Bridle on former councilors

Darjeeling: With the approval of Mr. Subash Ghisingh, the circular, ref. number 55/CO/CPS/DGHC, has been issued by chief principal secretary of the DGHC, Mr. Anil Verma, which has instructed its departments not to accept “recommendations” from former councillors. The decision is expected to be followed strictly by the council officers.

The former councillors are not entitled to make any recommendations of agencies and contractors to be engaged under various departments of the council. The circular, has been issued to all executive officers, superintending engineers, executive engineers and other officials of the council.

The initiative has been taken against the unnecessary involvement of former councilors in the departments of council. The councillors had resigned from the DGHC general council body on March 21, 2005, under the influence of Mr. Subash Ghisingh, to pressurise the Bengal government for Sixth Schedule status for Darjeeling hills. Then the state government appointed the GNLF chief as caretaker administrator.

Observers believe that the move will make things difficult for the former councillors as nobody is sure about when elections of the new council will be held.

Mr. Deepak Gurung, president of the GNLF Darjeeling branch committee, expressed his positive opinion towards the new decision made by Mr. Subash Ghisingh.