Tense hills: Govt cautions tourists

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Express News Service

Posted online: Thursday , May 01, 2008 at 01:05:11

Kolkata, April 30 With the prospect of Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) defying the government with a fresh protest looming large, the state government on Wednesday exhorted tourists to stay away from the hills.

The GJM had asked the people of Darjeeling to stop paying all taxes and other revenues from Thursday. “The situation in the hills is grim. Often water and electric supplies are being snapped. Transport is also severely affected. It is risky for the people to visit the hills,” said Minister for Urban Development Ashok Bhattacharya.

Home Secretary Ashok Mohan Chakrabarti also said that the situation in Darjeeling is not conducive for tourism.

“Divisional Commissioner B L Meena of Jalpaiguri division, will talk to GJM on Thursday,” he added. This will, however, heavily affect the economy of the hills as tourism is the mainstay of the area.

GJM activists will also sit for an indefinite hungerstrike in protest against the state government’s refusal to give GJM permission to hold a rally at Siliguri on April 27. Bhattacharya said GJM has designs to create disturbances at Siliguri and the government will not allow it.

“They wanted to hold a rally at Siliguri only to create disturbances. The GJM is hell bent on causing disturbances in the area. Due to this, all development works at Siliguri are in jeopardy,” he said.

The government, instead, has given permission to the GJM for a rally at the Brigade Parade Ground in Kolkata on May 7.

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Comments - 1

This is Untrue by Upendra on 03 May 2008

As can be seen, Mr. Ashok Bhattacharjee the so called Urban Development Minister has practically gone insane... He is a very vindictive person and because of his antipathy towards the hills (he is also the Hill Affairs Minister), people have disbarred this person from entering the Hills... So he has taken upon himself to ensure that tourism and any other industry in the hills do not foster... There is no tension in the hills and Tourists are requested not to listen to the ramblings of a demented mind... Point in Case this person has been the Urban Development Minister of West Bengal for previous so many years... and you know how urbanized West Bengal is... This person along with his CPI(M) buddies have turned West Bengal to Wasted Bengal and still they will not rest at that... I hope the people of our country are informed enough and will confirm the facts before listening to this ego-maniac... remember these are the same people who killed thousands in Nandigram... so U know whom to bel

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