Kalimpong village with a glorious role in Gorkhaland agitation still wait for basic facilities

YOWAN MOTHAY, EOI, KALIMPONG, JUNE 21, 2023 : Now with the panchayat elections in the hills round the corner after a gap of more than two decades, residents of 8th Mile Nursery Village in Kalimpong reminisce about the glorious role the village had played in the Gorkhaland agitation of yore and how the development of the village has subsequently been neglected.

From the period of the armed Gorkhaland movement launched by Subash Ghisingh in 1986through the various other phases of Gorkhaland agitation till the movement of 2017 launched by Bimal Gurung, many residents of this village have not returned home. Some villagers still carry the marks of the wounds of bullets fired by Central para-military forces during the armed phase of the movement. 

During the protests of 2007, residents of this village had set up camps and staged sit-in protests. The villagers here fully participated in the protests of 2013 and 2017. People in this village have helped the Gorkhaland movement with physical, moral and financial support.

Since then three elections have passed, assembly and Lok Sabha; yet, the road connecting to the Nursery Village has not been built. In 8th Mile Nursery Village located near Kalimpong town, no development work has been done by any government agency till now. 

It is dark after sundown here, though on the opposite side of State Highway it is a municipal area where there is plenty of electric light. Neither the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council led by Subash Ghisingh had taken any note of the plight of this village, nor the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration helmed by Bimal Gurung give any concession to the villagers here..

Even half a kilometer of road inside the village has not been constructed by any development agency. Many basic conveniences are still not available in the village, like community houses, roads and drinking water. 

It is not that there is no leader in the village. Leaders who have access to the district and central committees levels of different political parties are also there in this village. But no one has done anything for the development of the village so far. Every time there is an election they talk about development. After the election, they never look back, says local resident Sandip Rai.