Governor wants early solution

SILIGURI, Oct. 23: West Bengal Governor Gopal Krishna Gandhi has said that the ongoing tripartite talks on the Darjeeling Hills agitation should move smoothly so as to arrive at a solution at the earliest possible.
“As you all know, tripartite talks are in position and the government of India, the state government and the Morcha (GJMM) are all engaged in the tripartite talks. We should wish the talks to move smoothly and arrive at a solution at the earliest,” Governor Gandhi said during a brief interaction with the reporters in Siliguri this noon.

It may be noted that after meeting the governor in Darjeeling last afternoon, the GJMM suspended its controversial diktats of fixing ‘GL’ number plates on vehicles and replacing of ‘West Bengal’ with ‘Gorkhaland’ in state government office signboards in the Hills.

The governor halted in Siliguri today on his way back to Kolkata after a week-long vacation in Darjeeling and took stock of the development measures initiated by the Siliguri Municipal Corporation under the Integrated Housing and Slum Development Project (IHSDP) ~ a project jointly funded by the Union, the state and the civic body.

Governor Gandhi visited a community centre build under the project at Shitlapara slum in ward number 31 in the town and congratulated the SMC for the IHSDP works.
Addressing a gathering on the occasion, the governor said that every visit to Siliguri makes him happy to witness the rapid growth that the town is making. “I am also happy to see the presence of large number of women at this gathering. I wish, Siliguri to make further progress with active involvement of our women populace,” the governor said even as women and children touched his feet in respect.

Siliguri mayor Mr Bikash Ghosh and the deputy mayor Mr Nur-ul Islam, who were present on the occasion briefed Mr Gandhi about the IHSDP works being done and urged him impress upon the Union government to release more funds for the development of Siliguri.

Later, in the afternoon the Governor flew off to Kolkata from the Bagdogra airport.