Asok promises supply of essential commodities

The state urban development minister and the Siliguri MLA, Mr Asok Bhattacharya today said that supplies of essential commodities and food to the Darjeeling hills would be ensured under police protection from tomorrow. The minister's statement comes following the anti-Gorkhaland stir in Siliguri.

“None would be allowed to stop the food supplies to the hills. The police and administration have been asked to take stern action if against any attempt to disrupt the supply lines,” Mr Bhattacharya said in Siliguri today. The minister's statement comes following the Aaamra Bangali and Bangla Bhasa O Bangla Bachao Committee convened 48-hour bandh in Siliguri starting today. The Jan Jagaran, a newly floated apolitical organisation also threatened to cut off the supply lines to the hills from today.Terming the 48-hour bandh in Siliguri as an “irresponsible and insensitive act,” Mr Bhattacharya urged the organizations sponsoring the bandh to withdraw the shutdown programme immediately.

“The CPI-M does not support the tact of countering an ultra-nationalist movement (like the one spearheaded by the GJMM in the hills) by another (initiated by the anti-Gorkhaland factions in Siliguri),” Mr Bhattacharya said, adding that if Section 144 is withdrawn from Siliguri tomorrow his party would organise a peace rally.

Traffic halted
The leaders of the Jan Jagaran, which had pledged to halt supply of provisions to the Darjeeling hills today in response to tourist harassment in the Darjeeling hills due to the GJMM bandh in the past few days, succeeded in suspending traffic movement to and from the hills today. The organisation, however, condemned the mob violence in Siliguri today following the Aamra Bangali and Bangla Bhasa O Bangla Bachao Committee sponsored bandh and urged for peace in the plains and the hills.

http://www.thestatesman.net/page.news.php?clid=10&theme=&usrsess

Business Financial Services

Asok promises supply of essential commodities