Books vs bullets: Stir hits Darjeeling boarding schools

Mangalorean.Com Darjeeling, March 8 (IANS) The violent agitation for a separate state of Gorkhaland in north Bengal has taken its toll on the internationally famed boarding schools of Darjeeling, with some considering shifting to safer areas or closing down altogether. The 50-odd major boarding schools in the three hill subdivisions of northern West Bengal's Darjeeling …

Norm reminder on tea wage talks

The Telegraph VIVEK CHHETRI Darjeeling, March 7: The apex body of tea producers’ associations in India today almost rejected the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha’s demand for talks on garden workers’ wage revision, saying the matter could not be discussed with only one union by flouting established norms of the industry. Members of the Consultative Committee of …

Hill front to avoid common candidates

The Telegraph VIVEK CHHETRI Darjeeling, March 6: The Democratic Front will not have candidates under its banner in the coming Assembly elections in the hills, but the conglomeration of the anti-Gorkha Janmukti Morcha parties might support each other’s candidates. The ABGL, CPRM, GNLF-C and the Sikkim-Darjeeling Ekikaran Manch are the main constituents of the DF. …

Interlocutor calls it a day

The Telegraph VIVEK CHHETRI Darjeeling, March 4: Vijay Madan, the Centre’s interlocutor to hold talks on the Darjeeling impasse, today tendered his resignation, indicating that not much progress could be achieved on the issue. “With the Assembly elections round the corner, there is no possibility of some dramatic announcement. I have tendered my resignation as …

Tea embargo kicks off to extract more

VIVEK CHHETRI Darjeeling, March 4: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha today upped the ante by enforcing an embargo on the first flush of Darjeeling tea to fulfil en extended charter of demands, which include housing and medical benefits, apart from a double hike in wages for garden workers in the hills. Morcha chief Bimal Gurung had …