Darjeeling cool to CM visit

Deep Gazmer,TNN | Jul 18, 2014, Darjeeling: In a bid to revive a friendship gone sour during the Lok Sabha polls, chief minister Mamata Banerjee wished GJM president Bimal Gurng on his birthday and announced a slew of projects at Darjeeling Chowrastha on Thursday. However, GJM leaders and Gorkha Territorial Administration (GTA) sabhasads stayed away from the programme.

Unfazed with GJM's giving a cold shoulder to the CM, Mamata announced various people-related government schemes and appealed to the GTA to work well.

The morning weather played a spoilsport with spells of shower that threatened to disrupt the function at Chowrastha. However, as the CM made her way to the stage, the weather cleared and the rain stopped that prompted Mamata to say, "It always rains when I come to Darjeeling for a programme. But, the Kanchenjunga is visible now and smiling just like my brothers and sisters of the Hills."

The CM didn't make an issue of the GJM's staying away. Instead, she wished the Hills leader. "We had called everyone. I came to know that today is Bimalji's birthday and everyone is busy there. Anyway, I have sent a letter to wish him," said Banerjee.

Banerjee, though, said that the GTA should work for the people without political colours. "One can do politics because it is there but it should not obstruct development work," the CM said. She asked the people of the Hills to foster brotherhood with the residents of the plains while ensuring the "past mistake" (banga bhanga hobe na) is not repeated. "Darjeeling was neglected and no one came here. But I make it a point to visit the Hills frequently. I don't work for votes, but for the people's love. And, I come here to strengthen our relation which I will continue to do in future," she said.

The CM said she would call a development review meeting on Friday to take stock of the present situation. "I will invite the GTA members and the municipality officials for a meeting to review the ongoing and future development work," she said.

The chief minister during the function also handed Rs 1 lakh and a government job to the widow of Dawa Wangchuk, a local guide who had gone missing at Mount Kanchenjunga. This apart, Banerjee sanctioned Rs 20 crore for ?Ronglee Housing Scheme' for the Lepcha community for construction of thousands of houses. "I care for the Sherpas. They risk their lives for others. The state government will provide a job for Wangchuk's wife. The Lepcha Development Board has done a good job in constructing 998 houses and today I announce that thousand more such houses will be constructed," said Banerjee, adding, without specific reference, that workers of closed tea gardens would be given a monthly salary of Rs 1500 along with hundred days work and rice and wheat at highly subsidized rates.

The CM on Thursday laid the foundation stone for a Rs 225 crore Safari Park that will come up near Sukna in the foothills and also commissioned the Balasun drinking water project, besides officially forming the Tamang Development and Cultural Board by announcing the names of office bearers from the stage. Banerjee also said she had communicated with the central government to include eleven communities under the scheduled tribe list and set up a university in the Hills.

The GJM president later in the evening said the CM wanting to work together with the GTA was a positive sign. "The CM has sent a letter to wish me along with a bouquet of flower and sweets. I will be sending my Sabhasads and MLAs to attend the CM's review meeting on Friday," he said.

Mamata will leave for Siliguri on Friday to meet party leaders there before flying back to Kolkata on July 19.