Plea for IAS list hits GTA Act wall

TT;;VIVEK CHHETRI Darjeeling, April 2: The GTA Act doesn’t provide for any provision which states that a “panel” shall be sent to the chief executive of the autonomous authority to choose the principal secretary, casting a cloud on the hill body’s request for a list of five names to choose its top bureaucrat. The GTA Sabha had yesterday asked the state government to submit a list of at least five IAS officers’ names to pick the principal secretary. 

 The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha that runs the hill body cited a clause in the MoA that speaks of a “panel” to justify its demand. The request was made in response to the state government’s proposal that Jalpaiguri divisional commissioner A.K. Singh be appointed as the principal secretary. 

 Section 13 of the agreement states: “There shall be a Principal Secretary of the GTA, who shall be of the rank of the Principal Secretary/Secretary to the State Government and who shall be selected by the Chief Executive from the panel sent by the State Government and shall be paid from the GTA Fund such salaries and allowances as may be fixed by the State Government.”

 The MoA was signed by the Morcha, Centre and the state government. The state proposed A.K. Singh’s name after the GTA Sabha had objected to the continuation of Darjeeling district magistrate Saumitra Mohan as the principal secretary, saying he was not senior enough to hold the post. However, the GTA Act, which was published in the Calcutta gazette notification on March 15, 2012, does not have provisions for providing a panel to the GTA chief executive.

 It merely states that the GTA chief executive would be consulted on the appointment of the principal secretary. Chapter IV, Section 51 of the GTA Act states: “There shall be a principal secretary to the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (herein referred to as the Principal Secretary), not below the rank of secretary or Commissioner to the State Government, appointed by the State government in consultation with the Chief Executive.”

 A senior administrative official, who is not associated with the GTA, and therefore his views can be considered neutral, said the GTA Act had to be followed and not the MoA. “The GTA Act is the reigning document now, not the agreement. Therefore, the state government is not bound to send the GTA a list of five IAS officers as demanded (by the Morcha),” said the official on condition of anonymity. 

 Jyoti Kumar Rai, a GTA executive Sabha member, admitted the discrepancy between the Act and the MoA. “We will still stick to our demand that at least five IAS officers’ names must be provided to us. There are discrepancies between the Act and the MoA and this is an error on the part of the state government,” he said. Rai, who is also the assistant secretary of the Morcha, added: “Even in the Act, it is clearly stated that the chief executive will be consulted. Providing one name is not consultation but an imposition on the chief executive,” said Rai.

 Observers believe the anomaly in the Act might set off another round of confrontation between the state government and the Morcha leadership. “This discrepancy might once again start a tug-of-war and a clash of egos between the government and Morcha leaders,” said an observer. The Morcha said the party had already taken note that the Act deviated from what had been mentioned in the MoA. “We are taking note of such discrepancies and we will ask for an amendment to the Act,” said Rai. 

 The draft of the Act was placed in the Assembly on September 2, 2011, and it was changed 22 times before it was passed and published in the gazette. Binay Tamang, an executive member of the GTA, said a writ petition filed by the GTA against the state government in the high court on March 15 had also challenged such discrepancies. “The discrepancy in the MoA and the Act, like the omission of the word ‘panel’, is being challenged in court,” said Tamang. The petition was against granting powers of the executive officer of the GTA to Mohan.

शिक्षा व्यवस्थामा सुधार लुआउँनु पर्ने माकपाको माग

 कालेबुङ, 2 अप्रेल।दार्जीलिङ पहाडको शिक्षा व्यवस्थामा सुधार ल्याउँन सम्पूर्ण बिद्यलहरुमा शिक्षण अनि अशिक्षण कर्मचारीवर्ग नियुक्ति गर्नु पर्ने माकपा नेता तारा सुन्दासले माग गरेको छ। तिनले यसै सिलसिलामा जीटीएले प्राथमिक पाठशालाहरुमा पाँचसय सत्तरजना शिक्षकहरुको नियुक्तिको निम्ति जीटीएलाई आभार पनि प्रकट गरेको छ। तिनले शिक्षक़हरुको नियुक्तिमा जीटीएलाई आभार चडाए पनि मोर्चाका नेताहरु जनताको नेता हुनपर्ने सुझाव पनि दिएका छन।

 ‘प्रथमिक शिक्षक नियुक्तिमा मोर्चाका नेताहरूले गोरामुमोका नेताहरूले झैं व्यवहार गर्नु हुँदैन। कसैलाई पाखा कसैलाई काख गर्नु हुँदैन। नेताको स्वास्नी, छोरा, भाई, दिदीले मात्र काम पाउँछ भने जनता कता जानु? तारा सुन्दासले प्रश्न राखे। तिनले प्राथमिक शिकक्ष नियुक्ति नेताहरुले आफन्तहरुलाई मात्र दिने गरेको बताउँदै यस्तो कार्य नेताहरुले गर्न नहुने सौन्दासले सुहाव दिएका छन। 

 दिनोदिन शिक्षा व्यवस्था दयनीय भइसकेको अवस्थामा केवल 570 जना शिक्षकहरुको नियुक्ति पर्याप्त नभएको पनि तिनले बताए। तिनले पहाडमा प्राथमिक शिक्षा व्यवस्थालाई सुधार गर्न 2,872 शिक्षक नियुक्ति अनिवार्य थियो भनि बताएका छन। तिनले मोर्चालाई प्रश्न गर्दै सुप्रिम कोर्टले दिएको निर्देश अनुसार मोर्चाले यसपल्टको नियुक्तिमा एससी, एसटी, हेन्डीक्याप,ओवीसीलाई प्रथामिकता दिइएको छैन भनि आरोप लगाए। “यहॉं भेदभाव भइरहेको छ। यस्तो नहोस्‌” सुन्दासले भने।

नोर्देन लामालाई गोजमुमो संयोजकको दायित्व

 कालेबुङ, 2 अप्रेल। गोजमुमो अध्यक्ष बिमल गुरुङ अहिले पार्टीलाई बलियो बनाउँने कार्यमा व्यस्त रहेका छन। तृणमूल कङ्ग्रेस संग मोर्चाको सम्बन्ध बिग्रे पछि मोर्चालाई दार्जीलिङ पहाडमा नै चुनौति दिन अहिले लगातार रुपमा तृणमूल कङ्ग्रेस बिस्तार गर्ने कार्य भईरहेको छ भने गोरामुमो पनि पुरानो बर्चस्व फर्काएर ल्याउँन सक्रिय बनेको छ। यस्तो अवस्थामा गोजमुमोले आफ्नो आधिपत्य जमाएर राख्न कुनै पनि शक्ति पोरदर्शन गर्न तयार रहेक छ।

 पहाडमा बड्दो प्रतिपक्षी राजनैतिक पार्टीहरुको क्रियाकलापलाई मध्यनजर राखेर अहिले गोजमुमो पार्टी अध्यक्ष बिमल गुरुङ केहि समय देखि कालेबुङमा नै बसेर संगठन बलियो पार्न लागिपरेको छ। तिनले संगठनलाई बलियो बनाउँन कालेबुङमा समष्टि कमिटिहरु समेत गठन गरिसकेका छन भने पार्टीको पुरानो कार्यकर्ताहरुलाई फर्काएर ल्याउँन समेत क्सरत अघि बडाएको सुत्रले जनाएको छ। पार्टीलाई बलियो बनाउँने कार्यलाई अघि बडाउँदै आज गोजमुमो केन्द्रिय समितिको बैठक यहाँको पीडब्ल्यु भवनमा मोर्चा अध्यक्ष बिमल गुरुर्ङको उपस्थितिमा सम्पन्न भयो।

 आजको बैठकमा धेरै दिनदेखि पार्टीबाट ओझेलमा रहेका केन्द्रिय समिति सदस्य नोर्देन लामालाई पार्टीले संयोजक बनाएको छ। बैठकमा उअपस्थित प्रतिनिदिहरुमाझ छलफल भए पचि लामलाई संयोजकको दायित्व प्रदान गरेको सुत्रले जानकारी दिएको छ। उक्त बैठकमा दार्जीलिङ पहाडको बर्तमान राजनैतिक अवस्थाबारे चर्चा हुनको साथै पार्टीको आन्तरिक बिषयहरुमा पनि बहस भएको सुत्रले जनाएको छ।

 लकभग दुई घण्टा सम्म चलेको बैठकमा मोर्चा अध्यक्ष बिमल गुरुर्ङ लगायत कर्णल रमेश आले, डा आरबी भुजेल, सामुएल गुरुङ, नोर्देन लामा, बिजय सुन्दास, फान्सिस देवान आदि उपस्थित रहेका थिए। यस अवसरमा गोजमुमो पार्टी अध्यक्ष बिमल गुरुरङले नोर्देन लामालाई पार्टीको केन्द्रिय समिति अनि महकुमा समिति लगायत सभासदहरुमाझ तालमेल बनाउँन संयोजकको पदभार सुम्पेको सुत्रले जानकारी दिएको छ।

नारी मोर्चा नेत्री ननिता गौतमले दिईन पार्टीबाट राजीनामा

 कालेबुङ, 2 अप्रेल। एकातिर गोजमुमो पार्टी बलियो बनाउँने कार्य चलिरहेको छ भने अर्को छेवबाट पार्टी भत्किने कार्य जारी रहेको छ। यसै क्रममा गोजमुमो पार्टीको नारी मोर्चा केन्द्रिय समिति सदस्य तथा पूर्व गोजनामो कालेबुङ महकुमा समिति अध्यक्षा नानित गौतमले आज पार्टीको पद अनि साधरण सदस्यबाट राजीनाम दिईन। मोर्चा सुत्रले श्रीमति ननिता गौतमले राजीनामा दिएको दाबी गरे पनि यसबारे पार्टी अनि स्वय ननिता गैतमले आधिकारीक पुष्टि भने जारी गरेको छैन। गोजमुमो पार्टीको गठनकाल देखि सक्रिय रुपमा रहेर आन्दोलनमा खट्ने गौतम धेरै दिनदेखि निष्क़्रिय रहेकी थिईन।

 आफु अस्वस्थ्य रहेको कारण राजनैतिक क्रियाकलाप देखि निष्क़्रिय रहेकी बताउँने श्रीमती गौतमले केहि दिन अघिदेखि राजीनाम दिएको हल्ला फैलिएको थियो। आहिरमा उक्त हल्लालाई समाप्त गर्दै तिनले आज गोजमुमो कालेबुङ महकुमा समितिको मार्फत मोर्चा अध्यक्ष बिमल गुरुङलाई राजीनामा पत्र सुम्पिएको सुत्रले जानकारी दिएको छ। धेरै दिनदेखि राजीनामाको हल्ला चलिरहेको ननिता गौतम आज अपराह्न यहाँको मल्लिरोड स्थित पार्टी कार्यलयमा पुगेके थिईन।

 सोही समय तिनले राजीनामा पत्र महकुमा समिति सचिव कुमार चामलिङलाई सुम्पिएको सुत्रले जनाएको छ। यस समबन्धमा महकुमा सचिव कुमार चामलिङ संग जान्न चाहँदा तिनले पत्र प्राप्त गरेको स्वीकार गरे पनि उक्त पत्र राजीनामा पत्रनै थियो भन्ने किटान गर्न नसकिने जनाए। “एउटा बन्द लिफामा रहेको पत्र मोर्चा अध्यक्षलाई दिने आग्रह गर्दै मलाई दिए पछि मैले त्यस पत्रलाई नखोली मोर्चा प्रमुख बिमल गुरुङलाई दिए। त्यस लिफामा कस्तो पत्र थियो भन्ने मलाई थाह छैन” कुमार चाम्लिङले भने। तिनले उक्त पत्र आफुले पुर्याफउँने कार्य गरेको बताउँदै पत्र नपडेको स्पष्टिकरण दिएका छ।

 यता सुत्रले जानकारी दिए अनुसार श्रीमति ननिता गौतमले सुम्पेको राजीनामा पत्रको प्रतिलिपी महकुमा समिति सचिव कुमार चामलिङ अनि प्रेम छेत्रीलाई पनि दिएका छन। यद्यपी यस बिषयमा पनि कसैले आधिकारीक पुष्टि भने गरेको छैन। यता राजीनामा पत्र दिएको हल्ला कालेबुङ शहरमा डलेलो सल्केको झै फैलिए पछि पत्रकारहरुले तिनलाई टेलिफोनिक सम्पर्क गर्न खोज्दा कुनै कुराकानी नै हुन सकेन। पहिला तिनले फोन उठाए पनि पछिबाट भने फोन बन्द राखेको कारण कुनै आधिकारीक पुष्टि हुन सकेन।

 यस समबन्धमा तिनले उक्त राजीनामा दिएको पत्रकार सम्मेलन डाकेर नै पुष्टि गर्न सक्ने सम्भावना रहेको छ। अर्कोतिर गोजमुमो पार्टी सूत्रले ननिता गौतमको राजिनामा पत्र मोर्चा अध्यक्ष बिमल गुरुङको हात परिसकेको दाबी गरेको छ। तिनको राजीनामा बिषयलाई लिएर आज बसेको केन्दिय समितिको बैठकमा पनि चर्चा भएको सुत्रले दाबी गरेको छ। गोजमुमो पार्टीको गठन देखिनै आन्दोलनमा होमिने श्रीमती ननिता गौतमको पार्टीमा योग्दन महत्वपूर्ण रहेको आजको बैठकमा चर्चा भएको सुत्रले जनाएको छ। तिनले पार्टीलाई दिएको योगदानलाई कदर गर्दै राजीनामा पत्र स्वीकार गर्ने अथवा नगर्ने भन्ने बिषयमा कुनै निष्कर्ष ननिस्किएको सुत्रले अझ जनाएको छ।

पैयुँमा सोम्बार राती आगो लागेर एउटा घर स्वाह

कालेबुङ, 2 अप्रेल। कालेबुङ महकुमाको अलगडा खण्ड अन्तर्गत पैयुँमा सोम्बार राती आगो लागेर एउटा घर स्वाह भएको छ। उक्त आगलागीको चपेटमा परेर घरका मालिक कादो भोटिया घाईते भएका छन भने तिनको शरीरको बिभिन्न भागहरुमा आगोले पोलेर घाऊ भएको छ। घाईते कादो भोटियालाई उपचारको निम्ति कालेबुङ महकुमा अस्पतालमा भर्ना गरिएको छ। जानकारी अनुसार उक्त आगलागीको घटना सोम्बार मध्य राती भएको हो। आगलागी हुँदा तिनी घरभित्र नै सुतीरहेका थिए भने मध्य रातमा तिनको घरबाट आगोको झिल्का निस्किरहेको तिनका भाई रिम्बु भोटियाले देखे पछि छरछिमेकहरुलाई गुहार लगाए।

 रातीको समय सबै छरछिमेकहरुले गुहार लगाएर कादो भोटियाको ज्यान बँचाउन सके पनि तिनको मूलघर अनि भान्साघर दुवै जलेर खरानी भएको छ। मस्त निन्द्रामा सुतिरहेको समयमा सल्किएको आगोले उग्र रुप लिए पछि तिनी घरभित्र नै आगोको चपेटमा परिसकेका थिए भने छिमेकीहरुले आखिरमा तिनलाई खिडकीबाट निकालेर ज्यान बँचाए। दैनिक मजदूरी गरेर जीवन धान्ने कादो भुटिया यस घटनापछि आश्रयहीन बनेका छन। घटनाको समयमा तिन किचनबाट केही सामाग्रीहरु उद्धार गर्न सकिएको भए पनि मूलघरभित्र भएका बसै सम्पत्ति जलेर नष्ट भएको छ।

 उक्त आगलागीको घटना थाह पाए पछि आज क्षेत्रका सभासद कल्पना तामाङले आज बिहान पीडित कादो भुटियालाई भेटेर उपचारको निम्ति पाँच हजार रु प्रदान गरेकी छन भने तिनको राहत र पुनर्वासको निम्ति जीटीएबाट हुने सहयोग दिलाउन पहल गर्ने आश्वासन दिएकी छन। यता घटनापछि पुलिस अनि पञ्चायतकर्मीहरुले पनि घटनास्थलको निरीक्षण गरेर जानकारी लिए।

GJM’s non- payment strategy boomerangs; BSNL takes legal support for bill recovery

Mukesh Sharma Kalimpong, April 01: The Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has sought legal support in order to recover their pending bills from their customers in the hills. It may be mentioned that bills amounting up to 14 crores remains unpaid which have been pending since the time of the Gorkhaland agitation called on by the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) few years ago.

 Time and again the BSNL had set up recovery camps in the hills in which the customers were advised on how to repay their bills. Thus, after no fruitful results the company has now started issuing demand notices to all the BSNL customers throughout the hills through the company’s advocate, Ratan Kumar Bagchi. 

 A similar demand notice was received by a BSNL customer in Kalimpong sub division today, mentioning that if the bills are not cleared within 15 days of the issued notice, then legal action will be taken and the customer will be liable and responsible for all cost and expenses which may be incurred by the BSNL for the action. The customer who received the notice had an outstanding amount of Rs 63,560/- which remained to be cleared. 

The notice highlighted that the customer have willfully failed and neglected to make payment. The BSNL is now entitled to get interest at the rate of 18% on and from the due date of bills till realization of the entire amount. The customer has been warned that failing to pay the amount within 15 days of the issued notice, the BSNL shall henceforth take legal actions and attach the customer’s properties for recovery of the said sum along with the interest rate.

 “We are compelled to take legal help as the bills remain unpaid since long”, said SC Banik, a BSNL officer when contacted. He added that the company had issued many notices regarding the issue but no heed was paid to it. Banik informed that some of the bill amounts up to Rs 30,000, while some are of Rs 4 lakhs. The bills were duly paid until the agitation after which the GJM had directed the public not to pay the bills.

 When asked the GJM General Secretary, Binay Tamang regarding the same he said that an inquiry will be carried out over the matter. With the huge amount remaining to be cleared and BSNL issuing the demand notice, the customers are now tensed over the situation and are awaiting a strong step from the GJM for solving the issue,

GNLF plan for hills on April 5

TT;;''RAJEEV RAVIDAS Kalimpong, April 1: The GNLF has decided to celebrate its 32nd foundation day on April 5 as “Gorkhaland Namkaran Ghoshna Diwas” by holding public meetings and hoisting party flags atop houses of supporters across the hills. “Meetings will be held at different places in Mirik, Kurseong and Darjeeling. Even though no meetings have been scheduled in Kalimpong for that day, flag-hoisting programmes will take place in the subdivision,” said C.K. Kumai, the secretary of the GNLF.

 Some party supporters, particularly in the foothill areas of Panighata and Garidhura, have already planted GNLF flags atop their houses. “The day (April 5) is not just the foundation day of the GNLF but it is a day when every Gorkha’s heartbeat called Gorkhaland was given the name,” Kumai said. Asked if party president Subash Ghisingh would visit the hills during the foundation day celebrations, Kumai refused comment.

 Ghisingh has not ventured into the hills after he was forced to leave Darjeeling for the second time in three years in May 2011 following pressure from the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha. Kumai, the former chairman of Kalimpong municipality, said his party was awaiting the verdict of the high court with regards to GNLF’s application demanding the scrapping of the GTA Act before formulating its political position in the hills.

 “There has already been an agreement on providing the Sixth Schedule status to the hills. It secures the future of the Gorkhas through constitutional guarantee. The GTA does not enjoy constitutional guarantee. There is a case pending in the high court on the matter. Once the verdict is out, we will make our position public,” Kumai said.

Giri tells JMM to steer clear of Didi

TT;VIJAY DEO JHA Ranchi, April 1: Gorkha Janmukti Morcha general secretary Roshan Giri today said his party didn’t want the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha to forge an electoral alliance with the Trinamul Congress. Giri is in Ranchi to meet the JMM chief, Shibu Soren. The meeting was scheduled today but did not happen. It is possible that the two sides would sit for talks tomorrow to discuss the prospects of fighting the coming panchayat polls in the Dooars together. “GJM (Morcha) and the JMM have longstanding relationship and we are ideologically connected.

 We will fight the panchayat elections together. But in no condition we will like the JMM to forge any understanding with the TMC,” Giri told The Telegraph. Giri is in Ranchi along with the Morcha’s Darjeeling MLA, Trilok Dewan. The Morcha’s refusal to tie up with Mamata Banerjee’s party comes in the backdrop of JMM leader John Barla’s overtures to the ruling party in Bengal. Barla had recently held discussions with Trinamul leader Mukul Roy and announced that both the parties would fight the rural polls together.

 This didn’t go down well with the Morcha that had already veered towards the idea of fighting the elections with the JMM. Even a section of JMM leaders in north Bengal said Barla hadn’t been authorised to hold talks with Trinamul. 

 The Morcha fell out with Trinamul after Mamata Banerjee thundered in Darjeeling that there would be no division of Bengal. The hill party called a series of protests — most of them were called off later after talks with Union ministers — and launched a non-co-operation against GTA principal secretary Saumitra Mohan. Barla was summoned to Ranchi by the JMM leadership for talks today. 

He seemed to have softened his stand on the proposed alliance with Trinamul. “What Trinamul spoke about probable alliance (with the JMM) is not final. Okay, our party may not have any poll pact with the Trinamul in the Dooars because of specific concerns of the Morcha. But beyond the Dooars a poll pact with Trinamul can be discussed,” Barla told The Telegraph today.

GTA seeks 5 names to pick secy - Hill body cites agreement clause

VIVEK CHHETRI Darjeeling, April 1: The GTA Sabha has asked the state government to provide names of at least five IAS officers to choose from the next principal secretary of the autonomous body. The hill body has made this request keeping in mind a clause in the GTA memorandum of agreement that says the principal secretary “shall be selected by the Chief Executive from the panel sent by the State Government.”

 The suggestion was given in a reply to the state government’s letter proposing Jalpaiguri divisional commissioner A.K. Singh’s name to discharge duties of the GTA principal secretary. Jyoti Kumar Rai, an executive Sabha member of the GTA, said: “We received the letter yesterday (Sunday), which was sent to us through a special messenger. The state government wants us to confirm their proposal to give A.K. Singh, the divisional commissioner of Jalpaiguri, the additional charge as principal secretary of the GTA.”

 Rai, however, said the GTA wanted the government to provide more choices to the autonomous body. “It is not a question of rejecting A.K. Singh’s name. We want the state government to provide us with a list of at least five IAS officers to choose the next principal secretary. We are not making an unreasonable demand as this has been agreed upon in the memorandum of agreement (signed by the Centre, state and the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha),” said Rai.

 Section 13 of the agreement states: “There shall be a Principal Secretary of the GTA, who shall be of the rank of the Principal Secretary/Secretary to the State Government and who shall be selected by the Chief Executive from the panel sent by the State Government and shall be paid from the GTA Fund such salaries and allowances as may be fixed by the State Government. 

The Principal Secretary once deputed to the GTA shall not be transferred for a period of at least two years without the consent of the GTA.” The letter proposing Singh’s name was sent by the state chief secretary and the GTA’s reply was given by the joint director of the personnel department. “The post of the principal secretary is very important with regard to the functioning of the GTA. The principal secretary has to liaise not only with the state government but also with the Centre. 

We also want to go through all the options so that the official and the GTA members can work with better understanding,” said Rai. “We would want a senior officer whose request or decision carries weight in the state’s bureaucracy,” he added. The state government had proposed the name of Singh, after the Morcha had started opposing the continuance of Saumitra Mohan as the principal secretary of the GTA. Mohan had been appointed as the secretary of the GTA and directed to exercise powers and functions of the principal secretary.

 His name had been approved by GTA chief executive Bimal Gurung when the autonomous body was formed in August last year. The administrative hierarchy of the GTA consists of the principal secretary, secretary and executive director. Technically, the Morcha is demanding the replacement of Mohan on the grounds that he has the rank of additional secretary only and the party wants officers in the rank of principal secretary to hold the top bureaucratic post at the GTA.

 Bengal’s administrative hierarchy in ascending order starts from joint secretary, additional secretary, secretary and principal secretary, additional chief secretary and chief secretary. Singh is of the rank of additional chief secretary. Even though the GTA received the letter sent by the chief secretary yesterday it is not yet clear when the state government had decided to propose Singh’s name. “From the envelope we get the impression that the letter was sent on March 28. But the letter had been signed on March 19. We, too, are not sure when the letter was written,” said Rai.