Illegal high rises can turn Darjeeling into Joshimath, warns Ajoy Edwards

EOI, DARJEELING, JANUARY 9, 2022 : Hamro Party president Ajoy Edwards on Monday said the Darjeeling Municipality had started to take strict action against illegal high rise in the town to ensure that incident like Joshimath in Uttarakhand did not take place in Darjeeling too

In Joshimath, more than 600 people have been evacuated from the town as cracks have developed in houses as a result of land subsidence.

Darjeeling is considered vulnerable to earthquakes as it lies in the seismic zone IV. According to the Darjeeling Municipality Act, only buildings .522 metres high are permissible.  However, of late the Darjeeling town has turned into a concrete jungle with a large number of high rise structures violating openly the permissible building plan. 

Edwards said the municipal board run by the HP had acted as per the party's election agenda and caution issued by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee."

Among the many, we had promised to act against construction of illegal buildings that are more than 11.5metres in height. Even the CM had cautioned us against the construction of huge structures in the town," he said.

The HP Board was dissolved and the chairman removed on December 28 following a no confidence motion moved by 16councillors owing allegiance to the Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha. A new board led by the BGPM is yet to be formed with sources saying it would take atleast10 to 15 days before the election of the new chairman of the civic body. "We did not want Darjeeling to suffer like Joshimath. Experts say land in Joshimath is sinking due to illegal construction of huge structures. Something similar can happen here, if we allow huge buildings to come up rampantly," said Edwards.

Edwards has taken the initiative and started a month-long program

under the banner of Gorkha Swabhiman Sanghursh to protest against the coup in the Darjeeling civic body which he described as illegal, restoration of democracy in the hills and removal of corruption in the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration.