‘More talks needed’

State home secretary Asok Mohan Chakrabarti today said two round of tripartite talks were not enough to resolve the Gorkhaland issue and that development in the hills had come to a halt because of the movement of Gorkha Janmukti Morcha.

“It is true that because of the movement and present state of affairs in the hills, development and administrative works have taken a backseat,” said Chakrabarti, who held a high-level meeting at the circuit house here this morning. “As the DGHC is the primary body for the execution of schemes, the indefinite strike at its offices has affected work.”

Asked about the second round of tripartite talks, he said: “We are waiting for it. Several issues have to be dealt with during the talks and all of them cannot be addressed in one or two meetings. A few more rounds would be necessary.”

The meeting today discussed the consolidation of the tribals under organisations like Akhil Bharatiya Adivasi Vikash Parishad to demand Sixth Schedule status for the Dooars.

“The government has come to know that people representing the tribes will submit a memorandum to the divisional commissioner in Jalpaiguri on December 1. The district magistrate of Jalpaiguri has been instructed to look into demands associated with the implementation of development schemes,” the home secretary said.

The state government, he said, has sought six companies of extra paramilitary forces from the Centre.

“Five companies posted in Bengal have been sent to states where Assembly elections are being held. They will return after the polls. Over and above them we have asked for additional six companies to be posted in districts like Jalpaiguri and Cooch Behar,” Chakrabarti said.

The government would continue to be tolerant in the hills. “Some of the signboards from which ‘West Bengal’ had been wiped out and replaced with ‘Gorkhaland’ have been removed while work is on to correct the remaining ones. Cases have been lodged against the Morcha supporters who have done the defacement and are at different levels of investigation,” he said.