Day 2 of Mamata’s visit to the Hills: Special committee set up to look into planning of Darjeeling

The committee will include two MLAs, the DMs and SPs of Darjeeling and Kalimpong, a member each from FICCI and CII and members of all development boards set up by Mamata ahead of the 2016 Assembly elections. GTA chairman Binay Tamang and Vice-Chairman Anit Thapa will serve as its chief advisors.

The CM further announced that they will look into the possibility of setting up satellite townships across the Hills. “We have to create a New Darjeeling. This is because Darjeeling town is completely exhausted now. We will look at additional centers of tourism apart from Darjeeling town,” she said.

Committee chairman Rai told The Indian Express it will consider setting up satellite towns around Kurseong and Kalimpong, which are also saturated.

Mamata said the meeting also involved talks on how to provide impetus to the tourism industry, in addition to discussions on the agriculture, sericulture, entertainment, software and IT industries. The government will also look specifically at Lalkothi, Lamahata, Takdah, Mirik, Kurseong and Lava Lolegaon areas for development.

“For the planning of satellite towns, the chief minister has said she will look at appointing a special officer from the municipality department who can help us identify and plan proposals. Our first task will have to be carrying out extensive surveys to see what is needed. She has told us we should not depend entirely on the state government but that we should try and exploit the natural resources of Darjeeling Hills to see how we can become financially and economically independent… I have proposed the setting up of a Heritage Tourism circuit and she has asked me to identify sites that can be incorporated into this circuit as well as see what other circuits can be developed. We have also proposed the setting up of a higher education cell in the Hills with a representative from the state government. The main issue with appointment of college teachers right now is that we have to approach the Directorate of Public Instruction in Kolkata, which refers us back to the GTA. But the GTA is not equipped to appoint teachers. She has assured us that the Chief Secretary will look into this demand,” said Rai.

Rai further added that the GTA has requested Mamata to lobby for the Centre for Landslide Research to be set up in Darjeeling. “Darjeeling has the highest number of landslides in the country. This Centre is currently proposed in Uttarakhand. We have requested the chief minister to lobby with the central government and bring it here instead,” said Rai.