire North East region of India and of course an instrument to harness the opportunities triggered by India’s Look East Policy aimed at integrating with the South East and East Asian countries. This will provide solid production base and business opportunities to neighbouring counties like Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal. As a separate state this region will complete the definition and geographical configuration of the North East region. If Assam and Sikkim are a part of North East , why not intimately contiguous adjoining D & D. 
People have irreparably lost faith in the West Bengal government's commitment and capabitty. They are worried about the rift it is creating between the hills and plains. In a highly strategic location, such attitude of the government has triggered national security complications. A separate state is intrinsic to the human security of the Gorkhas, Bengalis, Biharis, Marwaris and tribals, such as the Adivashis, Bhutias, Lepchas and Rajbongshis, and religious minorities like Buddhists and Muslims who abound in this gifted land of the Eastern Himalayas.. (Note: This article is also published in all the editions of Indian Express today)[Prof Mahendra P Lama is the Founding Vice Chancellor of Central University of Sikkim]