Flash floods: GTA demands financial assistance from Centre for North Bengal hills like that of Sikkim

Kolkata: The Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA), the nodal body for civic administration in the hills of Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Kurseong in north Bengal, on Saturday demanded immediate financial assistance from the Union government for the hill region, on the lines of the funding being received by neighbouring Sikkim after the flash floods.

"The hills in north Bengal, especially in Kalimpong, are no less affected than Sikkim by the flash flood. So we demand that the Union government provide financial assistance to the hills for rehabilitation purposes just as it has given to the Sikkim government,” said GTA chief executive Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha (BGPM) founder Anit Thapa.

Thapa said that he also requested the West Bengal government to initiate talks with the Union government for making provisions for financial assistance for the hills of north Bengal.

“I was present in a virtual meeting convened by the state government on the flood situation in north Bengal. Chief Secretary HK Dwivedi was also present and I raised the issue of central assistance for the hills with him” Thapa informed.

It is learnt that the state government, on its part, has decided to grant Rs 24 crore to the GTA for rehabilitation purposes in the hills.

At the same time, the Chief Minister has instructed a survey team to visit the hills to review the situation there.

“After the review team submits its report and the picture becomes clear, the grant amount might be increased at a later stage,” said a senior official in the state finance department.

Meanwhile, Thapa accused the BJP Lok Sabha member from Darjeeling Raju Singh Bista of neglecting his constituency even in the midst of this crisis.

“Is not Darjeeling a part of India? The hills have elected BJP candidates thrice since 2009. But still the central ruling party is neglecting the hills in such a manner,” Thapa alleged.