Case threat to hill projects

Bimal Gurung in Darjeeling on Wednesday. Pic:Mohan Lama

Vivek Chhetri, TT, Darjeeling, Jan. 25: Bimal Gurung today said he would file cases against each and every project that 15 development boards would take up in the hills as the execution of the schemes would be an intrusion into the jurisdiction of the GTA.

The GTA chief executive also said specific cases would be filed against the public works department for the ongoing repair of state highways in the hills.

The PWD is a subject transferred to the GTA from the state government.

Gurung's tirade against the boards comes on the day The Telegraph reported on the state government's decision to change the profile of development boards by giving to them the mandate to carry on development activities like supply of drinking water, construction of community halls and museums and stream improvement, which had been undertaken by the GTA till date.

Earlier, the boards' work was largely confined to building houses for respective members of the communities they represented.

By deciding to file project specific cases, probably in the Calcutta High Court.today dedicated a considerable amount (??? In his speech ??) of time on . "The state government was very interested in conducting an audit of the GTA and so far, they have audited two or three times. We demand that the audit should also be done on the development boards as apart from the people at the helm of boards, others have not benefited much," said Gurung.

The Morcha leader while addressing the GLP cadres (???) at one point of time also said: "Everyone must learn to stand on their own feet. Don't go and beg for money or else you will be like the board people."#He said that "it is only a matter of time" before the board people "come back" (to the Morcha).

"I was also invited (???) to the function at Netaji's birth celebration at Chowrasta but I did not attend the function as I have been humiliated (???) not once but two or three times while sharing the dais. Every man must have some ego in them. My ego does not allow me to bear such humiliation," said Gurung.

In the past, Mamata had announced the formation of development boards when Gurung was sharing the dais with her.