PRAKASH KARAT ON THE ISSUE OF SEPARATE STATEHOOD

Karat clarified the party’s position on some other important issues. While there are demands for separate states of Telangana, Vidarbha, Darjeeling etc, there is also the demand to break up Uttar Pradesh into several states. He recalled that the 18th congress resolution had opposed any division of linguistic states and dubbed the argument of small states as untenable. Linguistic nationality is, for example, not the issue in UP, but the worrying thing is that such demands may be raised to divert attention from vital issues. He said the party would decide its stand if this issue comes up there. Read more OTHER ISSUES OF IMPORTANCE

More water for Kalimpong

Mrinalini Sharma ALGARAH (Kalimpong), May 18: The Union external affairs minister Mr Pran-ab Mukherjee today inaugurated the Algarah Open Ground Water Reservoir at Algarah, 16 km from Kalimpong today. “Water supply is one six main agendas taken up by the government. I appreciate the work that has been done as it will solve the water crisis in the region,” the minister said.The reservoir comes under the Neorakhola Water Supply Scheme and was initiated in 1989-90 before work was stalled due to technical reasons. However, with the help of an expert committee its construction commenced in 2005 and was finally completed in December 2007. Neorakhola and the Dhaulakhola are the two sources of the reservoir which has a capacity of 13.44 million gallons. The project, which is a joint venture of the state government and the Army, is designed to supply water to the Kalimpong municipal town, Army establishments and the en-route village. Initially an amount of Rs 22 crore had been sanctioned for the project which was revised to 31 crore in 1990. While complimenting the Public Health Engineering (PHE) department for completing a complicated project because of the difficult terrain, the Union minister emphasised the need to sustain such projects. “It is one thing to complete the project but sustaining for the future is more important,” he said.Mr Mukherjee further added that priority is given to water, food and energy security by international bodies. “Emphasis should be given to obtaining pure portable water more than the ground water resources,” he said.The Housing and PHE department of the state government is expected to take up similar projects in the 3.2 km Algarah to Lava and areas in Pedong. The minister also assured to consider the issue of re-opening the Jelep-la pass with Tibet, at the urgings of the Darjeeling MP Mr Dawa Narbula. “I am aware of the economic and commercial benefits that Kalimpong will receive if the pass is opened, so I will definitely take up the issue,” he said. The Jelep-la pass used to be a part of the historic silk route between China and India prior to its closure during the Indo-Chinese war in 1962.Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Gorkha Bhutpurva Sainik Morcha submitted a memorandum to Mr Mukherjee requesting him for a fair trial on the inquiry of the one-man commission on the 9 April incident in Siliguri.“Following the assault on us on 9 April, the ex-Armymen are completely demoralised. We have requested the minister to review the matter seriously,” said retd. Col. Ramesh Allay, president of the association. (The Statesman)

Ghisingh era designs to go

Darjeeling, May 18: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha-controlled municipality has decided to alter the shape and purpose of two of Subash Ghisingh’s symbolic constructions in town.
For one, the civic body will bring down a portion of the Jung Bahadur garden at Chowrastha with its concrete floor, stalls and boundary wall.
“As directed by (Morcha president) Bimal Gurung, we will immediately dismantle this new construction, which is such an eyesore. Ghisingh had made the stalls to sell tongba (local brew), but we will revert back to the green garden that was there before,” said Dinesh Gurung, the vice-chairman of the municipality.
GNLF-chief Subash Ghisingh had spent Rs 20 lakh from the DGHC fund to renovate the garden in a record 29 days. Afterwards, a musical fountain installed there used to blare out Hindi tunes, while the municipality charged Rs 10 from visitors as entry fee.
“We will keep the fountain intact, but all the other concrete structures will be pulled down. The municipality will use its own funds for the work,” said Dinesh.
Ghisingh, who had inaugurated the fountain on October 10, 2005, had come in for flak as it used up 10,000 gallons of water at a time where there was acute water shortage in town.
From tomorrow, the municipality will also throw open the gates of Sumero Manch at Chowk Bazar to the people.
“We will rename it Gitangey Dara as it used to be called earlier. We have also decided not to lock the gates to the podium as this is the property of the people and everyone should have the right to use it,” said Dinesh.
In Ghisingh’s time, the municipality used to keep the keys of the gate and organisations wanting to use the space had to pay Rs 500. As a result, Opposition parties in the hills usually held their public meetings not on the Manch proper but on the space alongside it. (The Telegraph)