Darjeeling (WB): The Gorkha Janmukti
Morcha (GJM) has decided to put on hold its agitation on March 27
following President Pratibha Patil`s assent to the Gorkha
Territorial Administration Bill.
"We are happy to hear about the presidential assent to
the Bill. We express our gratitude to Chief Minister Mamata
Banerjee for her initiative to form GTA," GJM general
secretary Roshan Giri said.
Giri, however, said that the election to the GTA, when
it is formed, would depend on the inclusion of 400 mouzas from
the Terai and Dooars plains of Jalpaiguri and Darjeeling
district.
"The elections and the board formation would be
pending until the state government clears the land stalemate
issue," he said.
Putting the GTA implementation ball in the state
government`s court, Giri said, "The delimitation process could
not be carried out until additional areas from the plains are
included."
The Dooars lies on the foothills of the eastern
Himalayas around Bhutan while Terai is the area near the
Siwalik range, the lowest outer foothills of the Himalayas.
According to the agreement, the autonomous body of GTA
would be a 45-member body whereas the current DGHC has 28
members.
PTI
