Official meeting held for creating a new block by subdividing Gorubthan Block

KalimNews, Kalimpong, 28 February 2024 : After waiting for decades bifurcation process of Gorubathan block of the Kalimpong district into smaller blocks has been officially started. Considering various facts the formation of a new block has been a demand for several years which ultimately got its official approval and the official procedure has been initiated by a committee. 

Kalimpong district consists of four blocks namely Kalimpong block I, Pedong, Lava and Gorubathan block. Till 2021, there were only three blocks and the Pedong and Lava were under Kalimpong II block which was bifurcated in 2021 and Lava and Pedong block came into existence. 

Of these  blocks, Gorubathan block is the largest one measuring 442,72 sq km. Gorubathan block has 91 Gram Sansads under 11 Gram Panchayats and 1 Panchayat Samiti.

This block consists of both hill and plain areas and has all the 6 tea gardens of the district. 

Only after five years after the formation of Alipuduar district from the then Jalpaiguri district of West Bengal state, the official procedure of a full fledged separate office with full set of officers and necessary infrastructure could be completed to some extent. 

The demand of bifurcation of Gorubathan block was made about 34 years ago during the regime of Subhas Ghising but due to differences in opinion it could not gain momentum. At times the demand use to get in the election manifesto but there was no consensus regarding the demand. The selection of the place of the headquarters of the new block divided the people thus the demand was faded. However, this time ignoring all the differences in opinion the government has initiated the process of bifurcating Gorubathan block into two blocks by forming a new block. And for this public representatives are included in the block delimitation committee.  

The official meeting held yesterday at the BADP hall of the Gorubathan block development office was attended by Suryamani Rai Sabhapati of the Gorubathan Panchayat Samity, Sahakari Sabhapati, Pradhans and Upa Pradhan of different Gram Panchayats, members and Karmadhyakshas as well as Panchayat Samiti members.

For the bifurcation of the block, a committee is constituted which consists of Sonam Bhutia Sahakari Sabhapati (Vice Chairman) of Gorubathan Panchayat Samity, Hema Rai opposition leader member and Nima Tamang, Pradhan of Gorubathan I Gram Panchayat, and two officers of the Gorubathan block Development Office. The said committee will proceed forward in the bifurcation process.

It is reminded that eight years ago on 14 February 2017, Mamata Banerjee Chief Minister announced the formation of 3 new districts, out of which Kalimpong was formed by bifurcating Darjeeling district into two. But it took time to have the complete infrastructure and other necessary requirements and function as a full fledged district. Only last year new blocks were formed by subdividing Kalimpong II block into two new blocks Pedong and Lava.

The area of Gorubathan extends from Lava Bazar in the north to Jalpaiguri district in the south, and Kalimpong block in the west and Indo Bhutan border in the east and Sikkim in the northeast.

During the last few years social organisations and political parties of Gorubathan submitted memorandum to the block, sub division, district and state officials and MLA and ministers including the Chief Minister of the state for the upgradation of Gorubathan and formation of a new subdivision which accelerated the formation of new blocks in Gorubathan. There is also a possibility of forming at least three new blocks. There is every possibility of formation of a new subdivision if more number of blocks are formed.