Hill body in project flurry

Binay Tamang

RAJEEV RAVIDAS, TT, Mar 02, 2018, Kalimpong: The Gorkhaland Territorial Administration on Friday unveiled a host of development projects worth over Rs 21 crore for remote areas of Kalimpong district.

This is the first major development initiative in the district by the Binay Tamang-headed board of administrators that runs the GTA.

The projects include construction of roads and school buildings, jhora-protection work and provision of drinking water scheme that would benefit the people of the Gitdabling-Nimbong and Relli-Samthar GTA constituencies.

Speaking at the foundation stone laying of all the projects at Relli village, about 10km from here, Tamang said many more projects were already on implemented stage and all of them would be completed on time. "Unlike in the past, all these projects will be implemented on the ground," he said.

Tamang seemed to be taking an apparent dig at his rival Bimal Gurung who, during his tenure as the GTA chief executive, had laid foundation stones of many projects, but most of them, including the much-hyped water kingdom at Relli, never saw the light of the day.

Tamang also cautioned the contractors executing these projects against carrying out shoddy work. "The quality of work must be maintained at all cost. If we do not get satisfactory reports (on the quality of work), we will not clear those files...We will also not tolerate corruption and keep everything transparent," he said.

Analysts said Tamang had no choice other than to ensure visible all-round development to win over the people for the sake of his political legitimacy.

"The Tamang-Anit Thapa duo were hoisted at the GTA helm by the state government to derail the movement for Gorkhaland. They do not have the people's mandate to run what essentially is an elected office. In such a case, the only way they can hope to garner whatever support they can is by carrying out visible development in the hills. Development is their only political card," said an analyst.

Tamang in his speech, focused mainly on development and referred to the coming investment summit in Darjeeling on February 11 and 12.

"We cannot look at the funds coming from the Centre and state to carry out development. We must look at the thousands of crores that can come from private investments. We must invite them," he said.