GJM Meets Mamata for Implementing GTA

Darjeeling . A week after Gorkha Janmukti Morcha chief Bimal Gurung threatened fresh agitation in Darjeeling Hills for the delay in the implementation of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration agreement, GJM general secretary Roshan Giri today met West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to sort out the issue."We want the GTA to be implemented at the earliest," Giri told newsmen after a meeting with the Chief Minister.

He said the draft GTA Bill has been sent by the state government to the President for her assent and it was now being studied by various ministries. "Once the presidential assent is received, the GTA Bill will have to be passed in the West Bengal Assembly." Stating that the GJM also wanted some mouzas of Terai and Dooars areas brought under the GTA, Giri said the high power committee to look into the matter should speed up its work.Asked whether the tenure of the high-power committee should be extended, Giri said if the committee cannot complete its work within its tenure, then it should be extended.

Pointing out that Darjeeling was yet to be declared a backward region and was being deprived of the funds allocated to such regions, Giri said, "we requested the Chief Minister to take steps so that Darjeeling is included. She wondered why this has not yet been done."Asked to comment on the demand for Gorkhaland raised by GJM Youth Wing at its rally in Mungpo recently, he said, "the demand has been raised by our youth wing. They want our support. We are watching the political developments.

"If you go through the GTA agreement carefully, you will notice that the word 'Gorkhaland' has not been dropped," he added.Giri said the Chief Minister has assured to looking into the GJM demand for employing youth in the Darjeeling hills in the state police and para-military.The issues of electricity and telephone bill and sales tax were also discussed, he said. In reply to a question, he said the Bijonbari Bridge, which collapsed on October 22, would be re-built by a shipping company.

( Source- PTI)