GTA warning for govt

Vivek Chhetri, TT, Darjeeling, June 2: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha today indicated that the party was ready to take the Mamata Banerjee government to court with regard to alleged hurdles posed by the state administration to the functioning of the GTA Sabha.

Binay Tamang, an executive GTA Sabha member, said: “We held a meeting today to review the functioning of the GTA in the past one-and-a-half years. Many departments like information and cultural affairs, fire and emergency services, public works and college education have not been fully transferred to the GTA. We will once again correspond with the government on the issue and if they delay in taking a decision, we will take legal recourse.”

The GTA also threatened to drag the government to court over the appointment of Manoj Agarawal as the interim principal secretary following the retirement of R.D. Meena on May 31.

“The GTA had sent a letter to the government on May 19, seeking a panel of IAS officers, from among whom we could select the next principal secretary. Instead, the government handed over the interim charge to Manoj Agarwal. If the state government fails to provide us with a panel, we will go to court,” said Tamang.

A 13-member Morcha delegation called on governor M.K. Narayanan at Raj Bhavan here today. “We told him about the lack of autonomy in the GTA. Departments like lotteries, excise and Darjeeling improvement fund have not been transferred to the GTA,” said Jyoti Kumar Rai, an executive GTA Sabha member.

Job to Sherpa kin

GTA chief executive Bimal Gurung has offered a job to a family member of Dawa Wangchu, a Sherpa from Darjeeling, who went missing along with Everester Chanda Gayen in Mount Kanchenjungha recently.