Government of West

Report of the Enquiry Committee

Superintendent, Government Printing Wiif~ti

Pri~'25nP. Report o~ the Darjeeling Enquiry 1Committee ' I>

WE the Cot~ittee appointed under Resolution many untrained (ead.ers at present employed iu No. S417P ., dated the 9th November 1955, _to primmy sc'110ols fintl diffh:ulty in gettmg t_hem­ examine the various problems affecting the htll selves trained because during the period of trnmmg areas of the , have the honour they are unable to support their famili"s ns the to submit our report as follows: sdwoL are not in a position to pay tl1em any remuneration and the stipend they get from II. We met fit-st at Darjeeling on the 26th Gov-erntnent is used up in tueeting· the cost of November 1955 and decided to invite the written their hoard and lodging. \Ve recommend that to views of those who were desirous of offering thetr the extsting- untrainerl teachers a food allmyance suggestions for the development of the hill areas of Hs. :!5 may be paid in addition to the stipend of the Darjeeling district and for t!te improvement during· the period of their training. To the. new of the conditions of the people llvmg there. The untrainetl entrants, however, only the sttpen.d Committee's appointment a~d their ·~ecision. to should be paitl during their training and thetr invite the views of the pubhc were gtven wtde t·erruitment will he made on the r:ondit.ion that publicity by distribution !'f leaflet~ . in Nepali, unless they get themselves trained, they will be , Bengali 'bud Enghsh. Pubhctty wa~ a~so replaced by tr.ained teachers when available. given by other means through the Dtstrwt Publicity Organisation. 2. 'fhere are 2i high sd;ools and 33 junior ltin·h schools in the district and the approximate III. Altoooether we received 102 (39 + 63) m~nber of students enrolled in these schools is memoranda ;;;_ English and 18 in Nepali. A point­ JO :i44. For the reasons stated in the preceding noted summary of these memoranda is give~ in i'a~agraph the number of secondary schools should Annexure I. also be increased. A Government or u Govern­ IV. Our second meeting was held at. Kalim­ ment-aided high school may be set up nt pong from the 25th to the 27th M:arch 1956, third -. at Darjeeling and Kurseong f':om. the 15th to the 19th May 19>)6, fourth at DarJeelmg on 16th and 3. As regards higher education the need for n 17th December 1956 and the fifth at Darjeeling· Degree College at Kurseong was stressed but in and Kalimpono· from the 25tlt to the 27th April our view it would meet the present needs of this 1957. We lo~t one of our eolleagues, Shri subdivision if arrangements for cheap transport G. Mahbert, M.L.A., after the second meeting between Kurseono· and ])arjeeling are made for and were thus deprived. of the benefit of the views students to a,t,tend their Degree Classes at the of one whose advice to the Committee was Government College at Darjeeling or a cheap hostel invaluable. is provided for them at Darjeeling. V. We interviewed 63 non-offieial individual• As for the Education Department and organisations representing all shades of should im·estigate the financial position of the opinion. ·we invited officials also to state their Scotti>h Union MissiOnary College which prepares views on the various problems of the district. The students for the Intermediate Examination at officials included all branches of the administration, present and should make adcrJuate grants to put. viz.. the Deputy Commissionet·, the Civil Surgeon, it on a ~oun£1 footing and to upgrade it for teac-hing the 'District Social Education Officer, etc. A · tlw Degree . Course. t·esmne of the suggestions made to the Committee is given in Annexure II. · 4. Hill bovs have a keenness for technical education. Tbe existing Industrial Training VI. \Ye finally met at CaLmtta on the 6th, 9th Sehoul at Tung can hardly enter to this need and the lOth August 1957 to discuss and finalise adequately. 'fhe school should be upgraded and our recommendations which are as follows: expanded so that facilities for training as drafts­ man, overseer nnd other such courses are available for the hill boys at this institution. At. present Recommendations tll'o sr•als h:tve bt•en reserved in both the Merlical College and the Nil Rutan Sir<'nr 1\[edical College, 'fhere are. 366 primary schools in the district Calcutta, fur students from the DarjPeling district. and the approximate number of students attending \\'e rc<'ommend that apart from this district­ these schools is 32,413. 'fhere are 55 schools in wise allrJf'ation two more seats in ench of the ahove the tea gardens under the Darjeeling Brandt of institutions may be reserved for the hill boys from the Indian Tea Association. Out of them 48 are 1Jarjeeling and such boys passing the I.Se. aided by Government and the rest are run by the Exnminal ion nt least in the ser·ond rlivision he Darjeeling Brauth of the Indian Tea Association. admitted in those institutions in relaxation of the Primary education has to be expanded in the dis­ pres.•nt standnrrl for admission. \Ve also trict and the number of schools is to be increased. I'eeummenrl that similar fnr:ilitills may be extended In view of the topography of the area, the increase to 11"' hil! hovs in 'I'Pchnir·al Government Insti­ is particularly necessary. Primary education is tutions like the Agrieulfural College, Veteriuary very much in the attention of the hill people and ( 'c,Ih·ge, Bngineering- College. therefore any increase in the number of schools will not result in the reduction in the number of 5. Fur improYcment of the l1enlth nnrl sanita­ pupils attending each school. The main difficulty tion adequate supply of water is nBcessarj, but in the establishment of more primary schools is owing to the terrain supply of water, eBpecially, stated to he the rlearth of teachers with • tlte good rlrinldng water is most diffie-ult in the hills. standard of qualifications required under the Some small water-supply schemes have heen carried ·Primary Education .Act. We suggest that untrain­ out recently but the far·ilities are still far too .ed teachers who are otherwise suitable may be meagre. A number of merlium-sizerl schemes employer! till they get themselves trained or are like those executed at nnd Lamagaon should replaced by trained teachers. We understand that be undertaken quickly. • · 2

&:. The Medical and Public Health ex~en~iture 10 .. The consti·uction of an all-weather jeepllble in 'liarjeeling exreeds that of any other dtstnct m 1oad. from Bijanhari to Rimbik should be. under­ \V<·ortunity to .the poor agriculturists 1·esiding in a dispensary ancl one licentiate. doctor .. 'l'he centre these out of the way places for marketing their is to function within five miles radius. 1'hese commodities at Darjeeling and the plains and thus centres ure generally situated in a cent~al pl?-ce to improve their economic condition. and are also charged wt t~ the d_uty of . takmg 11. The existing roads and bridges should be preventive measures for diSeases m the vi'!-ages. maintained in proper condition if construction of ]3ut the condition of health of the people IS _not new feeder roads and bridges and culverts cannot satisfactory. One of _the r~asons why medwal be undertaken immediately due to financial facilities are not readily availabl~ to rur~l people difficulties. The District Board maintains 327' is that the communication s_ystem II! the h11l regt'?n miles length of the road of which 14 miles are is very unsatisfaetory. With th_e rmpmvement m motorable, 50 miles jeepable and the remainmg communication system more patients wtll be able 26;3 miles bridle path. On these roads there are 14 tu utilise the medical facilities available in the suspension bridges, 47 wooden bridges, 12 girder rural health centres and hospitals. It .is therefore bridges and HiO masonry and· reinforced concrete necessary to increase the medieaj facilities at these culwrts. The financial C!lndition of . the District institutions. ·we have . been mformed that the Board is far fi'!llll satisfactory with the result that number of beds at the Victoria Hospital, Darjeeling, these roads and bridges are not maintained properly has been increased from 106 to 208 by providing and are unusable for a great pa~;t of t4e year. 102 extra beds at the Eden Sanatorium, Darjeeling, Necessary financial assistance should be given to which now functions as a wing of the Victoria the District Board for the proper maintenance of Hospital. At the Kurseong Hospital the number these roads and bridges or in the alternative they of beds has been inr:reaoed from 41 in 1947 to 50 should be taken over and maintained by the Works in.19ii5. As compared to this_, the numbe~ o_f beds and Buildings Department of Government. in the Charteris Hospital, Kahmpong, a Mtsswnary Hospital, has been increased from 140 in 1947 to 12. The transport of long distance passenger" 2'•2 in 191\5. Kalimpong is perhaps the only to Kalimpong from Calcutta and other places subdivision .which has no State-managed hospital. between and Kalimpong· should be tal>en '£he Charteris Hospital in Kalimpong should be over by the State and the Ra~lway authorit1e• taken over by Government in the interest of better. should be moved to extend the facilities of administration. · · concessional return fare to such visitors. Govern­ ment should also examine and take up with the 7. One of the complaints received by us was Uailway authorities the question of establishing that the health centres, maternity clinics, etc., Railway Out-Agencies like the one at Simla, at were not provided with competent men or requisite Darjeeling, Kurseong and .Kalimpong for the equipment. This complaint should be immediately com•enient'e. of visitors to those places. investig·ated .and remedied. Steps should also be taken to apponit only those men who have adapted 13. At present transport vehicles are themselves to the local condition, are not afraid allowed to ply in the district of Darjeeling· but nf touring the hills, have overcome the language Darjeeling district vehicles are not allowed to enter difficulty and have a sympathy for the rural hill Sikkim. There should be reciprocity in transport people. It was also deposed before us that some facilities between Sikkim and and the matter of the health centres were not being fully utilised. should be taken up with the appropriate authorities. We suggest that the matter be investigated and suitable measures taken. 14. The question of reopening of the passenger traffic between Calcutta and Darjeeling through . 8. More Maternity and Child Welfare Centres East Pakistan should be pursued. Pending " should be established. The Maternity and Child decision on it a train exclusively between Calcutta Welfare Centres recently sanctioned' for , and Siliguri should be introduced. '£akdah, Sukiapokhri and with provision 15. Generally crops grown in the district of of training dhais at N axalbari should immediately start working. The Deshbandlm Memorial Society Darjeeling are millets, maize, potatoes and padc~y under the patronage of the Governor of West and the cash m·ops are cardamom and orange m · Bengal have recently started a Dhai Training · some parts. Except for tea the district is mainly agricultural. Agricultural improvement is there­ Centre at Darjeeling and 32 hill girls are under~ going training. Training facilities for hill girls fo:·e vi tal fo·r the people. Special measures are T.o at this institution should. be increased, if cireum­ be taken to combat "Foorkay"-the mennce to st.ances permit. mu·damom crop. In course of our enquiry it has been broug-ht to our notice that once a field is 9. .At present 25 beds have been reserved jn the infected by "Foorkay" it cannot be used for 8. !3'· Dey Sanato!ium at Kurseong for T.B. growing· c:ardamom ag·ain for about three years. pat!ents from the hill people. In view of the high It is therefore desi1·able that such cases of destruc­ mCidence of T.B. among the hill people, 20 more tion of cardamom when brought to the notice of the beds be reserved for them in this sanatorium. local authorities should he carefully investigate!! Ch~t c_Jinics of the type of the one started at' and suitable 1·emission of rent granted where DarJeeling by the Deshband.hu :Memorial Society circumstances so warrant, especiallY: in view of. the should be started at other Important places like fact that the t•ent for cardamom field is very htgh. Kalimpong, Mirik, Pulbazar. The first B.C.G. It has also been brought to our notice that there inoculation. was n!lt followed by fresh test after is a wide disparity between the rates of rent for a year as 1s usually done. It is not known if this cardamom field charged by the Khas:inahal and the was due to pauci~y of funds. The general praetice Forest Departments. 1\his disparity should be, ~ho~ld be .followed _in the hill areas due to the high abolished an(l rent chargecl hy the Forest Depart­ mCidence of the disease. Information has reached ment should be at the khasmahal rate. us tpat. the Cla_I·~ T ..B. . :f!:ospital run by the 16. Arrangements for adequate water-supply DarJeehng Mumctpahty Is m a very bad condition. for irrigation purposes should be made and the The Health Department may look into the matter agriculturists of the district. should be encouraged ~nd ma;y- take such measures as may be feasible to adopt improved and sc:ientific method through m the Circumstances to remedy the state of affairs. demonstration farms and agricultural melas. 3

When small canals are dug by the cultivators them­ m<·nt. The Cinchona Directorate and Ute Me,Jicinnl selves from "Jhoras" on the forest land for Plants Directorate should co-ordinate in the mntt"r irrigating their fields and the Forest Department of r.ecruitme'.'t of labo~rers. The possibili t;v of do not incur any expenditure for the purpose, no !mdmg a btgger formgn market for medtcinal water' tax should be levied by them from the herbs and plants may be ex{Jlored. ' cultivators as at present. 23. After the partition the tourist traffic to 17. During the war the military authorities Darjeeling was great.ly reduced with the conse­ established a vegetable farm at Darjeeling which quential hardship to the hill people who used to supplied green vegetables for civilian consumption depcnrl much on tlw tourists. Th .. re i~ alreurly a also. Green vegetable farms can be established to Tourist. Heception Officer at Darjeeling, work.ittg the economic advantage of the hill people. It will under the ~linistry of Transport of the Govern­ be possible to supply green vegetables and dairy ment of ln<~ia. But more int.ensive puhlieit.y to products from Darjeeling to Calcutta situated at attract tmmsts to the hill stations of this district a distance of 300 miles only if refri~erated vans are seems to be called fur. As already observed the introrhwed and colrl storage facilities are provided question of reopening of the route between Calcutta at Siliguri. The construction of ropeways over and Siliguri through East. Pakistan should be given some portions of the hili areas and over the Ganges serious consi.Jera lion. The possibility of open in~ at Dhulian till the Farakka Bridge is constructed of a :-;tate Bus route between Calcutta and Siligun will also cut short the time for the movement of may also he explored. The In.Jian Airlines Cor­ these commodities to Calcutta. The aforesaid poration grant special concessionnl fares for measures will also solve the problem of disposal journeys between Delhi and Srinagnr, Delhi mul of the orange which is one of the important cash Amritsur, Jo.vpur and Jodhpur and a few ot.her crops of the district. Government should explore places. • .Gover!'ment sho?ld take up the 9nestion these possibilities. of extendmg thts concesstonal fares to Journeys between Dum Dum and Bagrlog~a in the interest 18. The hill areas of Darjeeling are famous of the tourist traffic. In order to attract tourists for hundreds of varieties of flowers some of which in l:irger number Government dak bungalows and are rare. The question of marketing of such youth hostels in the interior of the disfrict shouhl flowers should be given special consideration. also b<• thrown open to them on payment of reason­ able charges and there should be a Centra] Office at 19. 'Vitlt now forming a part of China Darjeeling for reservation· of accommodation in it is doubtful if the present suppl~· of wool from those bungalows. that countl·y will continue for a long time. It may therefore be examined if the otherwise un­ 24. There are four Block Development Centres produetive hills' of Durjeeling bordering on Sikkim functioning in Ute district of Darjeeling. Out of and TibPt cannot be utilised for sheep rearing and these four, three have lJeen conve'rted into Com­ "heep farming .. Government should request the munity Development Project. It has transpired Dttar Pradesh Government t<> send one of their in course of our enquiry that two Block Develop­ experts to examine the feasibility of starting sheep ment Officers are managing the four Development farms in Dnrjeelin~ on the lines of the one 13locks. Two posts of Block Development Officers established by that Government at Hrishikesh. are b·ing vacant and the district is going without a District Development Officer for a long time. 20. Tea is the principal i,ndustry of the district Steps should be taken to post n Block Development hut the greatest handicap to this industry is the Officer at each of the Blocks and a District Develop­ large ·surplus populati(ln m the tea gardens. Due ment Ofiicer at Headquarters to ensure that the to the presence of this large surplus population rlcvelopment work in the district is carried on t.he gardens lwve to engage a large number of smoothly and efficiently. labourers than is actually necessary and economic. '!.'he surplus population should be drawn away to 2"i. In the hills the main difference between a cottage industry. The recent tendency of the drinking water seheme and an irrigation scheme p.ew entrants in the tea trarle in trying to get a lies in the size o£ the pipes. In Development quick return on their investment at the cost of Blocks the rate of local contribution for drinking quality has proved to be a menace to the stability water scheme is 10 per cent. wherens the rate for of this foreign exchange earning industry. To irrigation scheme is much hi~her. '!.'he people minimise this threat it is necessary to ensure that heing vm'y pnor they have not heen ahle in most oianagers and Assistnn t Managers of the tea cases to pay their contributions £or irrigation gardens are men of requisite qualifications and scheme. As a result the Dl'velopment Blocks have experience. For appointment to these posts the not been able t<> extend much trrigation facilities requirement <>f a certificate from a 'l.'ea College to to the people. Government should examine the be set up for the purpose should be prescribed as possibility of rerlucing the rate of local contribu­ an essential prerequisite as in the case of mining tion for irrigation scheme to 10 per cent. as in industry a certificate from the Mining College, drinking water scheme. Dhanbad. 26. It has been represented to us that rlue to 21. Government should examine the possibility the poverty of the people they are unable to oontri­ of starting cottage industries for the production bute 50 per cent. of the cost of drinking water of gardening tools and implements, baskets and

28~ T\te hili people are very sports-minded. The boys and girls on tours to different parts of West constructio,, of ·a stadium with adequate facilities Bengal and India-to places of old historical for the different sports organisations and clubs interest showing the country?s glorious past as we]] should be taken up as early as possible. The as to new places where she is building great dams difference of opinion as regards the location of the electrical plants, factories, etc., holdino- out th~ stadium should not be allowed to delay the matter promise of a no less glorious future whe;;_ she will and the Deputy Commissioner should bring the local be a hle t? take ~er place side by side with the most people together and take an early and final progressive natwns of the world. During a year rlecision. between three to four hundred such boys and girls may. he taken out on such tours in convenient 29. In course of our enquiry complaints were ba~ches. under the care of competent teachers. made to us that there was not sufficient number of Tins wtll make them realise the o-reatness of their hillmen in various services in the district. On a country and the unity of its people and will urge s~rutiny of the figures supplied by the Deputy them to stand against all ideas of parochialism. Commissioner, Darjeeling·, and other depart!"ents it was however found that the representation of 31. In order to remove from the minds of hill hillmen in the services in the district was not people. apy feeling of being neglected by the inadequate. authorrhes and to establish closer contact between them and the administra twn the Ministry with a At present hill boys are not generally able to skeleton staff should move to Darjeeling at least compete with the boys from the other parts of the once a yeai. State for the various State Civil Services. We feel that some reservation may be made for them for the 32. A Board composed of a few district legisla­ period of five vears in some of those ser'l"ices like tors an~l loqal l_eaders enjoying the confidence of the W.Jl.C.s.:w.B.J.C.S., W.B.P.S., Assistant the vai:wns sectwns of the p~oJ?lEi· should be set up Registrar of Co-operative Societies. etc. This to advise the Deputy CommiSSIOner on matters of matter may be fnrthe: examined by Government. eultural :mel. economic UJllift. The Board In the matter of recrmtment to non-gazetted posts should ordmarrly meet quarterly and its functions and inferior posts the local candidates possessing . will be purely ativisory. · the requisite minimum qualification should be given preference. 33. Govern~ent should select Darjeeling, whe_never possible, as the venue for official all­ 30. Of Ia te there has been a growth of a spirit India meetmgs and conferences to be held in West of regionalism among a certain section of the hill Bengal. people. This is an unfortunate development and will do no good to them. It is true that the hillmen 34. _In course of our eU:quiry it has come in have some special features of their own but it will our notice that there is a persistent demand that the lle a retrograde step to place over-emphasis on Nepalese shon Id. be ufficially recoo-nised as a back­ these features and io overlook the fact that they ward. community. The matter o may be further have many more important things in common with exanuned by Government. the people in the re•t of the country. In fact the . 3.j. ~s th~ overwhelming majority of the people whole course of Inrlian history is one shining m the hll~ areas speak Nepali, the district should e~ample of unity i;n the midst of diversity. If the be recogms~d as a bilingual one and both Nepali hill people want to prosper and to go ahead with anrl. Bengah should be recognised as the district's the rest _of the couatry they can never afford to reg10!'-al languages. forget ih1s lesson. They must certainly I"etain the best of their special qualities and at the same time ~6. The ~~ill allowance of Government servants . adopt and assimilate the best of others but this whw~ was discontinued from 1st April 1955 should be remtroduced as the cost of livin"" there is hi<>"her they will never be ~ble to do. unless they discard 0 parochialism which i< one of the greatest obstacles than at other places in to the. cultivation of the correct sense of values. 37. W' e recommend that a small Committee be I~ order to foster the feeling of oneness among the. •et up to pursue the implementation of such of the hill people we suggest that Government should recommendations of this Committee as may be arranl]e to take out school and college going hill accepted by Government. · ·

(Srl.) D. S. GAHATRA.T. (Sd.) K. P. :UOOKERJEE. (Scl.) T. J\IANEAN. 9-9-57. Subject to the note sent separately.t (Sd.) ATULYA GHOSH. (Sd.) T. WANGDI. 10-9-57. 21-10-57. (Sd.) R. S. PRASAD. Snb.iect fo mv note attached (Srl.) S. K. RAJ. herewith. t · 14-10-57. (Sd.) N. B. GURUNG. (Sd.) L. R. JOSSE. 2.1-10-57. . 29-10-57. I rlo not agree to paragraph 31. Close con tact rna y be deve­ (Sd.) R. N. SHillER. loped in many other· ways. 30-11-57. (Srl.) J\IAITREYEE BOSE. 1.1-11-57. Subject to my note attached. t (Sri.) R. K. SHARJ\£A. -1-12:..57.

Vide Annexure- IlL ·Annexure I Memoranda to the Darjeeling Enquiry Committee STATEMENT A

Memoranda Received by the Committee Direct

Name(s) of the person(s) or institution(s). _ Gist of the letter. 1. Shri N. B. Rai, , P.O. T>nrjeeling. Requests permission to· giYe evidence before the Enquiry C'ommittee at any suitable place in the district and for giving him a timely not.ice to enable him to keep himself free from his profes­ sional engagements. 2. Shri Bahadnr Yolmo and mne others, Prayer for permanently settling them on the , Darjeeling. Khasmaha'l property at present held by them at Lama Hatta Basti, TaJ..-duh, Dnrjeeling. 3. Shrl Pran Ballav Basak, Naya Kaman, A. As regards improvement of education of the· Kurseong. Hill people suggests- · (i) establishment of a full-fledged Multi­ purpose School at Kurseong; (ii) provision for seats in the Dow Hill and Victoria Schools at Kurseong for day­ scholars pending the establishment of the Multi-purpose Schools; (iii) tuition fee to be reduced, midday meals to be provided by schools for wliich they should t·eceive subsidy from Government; liv) model M. E. Schools to be established in important vil'lages of Kurseong sub­ division; lv) grant-in-aid rules should be relaxed and a hostel should be established at Kurseong. Compulsory tiffin to the boys in all schools should be provided; and (vi) Technical education at the Darjeeling Industrial School should be of a more advanced type. B. As regards measures for the improvement of health, suggestion has been made that- (£) mazdoors should not be wllowed to· carry more than a standard weight when they g

Name(s) of the person(s) or institution(s). Gist of the letter. 4. Darjeeling Branch Indian Tea Association, , Seek interview to discuss problems of Tea Darjeeling. Jnclustry in Sadar and Kurseong subdivisions of · Darjeeling district. 3. (a) :Merchants' Association, ib) l'ray for- Sonada Primary Congress and (c) Secretary All­ (1) instaflation of telephone connection; India .Marwari Federation, Sonada Branch. (2) supply of water; (3) opening of a Charitable Dispensary; and (4) opening of a Gov~rnment HigJ. School "t Sonada. (i. Committee member" of l'aiyung Carda­ Pray for- mom Growers' A8'ociation, Algara, P.O. Kalim­ (1) suitable site for Paiyungghon Junior Hi;.. h pong:. School and Government aid and for ope"n­ ing of Government Schools and Colleges· (2) conversion of Extra-Departmental Drane!; PoHt Office at Algara into a Sub-l'ost Office with telegmm facilities. · (3) 75 per cent., of the Government posts "e reserved for educated hill boys. (4) starting of ·a Veterinar,\· Hospital at Kalimpong; (5) solving water problem; (G) the present District Board Dispensary he eonvert.ed into a Health Centre Hospital; and 7. Me!nbers. Grnn1 Panchayat, Pedong, (i) improvement in the field of agriculture. Darjeeling. Suggest that-- (1) scheme· of Free Primary Education be implemented and that primary schools "e established in each Khasmahal Block; (2) grant-in-aid be sanct.ioned to Pedong Higu School, in which 50 per cent., of the students belong to Tribal Class; (3) Girls' Basic Training· School be established at Kalimpong; · (4) problems of drinking water-supply be solved; (5) opening of Junior Nurse Training and Dai 'fraining in the Government Thana Health Centre of Pedong: and (6) construction of the road from Pedong to J alepla be expedited. S. ~lembers of the Gram Panchayat, Kashyong Pray for-'-- Busty, P.O. Pedong, Da1·jceling. (1) opening of two primary schools in some c:onvenient places of Kashyong Block. Aid to the high school already in exist­ cnee be given. (2) supply of water for agricultura'l work; and (3) opening of a Maternity and Child Welfare Centre in each Khasmahal area. l1 Y!ibg-ers. Patten Godak Block, P.O. Rongo. A. Education Two primary school for imparting free educa­ tion to t:1e children of Dor.ong lepcha and other residents of the Patten Gorlak Khasmahal Block should be established by the Government and an adult night school be established. B. Public Health One Public Health Centre should be opened to serve the area. c. Agriculture (i) Irrigation faciliti!!s should be provided. (ii) Allotment of cultivable lund of Khas area of the Block to the cultivators of tJ.e lU'ea.

D. Road and Commur.i~ation (i) Road ann bridgHs should be constructed through Rongo Cinchona Plantation Garden, P'\tten Godak to To-doy-tangta. (it) Jlranch Post Office and Village Post Oflic~ should be established in the area. · E. · Industry Small-scale industries be developed. in the aree.. Name(s) of the pcrson(s) or institution(sj. Gist of the letter.· 10. Shri N. B. Rai. 1. Cottuge industries to he started on co- uperatiYe hn;is for the manufacture of­ (i) cutlery ; ( ii) silk ; (iii) toys, walking sticks, smoking pipes, etc ; (i1•) Cane und wicker articles; (v) ·wooden utensils; and (vi) Indigenous blankets, cnt·pets, hedco,·ers, etc. 2. In waste lands the following should be set up either on co-operative basis or a< pri,·atll enterprise:- · (i) Dairy, poultry, bee-keeping or live-stock f'nrming. (ii) Milk factory. 3. Fibre plants' cultiYntion should be intro­ duced in waste lands in 'l'eu Gardens. Such plants as Digitalis, Ruwolfia Serpentina, etc., which earn foreign exchange •hould be started at suitable altitude. · 4. Marketing facilities for industrial lllld agricnlturnl products should be arranged by GoYernment. 5. Encouragement should be giYen by Govern­ ment for the establishment of- (i) cold storage rmd iee plants for 'ornn!l·•·•, and Darjeelinp; vegetable•, pine npples, etc.; (ii) small water-power plants for factories in rural areas; (iii) tanneries in areas the inhabitants of which eat buffaloes; (iv) enterprise for mineral exploitation; nnd (>•) factories for manufaduring and procesa­ ing of timber and for extraction of wood alcohol. 11. Memhers of the 'staff of the S. U. ilf. Pray for . grant of an interview for placing Jn,titution, Kalimpong. •·ertuin grievances of the S. U. M. Institution. 12. Nepali Tamang Buddhist Association: The following points hnv~ been stressed:­ Darjeelin~. Education ('i) Free Primary Education should be available in all towns and villages of the . district d Darjeeling. (ii) Government High Schools for boys and girls should be established at Kurseong and Mirik. (iii) At Kalimpong there should be a full-fledged Arts and Science Colleg·e, T. B. Sanatorium, Medical School and A~riculturnl School. (iv) A Forest 1-lchool should he established at Kurseong and a Civil Engineering College at Darjeeling and the existing 'l'echnical School at Toong (Kurseong) should be fully equipped. P!Jblic Health and Sanitation (•) More health centres should be establi,hed and proYided with staff conversant with the local dialect. (ii) Full-fledged hospitals should be establishnd at Mirik, Siliguri and Pulbazar. Roads and Communications (i) Communication hetween Calcutta .mel Darjeeling should be mnde easier by­ (a.) opening the line via Pakistan, (b) reclucing the air fare, and (c) opening a road as contemplated with a bridge over the Ganges. ( ii) Roads within the l by Government. 8

Name(s) of the person(s) or institution(s). Gist of the letter.. 12. Nepali Tamang Buddhist As•ociati

Name(s} of the person(s) or institution(s). Gist of the letter. Public Health and Sanitation (i} 1'he scheme for the establishment of Thnna Health Centre at Pulbaznr sho11ld he implemented at once. (ii) Rlaughter house should he established. (i•i) 'l'he conditions of bnv.nrs and hats should be improved. Road and Communication Construetion of a motornhlc road from Dnr.;ee­ ling to llizanbnri should be taken up as early ns possible. Agriculture Training in modern methods of agriculture should he imparted.

"J'J Captain L Sharma, Sharma Cottage, Desires to speak before the Committee and Kurseong. forwards copies of papers submitted by him to the Backward Classes Commission. 23. Shri Hari Narayan Sharma, CJo Capt. L. Represents that the people of St; Mary's, Sharma, Sharma Cottage, Kurseong. Khari:J. llustee and the neighbouring areas are . . very poor and their economic improvement is inunediately necessary. l!'or this purpose- (i) portions of the reserved forests ~hould be brought under r.ultivation; (ii) live-stock should be improved; (iii) fanners' co-nperntives should be sll1rted; (''') water-supply arrangements should he made; ('•') maternitv and health centres should he established; and (vi) the village pak danrlies should be improved. 24. President, '"'ater-Supply Committee an•l Complains against the Inig-ation anrl Water­ Development Ass~ciation of Gayabari. ways Department for the faulty water-supply iustnllation . 25. Miss Punnyawati Sharma, Kurseong . In the matter of education the immediate necessity is- (a) one Government Secondary School for boys· (b) one Government Secondary School fo; girls; (c) one Government Polytechnic School; and (d) one l~irst Grade College at Kurseong. She also prays for an interview along with Iter brother Shri Hari. Namyan Sharma. 2(;. Secretary, Committ<>e constituted for the jJUrpose of submitting memorandum on beoolf of Representation in Services 1he people of K mseong subdivision. 1. The main cause of clisooutent is inadequate representation of the hill people in the public services of the district. ·This should be removed. 80 per cent. of the posts should be filled by hill people. The menials service, class IV service anrl ministerial service should be manneu entirely by the hill people. Education 2. The proposed U niveJISity for Northern Bengal shoulrl be esta blishecl at Kurseoug and not at Darjeeling which is already congested and h,:,. more extreme climate. 3. 1'he Industrial School at Tung should be extenrlecl to inclu,l'e Overse.1s or Licentiate Course ;ar other Technical Courses. · 4. St. Alphonsus Industi'ial School at present meant for refugee boys should be thrown open to local boys also. 5. The existing Forest School at Dow Hill should be upgraded into a Forest College and a Forest Research Centre . .G. A h1ll-flerlged Te<~chers Tmining Centre should he started at Kurseong. 7. Existing Sehools should be upgraded, expand­ er! unci pmvid'erl with furniture, play gJ'<>Und, etc. 8. Adult Ecluootiou Centres should be opened at :ltfirik and other important centres. 9. A Town Hall should be est,.blished at Kurseong and also a Multi-purpose School for boys. 10

Kame(s) of the person(s) or institution(s). Gist of the letter. 26. Secretary, Committee constituted for th~ Public· Health and Sanitation . purpose of submitting memorandum on behali 10. A 200-bedded hospital should be es'tablishecl of the people of Kurscong subdivision-concld. at Kurseong with Chest Clinic and X'Ray plant. 11. 'rhe present 25 free beds at the S. B. D. C. Sanatorium should· be increased to at 1least 75 of which some should be earmavked for hillmen. 12. Health Centres should be started at Pankha­ bari, Gairegaon, . Drainage system of Tindharia should be improved. 13. A park for the children and a gymnasium and playground for the youths should be estab­ lished at Kurseong. · 14. Milk and: nutritive food shouid be supplied to school children at nominal price. Roads and Communications 15. Bridges should be established to link specified outlying areas and . culverts to be constructed at special places. 16. 'l'he hanging bridge ovev Balasun at Panighata should be oonverted - i'nto a , pucc9. motorable bridge. 17. 'l'hc District Board Road No. · 12 connect­ ing Sonada Baz.'lr with Balasun river should be repaired•. 18. The old Military Road should be repaired. 19. Motorable road to Kalimpong ' to be constructed. 20. The passenger fare and freight over the Darjeeling Himalayan Section of the North­ Eastern Railway should be reduced to encourege passenger and goods traffic and second class accommodation to be provi-d:ed. Irrigation and Water.supply 21. The present supply 'of filtered water in K urseong subdivision i~ inadequate and should be improved to meet the increased demand. Ut Tube-well should be provided at Sukna where. Co-Op drinking water is not available at present. 19. Trade and Industry Z2. A 'ranning Institute and a Gun Factory should be started at Namser, three miles from Kurseong, due to the availability of buffalo hides and skins. 23. The possibility of starting a JlldLch and a plywood factovy should also be explored. 24. Co-operetive marketing organisations should. be developed and provided: with transport facilities. 25. Boarding and lodging facilities should be opened at Kurseong to encourage !9ur1st tmffic. 26. The present Sericulture Institutes at Kurseong and Kalimpong should be extended an

Name(s) of person(s) or institution(s). Gist. of the letter. 27. J oiQ.t Secretary, Rate-payers' Association, The following suggestions lmve been made:­ Darjeeling. Education 1. A resid·ential University like the Viswa Bhamti should he established· at Dmjeeling. 2. Evening classes for the degree rom se should be started in the Government College, · Darjeeling. 3. A girls' rollege should be est<1blished at Darjeeling. 4. l'laygromuls of local schools should be extended. 5. N<~tional Stadium should be established in each town of the district. 6. The rate-payers uf Darjeeling Municipality shuulcl be relieved of the E in schools and colleges should be reduced tu encourag·e the mhabitnnts of the distroict who are education.ally baclnv.ml tu attend schuols and oolleges in greater number. Public Health and Sanitation. 8. Maintenance of impurtant roads, drains and j}wra« should be undertaken by Government to restore public health and sanitation. 9. The T. B. Hospital shoul

N ame(s) of person(s) or institution(s). Gist of the letter·. 27. ,Joint 'Secretary, Rate-payers' Association, 27. Government offices in Darjeeling town Darjeeling-concld. should be concentrated in the 1Yoodlands urea. 2S. A public hall or a library should be established. 29. Sc!lrcity nf charcoal should be removed. 30. New hazar should be established at the borders of N epa! and Sikkim to promote business with those territories. · 31. Influx of people from and Sikldm should be controlled. · 32. Trade t~x imposed by the municipality should be abolished as well as the minimum charge of electricity. 28. Public of Pulbazar, Darjeehng. Prayer (in Nepali) for Govern;,1ent acquisition of the bazars of Pulbazar and from the landlords. · 29. Tami Mangal Samity, P.O. Tarbhanda, 1. The area of the E'iligttri subdivision Darjeeling.· which is the most backward area should be included within the scope of enquiry. by the Darjeeling Enquiry Committee, and the inhabit­ ants of the area be given a hearing by the committee. 2. Four members of the committee should be taken in the Committee to express their views.

30 .. Secretary, Mirik Congress Committee. 1. The Sukumbasi peasants who are landless · or share-croppers or sulb-tenancy holders or labourers, should be provided with forest land to make them independent and self-sufficient. 2. Horticulture improvement in Mirik area should be made by the Agricult~re Department. 3. Proposed Government Dairy Centre shoulq cover Mirik area. 4. Sfreet lighting of Mirik should be introduced by electricity from the Balasun River Project and power from it. should be available for Co-operative farming. 5. The Kharay ifhora bridge should be constructed with the topmost priority so that agricultural products of Mirik area can with facility be taken to Kurseong for ma.rketing. 6. A Co-operative Marketing Society should be established at Mirik to help both the producers and the consumers by· elim,inating the middle­ men. 7. Supply of filtered water for the Dhojea Bustee should be arranged. 8. A primary school should be established at Dhojea Bustee because since the dissolution of the Soots Mission Primary School, there is no such institution in the locality. 9. An industrial school on the lines of Fr. Veric's organisatiOn at Kurseong should. be established at l'lfirik.

31. Inhabitants of Tindharia and Chunbhatti Compl'!int against 'the appointment o'f a nono Khasmahal area. hillman as a, Manda.! for collection of revenue from the Tindharia and Chunbhatti Khasmahal area.

32. Kalimpong Motor Ass.ociation. Requests for prior intimation ~f the date of the next visit of t.he committee so as to enable the Kalimpong · Motor Associatiol). to place its grievances before the committee in regard to entry and . plying of Kalimpong Public Carrier@ in :::.ikk'm ~-tate Territory'.

33. E-ecretary, Hind Harijan ::::angha, Kalim· Requests for grant of an interview when, th• pong. o <·ommittee next visits Kalimpong. 13

Name(s) of person(s) or institution(s). Gist of the letter. 34. Shri B. K. Indra, Hotel Hillview, Kalim­ 'Vants to place before the eotmnittee his pon·g. per~onnl views and his views as n social serYice worker and Vice-President of Hinromotion of Nepali literature by grnnu of adequate financial aid by Government; 18. Appointment of two N epalis in the Secondary Education Board. 19. Grant of financial ai'd by Government to cultural and educational organisations of the hill people and to the libraries, clubs, etc. 20. Increase in the nUmber of stipends for the hill people. 21. Special facilities to hill people for technical education and industrial training by upgrading the present Technical School at Tung t.o Polytech11ic-mtm-Engineering qolleg~ and by ''onverting the present Industrtal Schools of Kurseong and Kalimpong to Po~technical Engineering Schools. 14

Name(s) of person(s) or institution(s). Gist of the letter. 36. Communist Party of India, Darjeeling 22. Liberulisation of the pay scales of teachers District Committee, Darjeeling-contd. of schools· and colleges. · 23. Reduction of tuition fees in schools and colleges and grant of increased number of free studentship. 24. Establishment of Government High Rdwols for girls at Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Kurseong. Health and Sanitation 25. Proposals for establishment of Health Centres already mooted should be implemented. 26. Extension of medical facilities in rural areas and improvements in Kurseong Hospital. • 27. The Clarke T.B. Hospital at Darjeeling should be taken over by Government. - _. 28. Latrines in towns should be made sanitary and in rural areas latrines and urinals should be provided as also drinking water': · · 29. The provisions of the Plantation Labour Act should be applied to the Cinchona plantation:; and Tea Gardens. Services 30. Adequate representation of hill people should be ensured in all services in the district. :n. If suitable hill people do not qualify for posts which are filled up by competitive examina­ tion, sueh posts should be filled up by hill people promoted from other services. 32. Special recruitment to the I.A.l'). and W.B.C.S. cadres should be made from Nepalis, , etc. 33. Hill allowance and house allowance should. be granted to all Government employees of Darjeeling district. Communications 34. Repair of all district board roads running; through tea gardens and villages is an immediate necessity. . 35. Repair and reconstruction of old bridges and culverts in Bustee areas should be undertaken at once. 36. More post offices should be opened in ruraJAI and tea garden areas. >j 37. Direct route from Calcutta to Darjeeling over Farakka Bridge should be opened and pend­ ing its opening the old route through East Pakistan should be allowed to operate. Reduc­ tion of air freight is necessary. Land P-roblems 38. Provisions of the Estates Acquisition Act and Land Reforms Act should be made applicable to Darjeeling district with suitable amendments. 39. Adequate loan and agricultural facilities should be given by Government to the agri­ culturists including long-term interest-free loans to them as well as to share-croppers. 40. "Jharlange-Pratha" (i.e., employment of iabourers from the vicinity without wages) .should bP. abolished wherever it exists. 41. Living wages be fixed for the a-gricultural labourers. · 42. Elimination of profits by middlemen shoulrl be ensured by Government who should fix the prices of agricultural commodities from time to time to this end. · 15

N ame(s) of per~on(s) or institution(s). Bist of the letter. 36. Communist Party of India, Darjeeling 43. Ucnt of Khasmahnl lands should he District Committee, Darjeeling-concl !. reduced and the holdings affected by the 1950- land sliension system, provident fund and Plan­ tation Labour Act should be introduced• in the te11 garden areas. 4i. Bonus should be granted to tea garden workers. 48. Fallow and waste land outside the planta­ tions, factories, etc., should be distributed gratis to wrokers 1·esidiug in tea gardens for cultivation. 49. The recent practice of appointment of non-hillmen in the Ministerial and Subordinate services of tea gardens owned by Indians should be stopped and only hillmen recruited.

Areas other than Tea Cardens 50. The Plantation Labour Act should be applied immediately to Cinchona Plantations. 51. Adequate wages to be paid to Government .Agricultural Farm workers. 52. The wages and conditions of services of ·casual workers employed by contractors in construction and repair of roads, bridges, build. ings, etc., should be improved and protected. 53. Rules should be framed by Government prescribing the maximum load to be carried by mazdoors. 54. Grievances of workers and khalasis work­ ing under the Works and Buildings Department should be removed.

Ceneral 55. 'l'he towns of Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Kurseong should be extended and the market places improved. 56. Small lwts in rural and urban areas should be es1ablished for marketing facilities of the neighbouring areas. 57. Trade tax recently imposed iby the Darjeeling Municipality should be withdrawn. 58. The supply of electricity in rural and urban areas should be adequate and the rate should be reduced. · 59. Route permits should be granted to deserving bona fide drivers and mechanics and to well-to-do owners of motor vehicles. 60. The scarcity of charcoal which is specially acute in the winter should be removed. 61. Immediate impartial enquiry into the firing at the ~Iargaret's Hope Tea Estate on the 25th June 1955. is the most vital demand of the hill people of the district. 62. The exhibition of obscene and otherwise undesirable films should be banned. Gel. Rent Control Courts should be set up at Darjeeling and owners of buildings should not be allo~ved to . collect rent until these are repaired according to the provision• of the Municipal Act at Darjeelinl!. • 16

N ame(s) of person(s) or in~titution(s). Gist m tli.e letter. ~~. Darjeeling Traders' Association, Darjeeling. Education 1. Comprehensive seheme for free primary education should be drawn up and implemented. For the successful implementation of this scheme it is necessary to- (-i) grant better emoluments to primary school. teachers; (ii) provide adequate :number of primary teachers; and (iii) rigidly enforce the law of compulsory admission of children of school-going age to primary schools. 2. More high schools should .be established by Government and those in existence should be granted adequate grants-in-aid by Government. 3. More high schools for girls should be established by Government and a separate college for girls at Darjeeling. 4. The college at Siliguri should be raised to Degree Standard and such first gl'ade colleges should be established at Kurseong and Kalimpong. 5. The Technical School at Tung should be . raised to Diploma Standard and more such schools should be opened by Government. 6. An Automobile Engineering . School should be established either at i:liliguri or at Darjeeling in view of the increasing use of automobile in local trans pod. 7. A Medical School should be · established in the district to f:wilitate medical training of hill people. 8. The proposal for the establishment of a Residential University at Darjeeling should be immediately implemented. · 9. Adult Literacy drive should be undertaken by Government with the help- of Audio-Visual instruments of the Publicity Department and through rural broadcasts. 10. _Publieity Department should endeavour by propaganda and through voluntary Associations to foster good 1·elation• and understanding between different communities. Health and Sanitation . 11.- Measures both curat.i~e and preventive should be taken to stop the progress of· Tuberculosis and · Venereal diseases amongst the hill people. Propac ganda to inculcate the hygienic habits of living should be undertaken by Government. ' '

12. Cheap house blocks for the accommodation · < of the poorer class of the hill people should be constructed. The slums in Darjeeling, Kurseong and Kalimpong be cleared. 13. Public latrines· should be increased and kept clear. Municipalities, etc., should be given financial aid for this purpose .by Government. 14. Provision for medical facilities · in. rural areas should be made by establishment of Health Centres, 1Iuternity Homes and Baby Clinics, etc. and centres should . be actually provided with emergency aids and equipment. 15. A · stadium should . be establishU at Darjeeling and should be located at the last bend of the Lebong Road to Lebong Ground. , Communication and Transport · 16. The Farakka Bridge Project should be given the topmost priority. as t4rough Railway service between Calcutta and Darjeeling should encourage smooth and increased influx of visitors and goods to Darjeeling. 17. Railway freight and fare over ·the Darjeeling-Siliguri Section .of the North-Eastern Ra~way should be reduced. 17

N :uue(s) of person(s) or institution(s). Gist of the letter. 37 .. Darjeeling Traders' Association, Darjeeling 18. A: train exclusively for passengers for -contd.. Sili_guri and Darjeeling area from Calcutta should ihe mtroduced. Direct train service from Lur.know· >to Siliguri without change at Katihar should be introduced. 19. The air fare from Calcutta ·be reduced to Rs. 50 and air freight to annas 2-6 per pound for luggage and goods. The free luggage allowance should also be increased. 20. "\V eekly air service between and Gauhati 11ia and Hasimarn should be introduced. 21. Alternative routes between Sili~uri and Darjeeling 1•ia. Panighata, Mirik and Sukta l'okhri and between Siliguri and Kalimpong 1-ia. Oodlabari and Samsing in should lbe constructed at once. 22. The possibility of connecting Ghoom with the plains by ropeway should be explored. 23: More trucks should be allowed to operate for transport of goods and the grant of licences should not be vitiated by favouritism, etc. 24. The existing roads, bridges and culverts should be repaired and kept in usable condition to mitigate the difficulty in the movement and disposal of local produce. Agriculture - 25. Emphasis should continue to be given on the application of improved methods in agriculture. 26. The system of "Dadan" should be abolished by introducing by Government of liberal schemes for the grant of agricultural. loans to cultivators. Industry 27. Steps should be taken to prevent the unrest in tea industry lby resolving the disputes between the labour and employer through the conciliation machinery of Government. 28. The recent tendency of new purchasers of tea gardens of getting quick return of capital instead of desiring a stable future of the tea industry has resulted in quantity productions with proportionate deterioration in quality and fall in ·demand in foreign markels. 29. The abovementioned tendency has resulted in dismissal of experienced managers and hands. To restore the position in foreign markets it is necessarv to improve the quality of tea and for this purpose· a Tea Colle~e should be opened in Darjeeling for traimng managers, assistant managers, etc. A rule should be framed under which no appointments in tea gardens should be made without a diploma from this college. 30. Wool weaving factories and handloom industries should be established. 31. Dairy farming should be estaJblished on a large scalP and the arrangements for export of products by air should be made. 32. Orchards for fruits like apples, pineapples, etc .. should be laid. 33. Natural wealth should lbe exploited by systematic geological survey. Civic Amenities 34. The supply of water should be improved. 35. Electric supply should be developed. 36. The acute shortage of charcoal should be removed. 37. The Railway goods shed at Darjeeling should be removed from its present site. Taxation 38. Trade tax, mm1mum electricity charge, Education cess, etc., should be abolish~d. 18

X ame(") of pcr>on(s) or institution(s). . Gist of the letter. 37. Darjeeling Traders' Association, Darjeeling 39. Tourist traffic should be encouraged and for -crmcld. this purpose the old system of the move of the headquarters of Government to Darjeeling should be remtroduced. :JS. Snmthar Lepcha Co-operative Multipurpose l. The old Rail link with Calcutta through Society, Kalimpong. Pakistan should 'be opened at least for perishable good~. 2. Trade in orange with East Bengal through border areas should be arranged so that the orange growers of Darjeeling district and of Sikkim may g-et better return. · :J. The old restrictions of- (i) retention of a minimum of 5 acres of land by any la:J?-dholder and anybody who is not m possess1on of 5 acres of land should be maintained; and (ii) prohibition of sale of Lepcha land to non­ Lepchas should be maintained. 4. The Khasmahal Officer of Kalimpong should reside at Kalimpong and not at JJarjeeling.· · 5. Loans issued lby Government to Agricul­ turists should be issued through the Co-operative Banking Department and not through Khasmahal Department who have no experience in the matter. 6. Work orders in the district of Darjeeling for all Puiblic Works including local Development Works should be issued in September so that the work can be completed before the monsoon .. The present system of issue of works order in February should be discontinued. !l!l. Siliguri Hill People Committee, Siliguri. · The hill people residing in are about 25,000. Their grievances are as follows:'- Education 1. A full-fledged secondary school shOuld ibe established for tlie children of hill people residing in Siliguri subdivision. 2. Primary schools for the children of hill people should be established in each union and in eaPh police-station. · S. A portion of the Education cess realised by Government should be earmarked for the education of children of hill people. Health 4. Water-supply, sanitation, housing, lighting, etc.; are hopelessly inadequate and should be provided. Vocational Training· 5. Vocational training centres should be opened in Siliguri. - Refugee Rehabilitation 6. At least one lbigha of land and a loan of Rs. 1,200 per family should be granted to all refugees who were settled in the subdivision in 1942. 7. The surplus land available after acquisition of Zamindaries should be allotted to the Burmah refugees. Business 8. A portion of the work done by the WorkB and Buildings Department and the Motor Transport Department should be earmarked for the hill people. Employment in Covernment service and under Local bodies. 9. A fair percental!'e of services in the offices . established in the Sihguri subdivision should ibe reserved for educated hill people. 19

STATEMENT ,B. Memoranda received by the Deputy Commissioner, Darjeeling.

1. Darj eeling Rate-Payers' Association, Vide it~m 27 of Statement A. Darjeeling. 2. Ratnaboli Rai, Mandai, Ladam Block, P.O. Education Kagay Bazar, Darjeeling. 1. A middle school should he cstnhlishe

Roads and Communication '> The inhabitants of Ludnm Rlock experienre great difficulty due to want of communication facilities. . All weather roads to l'edong and Khenock Bazar shouid be established so that the local produce Cal) he disposed of easily.

Agriculture 3. Supply of water for irrigation purposes should be adequate.

Public Health and Sanitation 4. At least one dispensary should he establiRhed in this Block.

3. Shri A. Singh, Raj Bari, Darjeeling. 1. The primary school of Raj llari lluslee should be provided with a commoclius huilclin~ ancl neces­ sary furniture. 2. The Raj Bari Bustee people should be supplied with sufficient water both for chinking. ~;Lnd for cultivation purposes. 3. Proper drainage should be arranger! and public latrines constructed. Suitable niTnnge­ ments for the dumping of refuse should also be made. 4. The main road and the zigzags, etc., should .. be repaired and maintained in proper condition . 4. Darjeeling Youth Federation, Laden . La Requests the committee to arrange elate ancl time Road, Darjeeling. of interview to enable the Federation to discuss the following subjects: (i) Education. (ii) Service. (iii) Health. (iv) Industry. (v) Miscellaneous.

Road and Communication 5. Aloobari Gram Sudhar Samity, Aloo)lari, ; ~. Darjeeling•. 1. The road leading from Toongsoong Bustee junction right up to J orebangalow should be repaired and made motorable to provide an alterna­ tive route to Ghoom. 2. A sum of Rs. 5,000 should be granted for the purchase of a building for the primary school which Is at present located in a very incommodious building. · 3. There are only two public latrines for the Aloobari people consisting of about 1,000 head. More latrines should be constructed bv the munici­ pality within the limit of which the Bustee is located. · 4. The road leading to the Bustee sho••ld also be lighted. · 5. The cremation ground at Aloobari should be provided with 11 water tap by thr municipality. 6. The Agricultural Officers should visit the Bustee which is situated within the Darjeeling Municipal limits and give necessary advice to the inhabitants most of whom are agriculturists. 20

,. . ' 6. Sm. Sabitri D~vi President, Lepcha .Associa­ Wants to place the views of the .Al!sociation tion, Kurseong. be~ore the committee. ' 7. Head Master, Turnbull High School, Representatives of the primary and secondary Darjeeling. school teachers of. Darjeeling desire ·to appear before the committee to express their views on the educational problems of the district. · 8. School Managing Committee, .G:hoom .Boys' The representatives of the School Managing Primary School, P.O. Ghoom, Darjeeling. Committee want to be heard in person in connec­ tion with -the grievances arising out of the school joining the Primary Education Sclteme under the Darjeeling Municipality. 9. Griffith's Junior Higl1 School, P.O. Takdah, Requests- Darjeeling. · (i) that the Darjeeling Enquiry Committee should send one of its representatives to look into the deplorable condition of the school and to submit suitable recommenda­ tion to Government, and (ii) that the establishment of a high school in the locality comprising nearly 118.8 sq. miles is indispensably' n~cessary. · " 10 .. Secretary, 'Growers' .Association, Sonada. The following are the grievances of the residents of the area who are mainly agriculturists :- (i) No irrigation facilities for growing crops. (ii) Rent of lands are abnormally high. 'l'he landlords should be compelled to reduce the rent to bring it in conformity with the rates of Rhasmahal land. (iii) No medical, sanitary or educational faci­ lities are available to the inhabitants of· ·the area ... 11. .All-India Women's Conference, Darjeeling 1. Dr. (Mrs.) S. Kazi, Secretary and Dr. (Mro.) Branch. Plhulmani Pradhan, Member, of the :All-India Women's Conferenc.,, Darjeeling Branch, have been authorised by the Executive Committee to appear before the Darjeeling Enquiry Committee. They therefore pray for an interview to discuss the points stated below:- · Education 2. There should be girls' high ·school at Darjeeling. The Sardeswari Girls' School should be converted into a full-fledged Government High School ~or girls. · 3. The pay scale of primary teachers should be liberalised. · 4. The proposed . Residential University at Darjeeling should provide residential accommo­ dation for girl students also. Public Health 5. There should be Nurses' Training School. There should also be arrangements for training in . Midwifery and Auxiliary Nurses' Training course. The number of·seats for trainees in Junior Nursing in the Victoria Hospital, Darjeeling, should be increased .. 6. The pay of the nurses in the Victoria Hospital, Darjeeling, should be according to th& . new scale. 7. .An additional fulltime doctor should be appointed in the Victoria Hospital, Darjeeling, to attend to emergency cases. 8. The pay of the Lady Doctor of the Victoria Hospital, Darjeeling, should be raised and she should be provided with quarters by Government. 9. In view of the high ·incidence 'of T.B. cas~s the number of T .B. beds in local ihospitals and the number of T.B. hospitals should be increased. 10. The slum areas of Darjeeling should be improved by the DarjeelP,g Municipality. 21

11. All-India Women's Conference,. ·Darjeeling Miscellaneous Branch--concld. 11. Women should be adequately represented in the municipality, jails, hospitals and educational institutions. 12. Women employees of the F'ood and Supplies Department who are few in number should be permanently absorbed. 13. Government should assist the Darjeeling Branch of the All-India Women's Conference in securing a central place at a nominal cost in Darjeeling to e.>..-tend its social welfare activities and to cater the need of destitute and poor women. 14. Compensatory allowance should be given to all Government empolyees posted to the district of Darj eeling. 15. The problem of acute shortage of charcoal and fuel should be solved. 12. Shiltong Manuring Vegetable Growers' 1. The seven or eight villages comprising Co-operative Marketing Society, Ltd., Bagora, ·Bagora Forest Busty, Upper Manuring Khasmal1al P.O. Toong, district Darjeeling. Busty, &tc., are in outlying places unde1· the . '£he inhabitants of the villages are without any civic amenities. The main grievances are :- Agriculture 2. Although cardamom, the cash crop is grown by the inhabitants of the area yet they do not get any help or advice from the Agriculture Depart­ ment in the matter of improvement of the crop. a. Irrigation facilities are not available. 4. Transport difficulties and absence of arrangementS by Government for the marketing of . the produce make the inhabitants fall prey to unscrupulous middlemen. Roads 5. Motorable road from Dilaram to Rolak 'lli,o. Bagora, Turunk, etc., is necessary with feeder roads to link distant interior bustees. Co-operative Marketing Societies 6. The Co-operative Marketing Societies should be allowed to operate transport services on the Hill . . . 13 Chatursing Lama, Peshok Tea Estate. Education 1. For general education · more schools and colleges should be established. 2. The schools should be so modelled ·that the students can receive general education for half the day and technical education. for half the day. 3. Educ~tion in family planning and social welfare should also be arranged. Public Health and Sanitation 4. Public latrines should be increased and improved. Roads and Communication 5. More motorable roads are necessary. o. Telephones to intending subscribers should be liberally given. Agriculture 7. Improved ploughing implement should be introduced. 8. Construction of reservoirs or improvised nullahs to ensure regular supply of water for the purpose of cultivation, is necessary. Industry 9. Woollen Mills should be established at Kalimpong and Darjeeling and a Plywood factory at certain places. • 22

13. Chatursing Lama, Peshok Tea Estate Miscellaneous -concld. 10. Gram Panchayets should be established in each village with power to deal -with all cases except those involving serious crimes. 11. Wholesale and retail prices including rate of profit which a dealer is allowed to make should be displayed in each shop particularly those of , cloth, etc., so that poor and innocent village folks are not charged exorbitantly. 12. The possibility of inviting experts ·from hilly countries like Scotland, etc., to give expert advice to the hill people of Darjeeling in their vari.ous problems should be explored. 14. Shri Bihhuti Bhusan Ghose, Kushiary Communication Cottage, Kakjhora, Darjeeling. 1. Direct rail link with Calcutta is immediately required. . 2. Pending the establishment of direct raif link with Calcutta the allotment of wagons for Darjeeling should be liberalised. , . 3. The railway fu-eight. between Siliguri and Darjeeling should be reduced. 4. Motorable roads should be ' constructed for internal communications and the possibility of expansion of ropeways should be explored. Agriculture 5. The possibility of improving the quality of fruits like pears, pineapples, etc., by scientific methods should be explored by the Agriculture Department and expert advice given . to the hill people to improve the quality of production of these fruits. 6. The Agriculture Department should arrange for the supply of improved quality of poultry to the agriculturists to improve their stock. Industry 7. A dairy should be established by Govern- .· ment in Darjeeling. · 8. There should be more electricity projects to supply increased electricity. 9. Industry for the manufacture of packing' materials, paper, straw boards, etc., should also be established. · 10. Handloom industry should be encouraged and subsidised. · · · ,. ' 15. All-India Women's Conference, Kurseong Same as item 21 of Statement "A". 16. Nripendra Narayan Hindu Public Hall, Pray for extension of time. Darj1eeling. . 17. People of Takdah and surrounding Bustee, Education Takdah. · 1. The existing j!Unior high school which is financially not well off should be raised to the status of high school with adequate accommoda­ tion. Public Health 2. The existing Health Centre at Takdah should be provided with indoor beds and a secluded ward for T .B. patients. communications 3. Cheap transport should be provided for the conveyance of the local produce to markets like Darjeeling, Siliguri, etc. Agriculture . 4. Adequate supply of water for irrigation should be arranged as the inhabitants of Takdah are mainly agriculturists. Miscellaneous 5. The Hum-Bustee (Darjeeling) which was used as Burial ground and recently taken over by the Forest Department should be released for bnr!-al purposes. 23'

18. Sarlri Sudharak Sangh, Darjeel.ing The Snkti Community is stated to be on the verge of extinction there being onlr 6,000 persons in the whole district. The cause 1s attributed to poverty. The following consideration sbould be given for the community:- (i) Special facilities for appointment in Government service. (ii) Encouragement for education to be given' by award of free studentship, scholarship, etc. (i;.,) Reservation of seats for tbe members of the Sarki Community in primary and high scbools. (iv) Establishment of nigbt schools and :financial assistance to the existing one. 19. . Sanskrit Prachar Sabha, Darjeelinll.' The Sanskrit To! first established at Darjee­ ling in 1934 is doing useful work and should be provided by Government with a permanent build­ ing with hostel. 20. · Kurseon$ MuniflipaHty, Kurseong Education 1. The present Dow Hill School should be con­ verted into a residential college for boys and the Victoria School to one for girls with hostels and vocational training arrangements. The proposed Residential University should be established at Kurseong with these above schools as the nucleus. 2. A high school lor girls and one for boys should be established by Government. 3. Adequate number of primary schools should be established .within the Municipal area. Public Health and Sanitation 4. The number of free T.R beds in the S ..B. Dey Sanatorium for hill people should be increased to 50 and some more free beds should be added for poor and deserving non-hillmen. 5. .A well equipped Cbest Clinic should be established at Kurseong. 6. A Maternity and Child Welfare Centre •hould be estaiblished at Kurseong. A lady doctor should be attached to the Government Hospital at K urseon!!' and a specialist in Gynaeco­ logy should be posted! at Darjeeling. ' 7. All primary schools should be filled with sanitary arrangements and all teachers in those schools should be trained in the use of sanitary installations. 8. Water-supply arrangements should be extended to all areas within the limits of Kur­ seong Municipality and for this purpose technical and financial aid should be given by Govern- ment. · Roads and Communication 9. The Old Military Road via Pankhabari should be made :fit for motor traffic. Miscellaneous 10. Total prohibition should be introduced and the beginning should be made with Kurseong subdivision. , 11. Wide publicity should be given. ~ the use of Knrseong, Kalimpong and DarJeehng as health resorts. · 21. Kishan Sabha, Kalimpong 1. The old co-operative debts due against the Kishan should be written-off. 2. Long term loan at low interest shoulcl be given to the needy· Kishans. 3. Cultivators tilling the land should be vest­ ed with full right of ownership. 4. Wells to be provided for irrigation purposes. 5. The same rate of taxation as prevailing in the forest be introduced in cardamo~ cultivation also. 21. K.ishan SaJbha, Xalimpong-concld. 6. 1'axes levied on cardamom should be written-oil' in case of crop failure due to the plant disease. 7. Manufacture of jelly from orange juice be encouraged as cottage industry. 8. Co-operative industry at Xalimpong should be converted into Polytechnical Standard. 9. Government Purchasing Organisation should be opened to buy agricultural products from t!te cultivators at reasonable price. 10. Free primary schools and middle English schools should be set up in Khasmahal areas and high schools at Boodhbaray, Algara and Samther. 11. A first grade college should be set up at Xalimpong. 12. Maternity Centre and 'hospital~ should bP established in Khasmaihal areas. 13. Lands of the Missionaries lying unused around Xalimpong should be taken over by Qov­ ernment for the development of the town. · 14. Lands in the Development area of Kalim­ pong in possession of cultivators should be distri­ buted to them with full ownership rights and their rents equated to that of Xhasmahal land. 15. Full rig

22. .The Association, Darjeeling. r . '• . • : . • .. Education 1. Tibetan teachers should be appointed in every primary and secondary school. 2. Medium of instruction in secondary schools should be English as well as Nepali. 3. Tribal students in all primary schools should be allowed free studentship. , 4. ·Arrangements should be made for the supply of suitable text books at cheap rates to the students learning Tibetan.

Public Health and Sanitation 5. Slum areas in Darjeeling town should bE' improved by the municipality. 6. Number of beds· in the Victoria Hospital, Darjeeling, should be increased. 7. Number of doctors and stafi nurses in the hospital should be increased. 8. Training Centre for Senior Nurses and Midwifery should be started in Darjeeling. 9. Pay of sta:ff ancl diet allowances in the hospitals of the district should be equated to thoil'O! of other districts in the plains. 25

22. The Bhutia. Association, Darjeeling- Roads and Communication concld. 10. Roads and means of communication to adjoining villages should be improved. 11. Through conununication between Dnrjeeling and other districts of on the one hand and Calcutta and the rest of West Bengal on the other should be established by the construction of Farnkka Bridge, etc. 12. Protection similar to that provided in the Bengal Tenancy Act, 18SiJ, for the uhoriginnls in the districts of \Vest llengal should he given untler the Land Ueforms Act to agricultural lands held by the Tribals against attaohment and auction sale by the creditors. 13. Indebtedness of the agriculturists to money lenders should be assessed and means to relieve them of this indebtedness should be devised. Industry 14. Cottage industries of the hill people such as Lepcha and Bhutanese hamlloom works, Tibetan carpets, rugs, leather work, etc., should be revived. · Miscellaneous 15. Cartmen, rickshaw pullers and dandy­ carriers should be allotted public carrier permits on Co-operative basis. 16. Excise licences relating to foreign and country liquor shops should be issued to suitable hill people. 17. Cinema licences should be granted to the hill people. 18. Uelaxation in the physical qualifications of hillmen candidates should be made for services like the Central Excise and State Excise, etc. 19. Adequate supply of charcoal .and fuel should be made and the price of these essential com­ modities should be lowered. 23. N aga Ba:bu 'Iarakeswari Giri. 1. Wants a plot of land and monetary grant for the construction of a temple for the inhabitants of Toong, Gairigaon, Dilaram, etc. 24. l'ulblic of the Tung area. 1. A school in the Tung area is necessary: 2. An industrial school with workshop should be established in the area. 3. Government rent should be realised towards the end of J nne and not in March when the culti­ vators have no money. 4. A Mandir (temple) in the area is necessary and for this purpose a plot of land should be given by Gpvernment free of cost. 25. Village Welfare Committee, Singrimtam. 1. A Rural Health Dispensary should be established in the village Sin grim tam as the nearest 'L'hana Health Centre is at Takdab, 13 miles off. 2. Government assistance is necessary for extension of the existing primary school building at Singrimtam and for upgrading it to secondary school. 3. The members of the Village Welfare Com• mittee, Singrimtam, should be invited to placE! their views. 26. Secretary, Phulbari Yuwak Library, 1. The road to Phulbari Bustee should be Darj eeling. improved and provided with electric light. 2. The residents of Phulbari Bustee have to depend on the natural springs for their water supply. These springs becbme dry during the summer and the difficulties of the residents become very acute. Adequate water-supply arrangements should be made. 3. A school with adequate accommodation should be set up for the children of Phulbari · Bustee as the one at present at .A:loobari Bustee cannot cater to the needs of Phulbari ll•stee. 26

27. League, Kalimpong Branch, Wants to present their views on the following Kalimpong.. points:- 1. Primary' education. • 2. Teachers' Training Institution. 3. Froblems of Khasmahal ryots under the following heads :- (a) Roads. (b) Water-supply. (c) Post Office. (d) Hats .. (e) Dispensaries. (f) Primary schools. (g) Community Project. (h) Government service. (i) Forest contract. (j) Small-scale industries and industrial schools. 28. People of Gidhapahar,. Kurseong. 1. Supply of drinking· water should be arranged. 2. A Branch Post Office should be ·established at Gidhapruhar. o 3. A dispensary with first-aid equipment and qualified midwife should be set up at ,G:idhapahar. 29. People of Lingsay Bustee, Kalimpong. Education 1. Primary schools should he esta hlisheil by ·Government in the area which is near the Sikkim border. Commu.nication 2. A Branch Post Office should be estahlished at Lingsay. 3. A motorable road should be constructccl between Algorah Bazar and the villages of Lingsay and Chhube via Lava Road. 4. Suitable pucca bridges should be constructed over the Rishi and Rai rivers. · Health · 5. The Pedong Health Centre is at a distance of at least 11 miles. A Health Centre with a Maternity and Baby Clinic should be established at Lingsay, Bustee. '30. Darjeeling Rural Primary Teachers' 1. The Secretary wants to place the grievances Ailiociation, Darjeeling. of the primary teachers of schools in Tea Planta­ tions before the committee for which he wants to get an interview. \ 2. The management of the }fissionary-man,aged schools has been partially taken over by District School Board. This has caused much hardship to the teachers of the primary schools in Tea Planta­ tions. Suitable provision for improvement of pay scales of primary teachers should be made in Labour Plantations Act. 31. Gram Panchayet, Sakyong, P.O. Pedong. Education 1. '!'he ihigh school at Pedong which caters to the need of Sakyong Block should be given finan­ cial aid hy Government as its financial condition is not sound. 2. Tibetan teachers should be appointed in the primary, M. E. and H. E. schools to meet the needs of Bhutia students. Public Health 3. A Maternity and Child Welfare Centre should be established in each Khasmahal Block. 4. The problem of supply of drinking water at l'edong should be solvde. Roads and Communication 5. Roads linking' interior villages should be constructed. 6. Permanent bridges should be constructed over some of the rivers. 27

31. Gram Panchayet, Sakyong, P.O. l'edong­ Agriculture r:oncld. 7. Agrioult.nw Department should assist villag-t-rs in the improvenwut of cnrdamnm, a valu­ able cash crop. 'l'he production of this crop is d<>clining due to disease of the crop. 8. Government should also assist the hill agri­ culturists in the improvement of live-stock parti­ cularly pigs. Arrangements for pork preservation and its marketing will improv.e the financial con­ dition of the agriculturists. Cottage Industry 9. Arrangements shoul

32. Dr. A. C. Guha, Commissioner, Kurseong 17. Orange cu'ltivation should be. improved and ~Iunicipality and Assistant Superintendent, S. B. extended. Dey Sanatorium, Kurseong-concld. . ' 18. 'l_'he question of establishing a canning industry should be examined. 19. Sheep farn:;ing should be encouraged. Industry 20. · Cottage industries for the manufacture of wool products should be established to utilise the Tibetan wool. Any other matter 21. Darjeeling should be again restored to its old position by improving through communication between Calcutta and Darjeeling, providing cheap hotels at Kurseong, Kalimpong and Darjeeling for familymen coming for short stay. Roads to Sandhakphu and Phalat should be improved and conducted tours arranged. 22. Prohibition either total or partial should be­ introduced to protect the hill people from the evil - effects of drinking. • 33. Darjeeling Kulain Bagan Mazdoor Sangh Education 1. A Government-managed high school should be established at Mungpoo and junior high schools at different places. 2. A vocational training centre should be opened at a suitable place. Health 3. Arrangements for the free supply of patent medicines to the indigent patients should be made. 4. Free treatment for 'I.'.B. should• also be arranged in all the cinchona plantations. Agriculture 5. Due to the policy of reducing the cinchona plantation the reserve lands released from cinchona cultivation should be utilised for raising cash crops like maize, sugarcane, etc. Industry . 6. The possibility of establishment of industries like tannery, match factory, fruit canning, ply­ wood factory should be examined. 7. The medicinal plant organisation at Rongo should be brought under the Cinchona Directorate.

Roads and Communicati~n 8. Approach roads and all-weather roads in) cinchona plantations should be constructed. ' -1\j . 9. Postal system should be developed and regularised in all the plantations. 10. Amenities like old age pension, bonus, etc., should be granted to the labourers engaged in cinchona plantations. · 34. General Lepcha Association, Kalimpong. Wants an interview to be given to the Association when the committee next visits Kalimpong. 35 .. Darjeeling Traders' Association, Darjeeling. Wants extension of date of submission of memo­ randum to 31st December 1955. 36. Terai Mangal Samity, P.O. Tarbandha, Same as item 29 of Statement A. district Darjeeling.

37. Shri B. B. Prodhan, Kagey Block, P.O. Public Health and Sanitation Kagey Bazar, Darjeeling. 1. At least one five-bedded hospital should be established at Kagey Block. Roads and Communication 2. A permanent bridge should .be constructed at Mudung Khola so as to establish normal commu­ nication between Kagey Block and Pedong. , Agriculture 3. Irrigation facilities shouhl be arranged for agricultural needs. 29

38. Secretary, Gandhi Night School Managing Represents the grievancPs of sohool. Committee, Darjeeling. See item 13 of Statement A.

· 39. Shri Chatursing Chettri, Monda! of Ling­ Roads and Communication sekha Block, P.O. . 1. Lingsekhn Block should be connected by all­ weather roads with Pedong nne! permanent bridges over the intervening rivers should be erected. Health and Sanitation 2. One five-bedded hospital should be estab­ lished for Lingsey and Lingsekhn Blocks. Agriculture 3. Government should arrange for irrigation facilities. 40. People of Maneydnra Bustee, P.O. J,upchu, 1. Irrigation facilities needed. district Darjeeling. 2 ....Jeepable roads should be established. 3. Supply of water for drinking purposes should be arranged. 4. A permanent bridge between Ging 'L'ea Estate and Mnneydnra Bustee should he erected. 41. President, Pudung Gram Panc.hayet, 1. A new school building for n sc.hool up to Kalimpong. class VI is necessary as the Purl ung Primary School so long run and patronised by the Scotti.h Church ceased to receive the patronage since December 1955. 2. No water-supply to Pudung village is avail- . able. This essential need of the village should be met by Government. 3. A Health Centre should be established as there is none in the village which is situated at ri distance from Kalimpong town. 4. A post office should be established at Pudung. 5. ~'he President desires to he invited to express his views before the committee. , 42. President, School Committee, Requests that the committee's enquiry should he P.O. Pillaushet, district .Talpaiguri. extended to the affairs of Bngrakote l'rimnry School and Bagrakote Junior High School. 43. Inhabitants of Gorubatban Circle, Gorubn­ Representation in Nepali language which could than, Kalimpoug subdivision. not be translated and therefore not summarised. Wants to he interviewed hy the committee. 44. Villagers of Patten Godak Khasmnhal Same as item 10 of Statement A. Block, Kalimpong. 45. Shri Nepali Damai Samaj, Kalimpong. The class known as "Dumais" amongst the Nepalese number about 15,000. Their, principal occupation is tailoring and hence they are also known as "Dorji". 'fhey are treated nR untouch­ albles by the upper class Nepalese and are there­ fore very much backward. Education Free studenships should be a warded to the members of the "Dmnai" class studying in primary or JJ.igh schools and colleges. , 2. There should be no bar to the entry of "Damai" candidates in Government service. On the other hand there slwuld be reservation for the members of this class in the Civil and Defence services. Public Health and Sanitation 3. The members of "Damai" community usually reside in rented houses where accommoda­ tion is both insufficient and unhealthy. Provision for adequate accommodation should be made. 4. The Charteris Hospital at Kalimpong run by the Scottish Church Mission as a charitable institution should be provided with up-to-date equipment and expert doctors. ., 30

45. Shri Nepali Damai Samaj, Kalimpong-:­ 5. Villaooes near Kalimpong should be provided concld. with dispe;saries and Health Centres. Roads and .Communication G. Road communication between Kalimpong and Siliguri and Darjeeling and Kalimpong should be improved. · 7. Adequate roads linking the neighbouring villages with Kalimpong should be constructed. Agriculture 8. Members of the "Damni" community should be allotted rent-free land from Kili.asmahal for cultivation. They should also be given higher education in Agriculture. Industry , 9. The "Damais" should be given business loan on Co-operative basis to improve their lot. 10. Woollen factories should be established at Kalimpong, for the utilisation of Tibetan wool. ll. Factories should be establiShed at Kalim­ pong for the processing of cardamom. ' General 12. Three members of the Samaj should be given opportunity to express their view. 13. Essential buildinoo materials should be made available to the putlic and the rate of rent charged by the house-owners should be suitably regulated. 46. Shri Prem Chandra- Gurung, Manda!, 1. There is no arrangement for water-supply Mirik Kbasmahal Bustee, ~Iirik. for the inhabitants of Miril< (Upper Bustee) and Mirik Bazar. This difficulty of the inhabitants should be solved. · 2. Government scheme to make Mirik Road an alternative main road from Darjeeling to Siliguri is welcome. This scheme cannot, however, be successful unless Government turn the wasteland of Thorboo Tea Estate into a Development area and the fiat land of the Forest Department into a market place. 3. The Kutcha Uoad from Mirik P. S. to Munnah Tea Estate should be made -motorable. 4. Government should now pay the promised grant of Rs. 40,000 for the construction of a full­ Hedged high school and Technical Training Centre as the public contribution asked for by Govern­ ment has been already raised. 47. Shri 1.Iohan PrnkaRh Shah, C/o. Morgan Represents his grievances again-st his discharge House, Durping Darn, Kalimpong. from the post of clerk in the Civil Supplies Department. 48. Communist Party of India, Darjeeling The Communist Party of India believes that District Committee, Darjeeling. unless and until the ·riuht of self-determination for the people of Darjeeling is granted in the fonn of regional autonomy no tangible progress ami proAperity of the people of the district is likely to be achieved. The detailed programme of the regional autonomy is contained in the Party's memorandum to the Stutes Reorganisation Coin- mission a copy of which has been enclosed. · 2. Particular problems are dealt with in the other memorandum (vide item 36 of Statement A). ', 49. Secretary, Gram Sudhar Samity, Burbung 1. There should be a Sub-Post Office, m the Bustee, P.O. Kalimpong. area. 2. A six-bedded hospital should be established. 3. Adequate water-supply should be arranged both for drinking' and irrigation purposes. 4. A Middle English School should be established in the locality. · 50. Tenants of Kumai Kha•mahal. 1. A permanent bridg·e should be erected over Moorkee river. 2. A dispensary should be established. 31

51. Secretary, Kalimpong Central Co-opera­ 1. Educational centres should be opened in the tive Bank, Ltd., Kalim:vong. Khns Mahal }3iocks. · 2. Government should organise publicity through local hill people for expansion of Co- operative movement. 3. Loans to he grunted to ngrieulturists, etc., should be paid tln·ough tho Central Co-operntivo Banks, to save them from tho clutehes of money­ lenders. 4. There are various il'rievnnces nf the staff of the Bank which should lle removed. 5. Government should establish umrlwts in central places for the clisjlosnl nnd storage of pro­ duce of the members of the Co-operative Societies. 6. For facility of re~lisution of !onus from the mem hers, the Khasmahal and other lands should be allowed to be sold and bought without nny restrictions.

52. District oSocial Education Officer, Darjee­ Government-sponsored Adult Education Centres ling. 1. There are 24 /Government-sponsored Adult Education Centres out of which 23 nre mnlll nucl 1 female. The cost of running each t•entre is Rs. 30 n month. In 1954-55 1,526 men and 3!l9 women attended these centres out of which 925 men and 310 women were made literate. 2. There are 10 Voluntary Adult Eclucutio{l Centres in the district, each of which receives nid from the Government nt Rs. 60 per year. In 1954-55, 44-3 men nnd 100 women attended these centres out of which 310 men and 4G women were made literate. 3. A good many adult education centres are being run by the public.

Social Education Libraries 4. There are 16 social libraries run by the District Social Education Officers.

Public Libraries 5. Suitable public libraries in the district nre given lump grants every year to purchase books, etc. In 1954-55 10 public libraries received lump sum grant of Rs. 200 each.

Recreational activities 6. Recreational activities such as drama, bha.ja.n, kiTtan, etc., nre encouraged by sanction­ in" grant.s to various inKtitutions eng-aged in thiH !d~d of worl< every year. In 1954-55 Us. 1,000 was distributed to 10 institutions.

Community Centres 7. Five community t·entreR are being eRtablish­ ed in the Kalimpong subdivision at a cost of more than Rs. 87,500.

Integrated Library System 8. Under the Central Library at Jnnata College, Kalimpong, 4 area library centres will be started soon in the Kalimpong subdivision and will be housed at the four community centre buildings. These area libraries will cost Rs. 30,160. Under these four area libraries 24 feeder library centres are being established in the _Kalimpong subdivision at a cost of Rs. 28,500 onlY. 32

53. Representatives of the 9 blocks of villages 1. There should be motorable . roads from of the Kalimpong Khasmahal. Kalimpong town'to the central villages and thence to Bagrakote. 2. The Shanker M. E. School started by the villagers should . be permanently recognised by relaxation of Education Department Rules on the subject. 3. Arrangements for adequate water-supply should be made both for drinking and irrigation purposes. 4. Arrangements should be made for the grant of long-term loan through the Co-operative Socie­ ties to the agriculturists on the security of their land and other assets. 5. Five representatives wish to be interviewed by the committee.

54. lllerchants and General Public of Tista Request the reconstruction of the Champa Bazar, P.O. Tista Bazar, Darjeeling. bridge over the Hanjit river. The bridge links the Tista :Bazar with Sikkim. 55. Bustee Kisan Kalyan Samity; 1. The Bustee which is ma~aged by the P.O. Midk. Soureni Tea Estate should be brought under the direct supervision of Government. 2. The road to Kurseong via Boongloong should 'be repaired and made usable. 3. The motorable road should be connected with Panighata. 4. A separate Panchayet should be allotted to Soureni Bustee or the Bustee people should be allowed to send their representatives to the Mirik Bustee Panchayet. 56. Supervisors of Kalimpong Central Co­ Pray for relaxation of rules which bnr thei~ operative Bank.. promotion. 57. Shri H. L. Dikshit, Kalin;tpong. Wants to be interviewed along with 2 other gentlemen by the co=ittee on the following points:- · 1. Community Projects and National Exten­ sion Schemes of the Kalimpong subdivi­ sion. 2. Necessity for a regular motorable road from Kalimpong to Bagrakote via Relli Khola. 3. Taking over of all primary schools by Government. 4. Necessity of granting long-term loans to the tenants of Khasmahal area. 58. Sonada Primary Congress Committee and Same as item 5 of Statement A. Sonada Merchants' Association. 59. Shri A. W. Ebazar, P.O. Ghyabari. 1. The road from to Rungtong should be widened and improved.

? A portion of the school recently built for junior high school be used as a dispensary. 3. A Sub-Post Office should be established. 4. A Police Outpost should be established. 5. If, the road is lighted by electricity it will · be of great help. 60. Committee Members _ of Shanlter M E Same as item 2 of items 53 above. School, Sinji Khas Mahal Block, Kalimpong·.. · 61. Shri Lokenath Brahmin, Bloomfield Line 1. A training-C1tm-production institution for Darjeeling. ' woollen goods should be set up in Da1·jeeling. 2. A Technical School should be established at Darjeeling. 62. Shri Padam Bahadur T, hafa, School Assistance should be given for construction of Managing Committee, Simkoona. a new building for the primary school which has been in existence for the last 25 years. 63. Shric_ B. B. Rai, Auditor of Co-operative Wants confirmation in this service. Societies, Kalimpong. 33

Annexure I (cantd.)

Point-n~ted summary of the memoranda submitted to the Committee .m Nepali language

ll'ame(s) of the applicant(s). Gi.

There uru only two junior high ~t'hools, v·i1.., Buuhabir l'ublic Junior Hig·h Hchool and Hun~·o Junior High ~c·hool. Tht.1 l'e are no M.E. schools. '!'here should be more /'rimurv schools in interior plu<·es anti .M:.K S<·ltoo s shmild be established in .central places. '!'here should also be n sehoul for Basic Education. H enlth .-More dispensaries should he npt•twcl by Government and provide•

Road and Comm1tn,ication.-The roads nntl briclges in tltif.l area are wushed away during the rains causing immense hnrdship to t.he iuhabi­ t,mts. The condition of the road from ]Jamdin to s.ombaria IT;~t is de,llnrai.Jie. 'l'l~l!l'e sh~>uld be .u I·o•t and lelegrap l Ofliee at ~omharl:l Hat Ill r.cldition to the Brnneh Post (Jflipe, '!'here should be more ·Brnnch Post Offices.

Agricu-lture.-At present there are only two or three Agricultural Assistants worldng· in the area. They are far too short of the need of the place. The number of Atiricult ural Assistants should he inr·rensed and they should be N' epa lese.

In1provement of 1ive~toek i ... nct'P.!"~ntT and for this l""ture land for grazing <::title 'should he provided: .( foyernmeut. should ma lie urrang-e­ ments for adequate water-supply for irrigntbn purposes.

lndu.

For improvement· of the rlistrid there should be N epa lese-knowing Executive Offi.cers.

'2. Shri Bhu Narayan ltai, 1lfandnl, Gorn­ Erlucntin11.-There sbonlrl be a high sehr.ol in bathan Block. the area under Gorubnthan Thana. The num her of primary and junior !ugh schools should be increased.

Health a11d Sa11itntinn.-There s:wuld be pro­ perly-equipped dispensaries.

Road.• and Cnmmunication.-There should be n motorable road connecting Sombaria Hat and Lava. There should also be a motorable roar! connecting Sombnria Hat and Gorubathan [)ak Bungalow.

There should also be a regular bus service between Damdin (Balabari) and Sombaria Hat. There should be a Telegraph Office at Gorubathan• 34

Name(s) of the applicant(.•). Gi.•t of the letter.

2. Shri Bhu N nrayan Rai, :Mandai, Goru­ Agriculturc.-·water ·from Dalim Dara should. bathan Block-concld. be made available to the inhabitants of the Goru­ bathan area to relieve their water scarcity. Fallow lands should be distributed to the land­ -less people.

3. Inhabitants of :Mal Bustee. 'l'he inhabitants of the area demand thai-· (i) 'l'he existing schools should· be expanded; (ii) Pasture land. should be provided for the grazing of cattle;

(iii\ .\ stud bull should be supplied; (i·v) W uter-supply for irrigation purpns"s should be arranged and measures to pre­ vent flood in the river Chel Khola should be taken; and (v) A rice mill and n maize-grinding machine should be established. ·

4. Gyaudup-Onglmr mal 1J othE>J·~ of •roday• Educatirm.-The existing Upper Primary 'l'nngta, Kalimpong suhdivisinu. S<·hool sh..,uld be upgraded to a Middle English School.

Health mul Sanitation.-A di,penoary and n Medieal Offirer are needed for 1he m·ea. 'l'here should also be a :Malaria· Preventive :Unit. Roacl nnrl ('ommu·nication.-There ohould be pernutnt'nt bridges over the following rivers, Yiz., Chisaug Khola, Chiclnt Khola, Tiptong Kholu and Hika liholn. A Post Office shoulrl al"o be establislted. There should he arrangements for transportation bv pony· -of agTicultural c·ommo­ ditie~ nnd C'Oll~tiiner gOorl~ between 'rorln~r-Tnngtu and ~latelli Bn7.ar whid1 is the nearest market •itunted about 30/35 miles away. A grieulture.-Acute scarcity of water is felt during the winter. Arrangements should there­ fore be made for adequate water-supply, hoth for domestie and irrigation purposes. :Fallow lands should be distributed to the poor.

5. Peopl" of Nim Khas Mahal, Knlimpongo. A'ducatinn.-'l'here is need for two srhools-one at Nim llustee (central place) :mel the other n' Suntalay Bustee.

Roncl anrl ('nmmunicat·ion.~'l'here should he a permanent bridge m·er Chel' Khola which !ht inhabitants have to •·ross for going to Sombaria Hat, the only market for the area. - A,qriculture.-The water scarcity in the area 'honlrl be removed. Oovernment. officers should visit this interior anrl backward plnre:

ti. ltmya~s of Pankhasari, police-station Goru­ 'l'he people of Pankhnsari feel that- bnthan, Kahmpong subdivision. Blo~k (i) There sl10uld he at least. three schools; and

(ii) The~e should be a dispensary at Pankha­ snrl. 'l'he neNl for n good roncl is also keenly felt. The existing restrictions in getting Khas Mahal lands should be withdrawn. ·

7. Raivnts of BJork, Knlimpong (1) A •chool should be established nt l'umung subdivision. · Bustee where there is n.one at present. 0 (2) There should be a dispensary, 35

Name(s) of the applica11t(s). Gist of the letter.

7. Raiyats of . Pokhriabong Bloek . .Knlimpong (3) There should be two rands with pel'Wnnent •ulhdivision-aoncta. brid~es over the intervening streams. One rontl shou1d connect .Budhnburav Hut- with Sow burin Hat and the other from i'okhriuboug Buzu1' to . (4) The scnrcity of water should be removed. (5) Pasture lund for grazing cattle should be provided. (6) l'eople who

H. ,Jibnath Sharma and others of llpper ·Fagu (l) The existing sehoul should he shiftml i;•.• u. Tt•a Estate. more convenient site. (2) Medical fnt·ilities should he nvuilnble to the inhabitants, 50 per cent. of whom have ,·ery poo1· health. (3) All-weather roads should he provided within the garden areu. 14) A perwa11ent bridge on·r Chel river should he immedia tel~· construeted. (5) Water searcity in i he urea should he romoved. (G) The Mazdoors of the teu gnrdeiB •lwuld have housing· fuc·ilities.

(7) Sin.:e I he purehose of the Tea Garden by the .l'adma f'o. Ltd. the inhabitants of the arc•> are put to various sorts of harassment.

9. Inhabitants of l'athangodak Block, police­ (I) A sl'hool should be provided fur the Rtation Gorubathan, •Kalimpong subdivi,ion. i~tbahitanls of the Block. (2) .A clispensary slwuld be established. (3) Roads should he l'Onstrucled and perinttnent bridges should he JII'oYided. (4) .A hazar 'lwuld he established for sale of agricultural prudul'e.

(ij) Follow land should he distributed tu the neecl,v people.

10. Shri S.• B. Rai, Goruhathan. (I) There shoulcl he ndequate number of schools. (2) A :Medir·ol · tH!irPr should be posted for treatment of the inhabitants free of cost. ·

· (!l) There should be a jeepable road from Goru­ bathan to Abhnsi Daurn. (4) The water scarcity in the area should be removed. . (5) CuJti,·ntors should get good manure from Government nt reduced rntes.

16) The poor inhabitants of the l•~enlity should .u-et fncilities fur taking- 1onns through Cowopera­ tive Soeit'ties.

11. Shri Badrimnn Rai, Mandai, Rolak Bustee,. 11) A sc·lwul slmuld be estahlished for the Mungpoo. Rolnk Buste

(!l\ Arrangements for adequate · water-supply slwuld be matle. • 36

Name(s) of the applioant(s). Gist of the letter.

12. Inhabitants of Lingsay Block, Kalimpo-ng (1) A primary school should be established. subdi>hion. (2) A 1·oad should be constructed connecting Lingsay Block with the Renock Bazar in Sikkiu1.

13. Kamjer Bustee, Pata Kbas Mahal- Block,_ The acute water scarcity which the in!..abitants Kalimpong subdivision. feel for about five to six months of the year should be removed.

1-l-. Inhabitants of Gitbong Khas Mahal (1) There should be a primary school. ]Jusiee, Kalimpong subdivision. (2) There should be a road .from Lava to Bu

15. Inhabitants 'of Muhanadi, Kurseong sub­ (1) 'l'ransport facilities ;for students attending 'tlivi:-;wn. the Basic School from the tea gardens should be provided. (2) An industry to relieve th~ unemployment. should be started.

(3) The ~Iahanadi Bazar should be imprond and hetter sanitary arrangentent~ ensured. ·

lG. lnl1abitants of Gittapling Khas Muhal (1) There should J.>e a Night Sehoul. Bu~tee. Kalimpong subdivision. 1,2) A dispensary should be e>ta bl ished as other­ ~dse the people ha_ve to go to Ka)impong, which IS more than 16 miles, to get medical treatment.

(:l) A good road should be constructed for • marketing facilities.

(4) A permanent bridge should be constructed over Maku Khola.

17. Inhabitants of Pulbazar and Bijanbari. The two bazurs, viz., Pulbazar and Bijanbari should be taken over by Government from the 7.amindar unde1· the Zamindary Abolition Act as the Raiyats are very much oppressed by the Z amindars. 37 Annexure II Resume of the Suggestions made to the Darjeeling Enquiry Committee

The district of Darjeeling is the northernmost _5. The pri!'cipal line followed by the Com­ district of 'Vest Bengal. Its total area is about mrttee, a•. ~ecrded at its first meeting, was to giv~ 1,200 square miles. It consists of four municipal wrde pubhcrty to the objects of the Committee nu

9. As regards higher education althoug-h 17. It was also suggested that arrangements establishment of Degree colleges at Kalimpong and for a sample survey to assess the actual position of Kurseong was demanded by some, the impli?a­ T.B: ·menace in the district. should be made. tions of high incidence of expenditure and paucity Among other suggestions made for combating of adequate stude!'ts were 'IVell appreciated. : T .B. mention ina.y· ).Je · D).ade of .the following: 10. Introduction of adult education was (i) Provision for at least 300 free beds for advocated and adult literacy drive with the help .T ,B. patients fot· the hill people: of audio-visual instruments of Government (ii) ·Facilities for free X-Ray for indigent hill Publicity Department and through rural broad· people · at chest clinics to be established casts wds also suggested for educational improve­ at convenient sites. The facilities should ment of the people. be available 'both for treatment as well as for· eheck-up; imd .11. Much stress was laid on provision for technical education and industrial training for . (iii) Establishment of a separate After-Car·~ hill boys. Expansion of the Industrial School at Colony for the T .B. patients. of the hill Tung to provide for Draftsman's, Overseer's and tribes. such other technical courses was considered neces­ sarJ. Provision for technical education of 18. So far as ' Yenereal . disease is concerned advanced type at the Tung Industrial School was arrangements for treatment at. the existing hospi­ also advocated. Establishm~nt of Civil Engi­ tals and provision for · treatment in the hospitals neering College, Automobile Training Institute, proposed at Mirik, ·Siliguri, etc., should be made, Medical School or College and Tea Research it was suggesteil. l'ropaganda to inculcate Institute was also suggested. The com·ersion of hygienic habits of. .liYing was all!:> reeommended the Forest School at Kurseong into a Forest to be taken by Government.. Colleg-e and Forest Res~areh Centre was thoug-ht . ' to be necessary for the educational advancement 19. B'esides the above sug·gestions made for of the hill p~ople. As regards Tea Research checking the progress. of the two most. prevalent Institute it was thought that it was necessary, in . diseuses of this district it was urg·ed that for ·the the interest of tea industr.v, to train up people for health and eanitation nf the hill people it was appointments to managerial posts in tea gardens J1ecessary that~ .. as was done in the Mining- College at Dhanbad in the case of Mining Industry. The necessity of · (i) Primary schools 'should be fitted with sani­ framing a rule under which no appointmentts in tary installations and primary school tea gardens should be· made without a diploma teachers taught, the proper use of sanitary from the aforesaid institution has arisen because fittings. · . · . of the reeent tendency of new purcha~et·s of tea .(ii) Slum. are~s .in ll~rjeeling, Kurseong and gardens of getting quick return of capital instead Kalimpong. should be cleared and cheap of desiring a stable future of ·the tea industry by house blocks ,!_,,,, ld be constructed for the dismissal of experienced managers and of appoint­ accommodation of the poorer classes of ment of persons to such posts with no experience hill people. . or qualifications. ,(tii) The number of pubfic latrines in bustee 12. Establishment of a residential Universit'l'" aud hazar .area. 2!J.oulcl be incren.sed and '(on the model of Visva-Bharati) at Darjeeling or . the ,existing· ones should be properly Kurseong was also suggested. cleaned, if .necessary, by obtaining finan­ cial aid from Government. 13. In regard to public health and sanitation (iv) Slaughter houses· should be established at the most pressing necessities were stated to be-- suitabl'e places. · (i.) Good and sufficient water-supply in rural (v) Important roads and drai~s and .Jhoras and urban areas; should be maintained by Government in ' (ii) Establishment of Health Centres, MateJ'­ · proper condition. nity Homes, Baby Clinics, etc., in rural (vi) Mazdoors should not be allowed to carry areas and providing- such Centres with more than a standard weight when they emergency aids and equipments; and go uphill. (iii) Adoption of measures, both curative and ·(vii) ·Certa.in types of. manual work should not preventive. in respect .of tuberculosis and be · allowed ·to be done by women • Yenereal diseases. ' · Mazdoors. ·" · 14. !>s regards water-supply arrangements · ( t'iii) Strict. measures shoul(l be taken. to control suggestions were made 'for sinkin"' of tube-wells . . th~ drinking habit of thl! 'hill people. where possible, In other places "maintenance of "Jhoras" jn proper condition by Government was . 20. So Tar .as improvement of roads ·and com­ ,suggested. Establishment of water tanks or water munication.s is concerned the suggestions put for­ reservoirs where hydro-electricity is available or ward b.efore the Committee may be broadly divided into two categories, viz.~ · its development possible was also suggested. :: '1' ' ., . 15. As regards Health Centre8, Maternity · (i) Re-establishment of communication facili~ Homes and Baby Clinics it was thou"'ht that the tiea between Darjeeling and other parts ~xist!ng number ~·as very. inadequate," particularly of India,' tparticularly ·Calcutta, as in the pre-Partition days; and · m VIew of !he difficulty m communications due ' . to the terram of the country. Complaints were . ;(ii) lmp~ovement of communication. facilities· also m~rle that the existing Village Dispensaries, . within the district. :llatermty Homes, etc., were not provided with competeat men or requisite equipment. As 'regards (i) above it was urged that direct rail communication between Calcutta • and Darjeelinl{ 16. In connection with the arrest of T .n. it should b., established by the construction of tho was. suggested that the existing hospitah at bridge over the Ganges at Farakka (Murshidaha

Kotihar was also recommendNL ·Reduction of an (iii) Acquisition of waste lnnds hy Oowrnmei•t fnre wos also eonsidererl neces!\ary to · oncourng-e nnd thei1• distribution tu luma fide culti­ tourist traffic and aho to stimulate trade. In vators after making them tit for cultiv:\­ reo-ard to (ii) above much stress was laid on th~ tinn; m~king of roads within the d_istrict motorab_le ~n

2L Other suggestions regarclin·~ corumunic:a­ 26. Establishment of fruit-growing fnrms at tion facilities were extension of pusittl and tele­ suitable places on co-operative husis was recom­ <>raphic facilities to rural areas and· in areas mended as a means of relieving the economic dis­ ~overed hy tea gardens, exploration of the possi­ tress of the hill peoJJle and NH·ouruging them to bility of connecting Ghoom with plains by rope­ adopt improved methods in horticulture was con­ way, reduction of railway freight and fare over sidered necessary for their e<:onomic betterment. the hill section of the railway and• increase in the number of trucks. for.- transport of •goods. 27. As regards development of the industry of the district it was conceded that the district haJ 22. As regards agricultural improvement in the no scope for what are called heavy industries. district emphasis was laid on the increase.! output '!'here is, however, mU<·h scope for the development and marketing facilities for orang~ and cardamom, of cottage and Slllall-scule industries in the distric:;. the two valuable cash crops of the district. The In this connection mention was mnde of the ,1ecline in the production of cardamom due tn possibility of- crop disease was. viewed .with much concern and Agriculture Department . were. urged .. to send (i) Small water-power plants in rural areas for experts to a<1vise the cultivators about methods to factories for manufacturing and process­ check this crop disease. As for oranges it was ing of timber aad for extract.ion of wood thought that qui<~k movement of the commodity alcohol; from the villages, bustees and local bazars to ropeway centres, rail heads or. aerod.romes was (ii) Tanneries in areas, the inhabitants of essential. For this purpose construction of motor­ whir·h are fond of buffalo meat; ' able and jeepahle road• was considered to be an (iii) Colrl storage and ice plants for oranges, immediate necessity. Grant of increased number Darjeeling vegetables, pine-apples, etc.: o£ route permits was recommended and H was con­ and sidered. that if such route . permits were issued· through Agri<:ultnre Marketing Societies the (il•) Industry for the manufacture of packing chances of quick transport. would. increase and t!v;! materials, paper, Rtraw boards, match possibility of middlemen's p1·ofit would be reduc

23. Besides the two important cash crops men­ 28. Hill people, particularly girls, are adept in tioned nhove Darjeeling has, it was said, grenl we:tving, 'wool-knitting, basket-making and wicker­ possibility for the green vegetables like· cabbage work. lt was, therefore, suggested that arrange­ and food crops like maize, etc. But the most ments should he mnde by Government to encourage pressing need is water-supply for irrigation pur­ these cottage industries by the supply of wool and poses. Government were urged to make immediate other raw materials to hustee people engaged in arrangements for adequate water-supply, not only these indu•tries anrl improved arrangements made for drinking purposes as mentioned earlier ·hut also for the sale of finished goods. It was also stateJ for irrigation purposes. that arrangements should be made by Government for teaching the improver! methods cf these cottage 24. Other suggestions for the improvement of industries to bustee people tlnough peripatetic agriculture were, as in other plaPes of 'Vest teachers and the hill people encouraged in them Bengal, viz.- by the award of prizes, stipends, etc. (i) Establishment of demonstration farms at 29. Dairy, poultry, bee-keeping, liveRtock suitable places by Government to enable farming, canning and preparation of milk producta the hill cultivators to learn the improve

30. It was suggested that the present s.. ricul­ men visiting these places for short stay; ture Institutes at liurseong and lialimpong should and be extended and loenl people encouraged to take · ' ' up sericulture as a cottage industry. Supply of (ii) Publicity abou.t the abovementioned places. equipment like Char.kha, etc., by Government was as health resorts. recommended. 35. As' for the other suggestions made for the 31. A large portion of Tibetan wool enters wella1·e of hill people and of the district m~L ilion India through lialimpong. Establishment of may ~e made of the need for adequate supply of woollen mills at lialimpong and Darjeeling was. fll;el hke charcoal, firewood, etc., . speeially in therefore, considered to be desirable for the wmter. The rest of the suggestions for improve· economic advancement of the district. ment made before the Committee may be grouped as follows: ' . 32. Exploitation of the mineral wealth of the district was urged and development of hydro­ (i) Moral.-Introduction of prohioition-total electric proiects by taming rivers like Teesta, or partial. Organisation of social sen·ices Balasun, Reilli, :Mechhi, Ranjit, etc., by Govern­ by philanthropic bodies like the Ram­ ment was considered necessary for the benefit of krishna }fission, etc., among ]Jill people. the hill people. Banning of exhibition of obscene films or posters-. · 33. Among other matters affecting the develop­ (ii) Physicoi._:Provision of parks for children ment of the district and the welfare of the hill and stadium and gymnasium for youths. people the most pointed demand was about the Supply of nutritive fqod to school increased representation of the hill people m children at no:>.:inal price. public services-both Central and State. As regards senices in the district it was urged that (iii) Pinancial.-Issue of exeise and cinema recruitment should be made according to the ratio lice~ces to hill people, recovery of a of the hill people inhabiting the district. As portiOn of tea export duty from the regards recruitment to Central and State services Central Government and its allotment for relaxation or age and physical qualifications was uplift'!'ent of hi~l people, setting apal·t of demanded. It was also recommended that there . a portiOn of exmse -duty realised by the should be special 1·ecruitment to the LA.S. and State Government from the district for "'.B.C.S. cadms from the Nepalese, Bhutias, etc. spending for welfare work of the hill Suggestion was also made for reservation of Gov­ people, allotment of public carrier permits ernment contracts m favour of hill people. to hill ~rtmen, rickshaw-pullers, etc., on co-operative basis and grant .of route !!4. 'fh~ hill people of the clistrict depend much permits to deserving and bona fide clri ''ers on the tourist traffic. "'ith the Partition of and mechanics instead of to well-to-do Bengal,. influx of visitors to Darjeeling declined owners of vehicles. considerably owing mainly to lack of facilities in railway journey. The route is circuitous, journey (i·v)· Economics.-Grant of relief to the ao·ricut­ is longer and congestion in train is acute. The turists from theii· debts to the J;;,one,·· result is that journey is not only expensive but also lenders, protection of hillmen from attach­ troublesome. Although air service between ment and auction sale of their agricultural ·Calcutta and Bagdogra is now in operation yet the lands by the creditors, grant of honus. fare is prohibitive for most of the people. To etc., to cinchona plantation labourers; increase the tourist traffic it was suggested that establishment of new bazars on N epa! nnd through communication between Calcutta and Sikkim borders to promote business witl1 · Dar;eeling should be improved by reclucing the . these territories and withclrawitl of newh-­ journey time, increasing the number of tlui trains ·imposed taxes like the Trade tax, Educa. and by introduction of a train from Calcutta exclu­ tion cess, etc. tively for yassengers for Siliguri and lJnrjeeling; reduction m air freight between Ca!Putta and The remaining suggestions vary from importan ;, Darjeeling and introduction of weeldv air service items like the reintroduction of the old system of between Patna and Gauhati vut Bagdo.,.ra and move of Government headquarters to DU:,·jeeling. Hashimara was also considered neress7try fo,· use of Nepali in court tran•actions, location of '" encouraging tourist traffic. Among other mea­ manJ> as possible offices at Kurseong ·anrf· sures suggested for stimulating influx of visitors to Kalimpong, to such insignific·nnt ancl unprac·tical Darjeeling mention may be made of- matters like the issue of rent receipts in Nepali language and establishment of helicopter air com­ (i) Prciviaion for cl1eap lintels at Kurseon; munication with Darjeeling, Kursenng anepartment or Land and Land Reform Depart­ ernment in an answer to an .A.ssembly question as ment, Co-operative Department, Agriculture far back as in 1954, the following figures have been Department, etc. I suggest that this matter be compiled: taken up by the Gove1·nment as early as possible and the suggestion be ~iven effect to at an early FoREST DEPARTMENT . date. Due to the recruttment pf people from out­ side the district, in services within the district, Non· unemployment among the educated class uf people RiJJmen. hillmen. is increasing day by day which will be harmful to *Lollte~ cadre officer 17 59 the <.rovernment and society as well. tCiericaJ staff : Upper a.nd lower division 16 39 I fully agree and highly appreciate the senti­ ment exp1·essed in paragraph 30 of the main body 33 98 of the report. But at the same ti:me it is expected tliat the genuine and. legitim~te. grievances of ~he hill people who c!lnshtute a d1stmct . race hav.met Menials such as Forest guu.rds, malie, 241 42 orderlies, watchmen, etc. special features m. ~est ~engal lll ~he h•!ly district of DarJeehng IS looked '':'to. w1th *(Including four plains Scheduled Castes.) the spirit of oneness and non-paroch1ahsm as t(Including two plains Scheduled Castes.) expressed in the said paragraph. • Regarding the official la~guage . of. the district, the applicants are found to fulfil the requirements particularly in the three h1ll su~dlvlsJOns o_f t~e and qualifications. As regards higher services, steps should be taken within the five-year reserva­ district where the N epali-speakmg populatiOn lS more 'than 90 per cent., I draw the tion period to train up hill people to make them fit attention of the State Government to for liigher competitive services by opening up train­ paraooraphs 8 and 9 of the Mem~randum submitt~d ing centres or coaching classes and by offerinll to the Parliament by the Ministry"of Home Aff3;us stipends to young graduates to sit for competitive on Safeguards for Linguistic Minorities in wh1eh examinations. it states: "If 70 per cent. or more of the. tot~! in connection with pmragraph No. 30 I desire to population of a district consists of a group wh1eh IS observe as follows.-Though I agree with the a min01;ity in the State as a whole, the language of operative part of the recommendations contained in the minority and not the State language should be J:aragraph No. 30, I am unable to associate myself the "official language in that district." In para­ with the pontificating sermons and subtle innuen­ graph 9 of the said Memorandum it is stated that: does unnecessarily interpolated therein. ·'The Government of India are in agreement with As .1•egards paragraph No. 31 of the reco1wme~ . these proposals and propose to advise the State tions I like to observe as follows.-_! quite agree Government to adopt them." ..-.-ith Mrs. Maitreyee Bose that close contact may I also draw the attention of the State Govern­ be developed in many other ways; however, I fully ment to paragraph 13 of the said Memorandum a ;sociate myself with the recommendation that the where the Government of India have recommended :Ministry with a skeleton staff should move to to the State Government to recognise the official Darjeeling at least once a year. Because, I think language of the district as a medium for the pur­ that such a move would boost up the tourist trade pose of competitive examinations in the district, oi Darjeeling and as the prosperity of that town fo~ recruitment of subordinate services which are depends upon such a trade. • treated as a cadre for the district.. To be tdded to paragraph No. 32 as a separate N. B. GURU!NG, p11·agraph.-A cultural museum should be opened ac a suitable place in the district of Darjeeling to Member, Darjeeling Enqui171 Com11~ittee. pr~serve,_ publicise, propagate and display the 21-10-57. cnltural heritage of the hill people, specially that of the Lepchas and Bhotiyas. In this connection the Government should also explore the possibilitie• of getting established a broadcasting centre of the Shri Sharma's Note All-India Radio at Darjeeling and thus offer an o:lportuniiy to the hill people to foster their cultural The note, appended. to the main body of the h-,ritage of music, folklore, etc. recommendations submitted by the Darjeeling Enquiry Committee, by Shri R K. Sharma, a To be s11bstit~ttcd in pamgra:ph No. 35.-In place member of the Committee. of the words "regional languages" the words "first and second regional languages." To be added at the end of parau·rn.ph No. 2 of the 1'eoommendations.-And to offer better facilities for The following to be addeit as paragraph No.· 38.­ female education which is sadly neglected in the There are three major political parties active in the hill areas, Government-run free middle schools area under enquiry, viz., the Gorkha League, the ·should be start~d iu each subdivisional towns of the Congress an

WBGP,60/l·6415·B-1600 Government of West Be1iJ!al

Recommendations of the Darjeeling Enquiry Committee and Action taken and other Comments thereon

Superintendent, Government Printing We11t Bengal Government Press, , West Bengal 1961 Price : •25 nP. Government of West Bengal

HOME DEPARTMENT

Political

RESOLUTION

No. 3000-P.

Calcutta, the 18th July 1961.

Read the recommendations of the Darjeeling J£nquiry Committee appomted by the 8tate Government under Resolution No. 8417-P., dated the 9th November 1955, to examine the various problems affecting the hill areas of the Darjeeling District.

Read also the. notes indicating the action taken and for proposed to be taken, as well as the other comments, on the said recommendations.

Resolved that the said recommendations of the Committee and the said notes be now published for general information.

By order of the Governor, l\L M. BASU, Secretary to the Government of West Hengal. Recommendation of the Darjeeling Enquiry Action taken and other Comments Committee 1. 1'he total number of Primary Schools in 1. There·are 3GG primary Hchools in the distric•t D:~r.i<>eling d aided by Government and the rest are run by ~he annl< of this scheme, 7G villag-es comprising nn uren of will not result in the reduction in the numher of ll\9 square mile& in the hill subdivisions of this pupils attending each school. 1'he main •lifli~·.lty clistrid are proposed to be covered by appointing in the establishment of more primary schools is 170 additional teuchers in sehools already function­ stated to be the dearth of teachers with the ing in these villages. standard of qualifications required under the As regards ·aem·th of qualifier! tenclwrs in the Primary Education Act. ·we suggest that nntrnin­ district, appointment of under-qualified (i.e., l•. 2.) may be pair! in arlrlition to the stipend are m:ule by the District Sehool Board from its own during- the period of t lwir Ira i ning·. 1'o the funrls augm~nted, if necessary, by grants from the untram~rl entrants, however, only the stipend State Government. shoul as a Training­ School at Tung can hardly cater to this nee.d cum-Production Centre, providing training facili­ adequately. The school should be upgraded and ties to the local people in Engineering and other expanded so that facilities for training as draits­ 'l'rades and I·endering repair and other services to man, overseer and other such courses are avail,tble the tea gardens. The School imparts training in for the hill boys at this institution. At present various trades such as Motor Mechanics' Trade, two seats have been reserved in both the Medieai Electrician's Trade, Carpentry, etc., with emphasis College and the Nil Ratan Sircnr Medical College, on the practical side of the trainin.,., so that the Calcutta, for students from the Darjeeling district. passed-out boys may secure suitable posts in the tea We recommend that apart from this district­ gardens. wise allocation two more seats in each of the aho¥e institutions may: be reserved for the hill boys from Having regard to the requirements of technically Darjeeling and such boys passing the I.Sc. trained hands in the industries set up in the Second Examination at least in the second division he J!'ive-Year Plan and proposed to be set up in the admitted in those institutions in relaxation of the ~bird- Five-Year Plan period and also keeping in present standard for admission. We aleo VIew the growing need of technical training for the recommend that similar facilities may be extended local people of the Darjeeling district it has been to the hill boys in Technical Government Insti­ decided to expand this institution and' upgrade the tutions like the Agricultural College, Veterinary standard of training imparted by it, by converting College, Engineering College. the Institute into a full-fledged Industrial Traininoo Institute, providing training in trades of Draft;. man, Surveyor, Fitter, etc., etc. The servicing unit is, however, proposed to be continued in its existing form. Apart from the above institution, there is also another training centre at Kurseong, o:fl'ering facilities to the local people for training in various non-Engineering and Vocational Trades like Knit­ ting, Cutting and Tailoring, Book-binding, Boot and Shoe Making, etc., etc. It has, further, been decided to establish another Industrial Training Institute at Siliguri during the Third Five-Year Plan to meet the fro wing demand for such training for the people o the Darjeeling district. For development of Technical Education in Darjeeling district, the following two high schools ihave been upgraded to Multipurpose Schools with technical courses along with the science course : (1) Victoria Boys' High School, Kurseong. (2) Kalimpong Government High School, Kalimpong. In addition to the above, the Boys' High School at Ghoom was given a non-recurring grant for purchase of equipment and furniture for introduc­ tion of engineering crafts. The following schools also received non­ recurring grants for the introduction of craft teaching: (1) Siliguri Girls' .Tunior High School, ( 2) Bagrakote Junior High School, (3) Mirik J\lnior High School, (4) Margarete' Hope (Hannagan) Junior High School, Tung, 3 Action taken and other Co'Jiments (5) Ghoom Girls' Junior High School, (6) St. Philomena's Girls' Junior High School, Kalirnpong. They also receive recurring grants for the main­ te!lance of tthe craft classes. In 1960-61 the State Government sanctioned, U11 heHerllleut of water supply in the l!istrict. Due tion adequate supply of water is necessary, hut to r.:ek~· n:ti ure of soil in the district supply of owing to the terrain supply of water, especially watt•r in run! areas by sinking tubewells is not good drinking water, is most difficult in the hills. possible. \Vater collected from different Jhoras is Some small water-supply schemes have been carried distributed over different parts of the localities out recently but the facilities are too meagre. A through pipe lines. A sum of about Rs. 20 lakhs number of medium-sized schemes like those has been spent by Government for the improvement executed at ~Iirik and Lamagaon should be under­ and extension of the Kalimpong \Yater Supply taken quicldy. scheme. . Water supply schemes in the following· Health Centres have been completed during the ~·econd Five-Year Plan period: Rs. 1. Mirik 34,400 2. Sukiapukri 37,000 3. Lodhana 18,000 4. Bogra 20,000 5. Garubathan 58,000 6. Tackling 15,600 1. Getdubling 31,000 8. Santhar-Sambalbong .P. 20,400 9. . 13.000 R. W .S. Sche-me completed during Second Fi1:e-Y ear Plan period Rs. 1. ~Iirik 1,11,800 2. Nimbong 24,000 3. Santhar 1:3,000 4. Lamagaon 33,500 5. Monadora 24,800 o. Soreong 31,800 1. Singlabazar 1!1,800 8. Kagey 20,000 R. W.S. schemes taken 11p during 1960-61 arul in progress Rs .. 1. Rimbrick 48,200 2. Namla 13,000 :-1. llaranHl.ngwu 20,000 4. Rishihat 33,300 5. Dhajia 25,000 G. 'l'ackling 16,400 i. Barbetia 30,300 8. Chotamungwa ... 34,400 9. Poobonp; 63,350 10. Bullongdong 47,000 11. Siliguri 1 33 Nos. 1 Khoribari ~ R.C.C. ]' 16,900 J Ringwelb Seventy water supply projects in different blocks have been executed during the Second Five-Year l'lan nncl the expenditure in tl>is respect has been made .by the respective B.D.Os. The total expenditure was Rs. 2,92,530. Proposed schemes (/1t1·ing the Third Fit·e-Yea·•· Plan L Darjeeling Water ~·upply s~heme-lls. 14 Jald1s ~. Kurseong· 'Yater Supply l':fferent hill areas of th~ district and another nine have been executed during 1960-61. Expenditure to the tune of Rs. 3 lakhs is expect­ ed to be incurred for water supply schemes in tribal arras in the district of Darjeeling during· the Thircl Five-Year Plan. out of which Us. 30,000 is expected t.9 be spent during the year 1961-62. 5 Recommendation of the Darjeeling Enquiry Committee fl. The Medical and Public Health expenii•.ure rural health centres and hospitals. It is therofore in Dar.ieeling exceeds that of any other distl"ict in necessary to innease the medical facilities nt these \\"est. Jleng·nl. There are 15 rural health centres institutions. \Ve have been informed that the of which six have been taken over by Government number of bt•lnce of hPds has been increase

Action taken and other comments

6. The followi!lg~ospitnls ~d Health Centres have been functioning and are proposed to be established in the district of Dnr· jeeling.

Block~ or police· Functioning at present. Proposed to be established. Remarks. st.ar.ions.

l 3 4

Ko.limpong I I. Snnthnr flnmnlbong­ I. Primary Hcalt.h Ccnt~Site to Thrro is a M iBflionnry Subsidinry Health Centre. be acleotcd. Hospitnl at Kalimpong (Chnrterie HOBpital). 2. Churanthi Subsidinry Health C ntre (site not yet finalised).

Kalimpong II .• 1. Pedong~ I. Algarhbazar Subsidiary Health One Midwife anrl G. D. A. Primary Health Centre (20 bods). Centre (site under exploration. have been postnd o.t It is being examined whether Algnrh for tho ptc~m;t.• 2. Gitdubling Subsidiary Health the centre should bo located at Centre. Algarh or at Kngay).

Rangli·Rangliot l. Tnkdah~ I. Singringrom Subsidiary Health Primary Health Centre (20 beds). Cent-re (tmder corwti·uotion). 2. Takling Subsidiary Health Centre.

Da.rjeeling.. Pulbazal' 1. Victoria Hospital (208 beds) Two Subsidiary Health Centres (sites not yet selected). 2. Bijanbari Primary Heslth Centre (10 beds).

3. Lodhama~ Subsidiary Health Centre. ·

J orebunglow·Sukhiapu· l. Sukhiapukbri Primary Health 1. Bonada Sibsidiary Health Centre kbri. Centre (20·beds). (land under exploration). 2. Site for another Subsidiary Health Centre to be selected.

Development 1. Silignri Subdivi~:~ional Hoa}:itol (66 1. General Hospital at 8iliguri. It SiJigud has not yot boon finally sot tlod Blook. OOOR). (Functioning as Pl'imat)' Health how mnn) bods Will ho providod. Contro), It hM boon tent.otivoly_pl'Oposod to set up 500 bcdH. Homo of 2. Bugdogm Sub1:1idiu.ry Hoalth tlleso lxds wm bo meant for Centro (10 bcdo). treatment of tuberculo<:~is pa· tient.fl. A\·ailahility of lond in 3. 1\Iat..igora SuhsidinryHealth Centre tho propo!'ed Ur.ivorsity cnmpus (10 bod•). is being oxplorcd.

Primary Health Cf.>nf re-quest ion Kursoong (nou-Blook) 1. }{un;cctlg Sul::dh·hsionnl Hospital 1. (58 bod•). of setting up will bo tnkm1 up after the Block is inaugurated. 2. Scto.ng Subsidiary Health Centre 2. Pankhobnri District Boord Di~pen· sory- 3. Bogora Subsidiary Ht•olth C'~ntre Proposed to be taken O\ or and converted into a Subsidiary 4. Sukhnn Subsidiary Health Centre Hoalth Centro. Mirik l'rimary Health Contro (10 lods) Two Subsidiary Hoolth CcntHS :Mirih (non-Block area) proposed. SJt.e to bo soloctod. Devdopment Block not yet inaugu. rated. 6

Blocks or police­ Functioning at present. Proposed to be established. Remarks. stations. 1 2 3

Gorubo.thnn Goruba.than Primary Health Centre I. JaldhakaSubsidiaryHealtb Centre (non-Block). (10 bedJ;). (under construction). 2. Khumnai Subsidiary Health Cen­ tre. 3. C. P. Dispensary (pro­ J!Osed to be converted into a Subsidiary Health Centre). 4. Chuna bati Forest · Dispensary (tbo Forest Department wi11 continuo to maintain it).

Phanshidewa P. S. I. Naxalbori Primary Health Centre I. Phanshidowa Tho area has not yet boon Kbaribad P. S. (20 beds). Subsidiary Health Centre. demarcated into Block/ NaxaJbari P. S. Blocks. After ouch (New P. S.) 2. Subsidiary Health 2. demarcation thue shall (All non-Block areas). Centre (10 beds). Subsidiary Health Centro. be one primary Health Centre with two/ 3. Rangali Subsidiary Health Centre 3. Mohanaba Subsidiary Health three Suhc;idiary Health Centre. Centres in ench Block. Ita ..... 4. Ambari Subrddiary Hea1th Contre. • (question of land not yet finalised).

Mobile Medical Units and four Kala-Azar to be attached to the subdivisional hospital to Centres have also been functioning in the district facilitate quick transport of patients from out­ of Darjeelin"'. -Nine Rural Medical Treatment lying- areas in order that these hospitals can Centres in the district of Darjeeling which were .,fiectively function as Referral Hospitals. under the management of the District Board have At Kalimpong there is the onlv Subdivisional been taken over by the Government with effect Hospital which is not under the' control of the from 1st January 1959 and they are being fitted State Government. The Missionary authorities in with the Rural Health Centres Scheme. who are maintaining this hospital are not, how­ Besides, the Government have authorised two ever, willing to hand over its managetnent to ambulance cars at the District Hospital and one ftovernment. The hospital is well run and is very ambulance car at each subdivisional headquarters popular in the area. . 1

Recommendation of the Darjeeling Enquiry Action taken and other Comments Committee 7. Unless concrete instances ore cited to show 7. One of the complaints received by Ui was that a health centre or any other institution is not that the healtlt centres, maternity clinics, etc., properly manned or equippe

1'here has been mns,~ B.C.G. Vaccination Campaign in the

Recommendation of the · Darjeeling Enquiry Action taken and other comments Committee 12. (1) There is <~iroo

Recommendatiort of the Darfeeling Enquiry Action taken and other comments Committee · 13. Reciprocal '!rrangements re_gar_ding move­ 13. At present Sikkim transport vehicles me ment of mooor vehicles between Sikkim and: Dar­ allmved to ply in the district of Darjeeling but jeeling were agreed upon between the Dewan of Darjeeling district vehicles are not allowed to enter Sikkim and the Deputy Commissioner, Darjeeling, Sikkim. There shquld be reciprocity in transport on 21st June 1954. The said arrangements have facilities between Sikkim and India and the matter been appmved by the State Government after should be taken up with the appropriate authorities. obtaining the appmval of the Government of India, Ministry of Transport. The said arrenge­ ments provide foL· countersignature of permits freely in respect of contract carriages registered at Darjeeling and Sikkim in the interest of tourist traffic, and also operation of a limited number of buses mutually fixed between the Sikkim Durbar and the Deputy Commissioner, Darjeeling. Accord­ ing to the said arrangements 12 carriers of Sikkim Hate Transport were originally allowed to ply on countersignature of permits between and Siliguri and· eight carriers of Darjeeling district were allowed during the fruit season (November to Februar~) to carry fruits fmm Sikkim but none of these 8 carriers were allowed oo carry any up­ load oo Sikkim. Later, on the representation of the Sikkini Duroor and on th~ recommendation of .the Government of India, the number of Sik­ kim State Transport cal'riers for plying between Gangtok and Siliguri was raised to 20. Some discontentment was expressed by the Darjeeling operators. The question of allowing the 8 carriers of Darjeeling to carry uploads to Sikkim was taken up with the Sikkim Durbar. At a con­ ference held between the Secretary, Home (Trans­ port) Department, the Deputy Commissioner, Dar­ jeelmg, and the Dewan of Sikkim, in the last week of September 1956, the Sikkim Durbar agreed to allow 4 out of the said 8 carriers of Darjeeling to carry uploads to Sikkim d-uring the fruit season. It may be pointed out that full reciprocity can hardly be expected from the Sikkim Durbar on account of the fact that Sikkim has no outlet to the outside world except thmugh Darjeeling district and also on account of their present state of development . • •

14. The question of reopening of th.e passenger 14. The question of reopening of the passenger traffic be~ween Calcutta and Darjeeling through traffic between Calcutta and Darjeeling through Ea~ . Pakis~n sho~d be pursued. Pending a East Pakistan was considered in the past but it dec191~ll: on _It a tram ex~lusively between Calcutt~ did not materialise. The Government of India and Sihguri should be mtroduced. · are, however, considering certain proposals put forward in .this behalf by two Railway Delegations of India and Pakistan. It may be pointed out in this connexion that the Mokameh Rail-cum-Road Bridge ihas since been opened and it is possible for visitors to go to Darjeeling all the way by railway from Calcutta and other places i.e. without making any crossing of the river Ganga at Sakrigalighat or other places. Such a journey will, of course, take longer time. 11 Recommendation of the Darjeeling Enquiry Action taken and other comments Committee 15. (a) In order to remove the l!'oorki diseuse 15. Generally crops grown in the district o[ of cardamom in the district of Darjeeling, the Darjeeling are millets, maize, potatoes and paddy Department of Agriculture and Food Production and the cash crops are cardamom and oran:;re in has already taken up a scheme for investigation of some parts. Except for tea the district is 1n:unly the }'oorki disease of cardamom and its control in agricultural. Agricultural improvement is there­ the district. The scheme which has been fore vital for the people. Special measures are to functioning since 1953 is jointly financed b:y the be taken to combat "Foorkay"-the menace to State Government and the Indian Council of cardamom crop. In course of our enquiry it has Agricultural Research. :Four centres have been been brought to our notice that once a field is established at (1) Payong, (2) Kashyong, (3) infected by "Foorkay" it cannot be used for Pukriabong, and (4) Lumaguon. Work of control growing cardamom again for about three . rears. and eradication of this diseuse and propagation of It is therefore desirable that such cases of destruc­ fresh plants is being curried on in private holdings tion of cardamom when brought to the notice of the in each of these centres. In addition, at Puyong local authorities should be carefully investigated and Kashyong centres, diseuse-free seedlings are and suitable remission of rent granted where raised for distribution free of cost to the circumstances so warrant, especially in view of .the cultivators to plant their lands afresh. The fact that the rent for cm·damom field is very l1igh. progress of work and activities of each centre is It has also been brought to our notice that t!Iere detailed below : is a wide disparity ibetween the rates of rent for ( 1) Payong Centre cardamom field charged by the Khasmahal and the This has a total area of 52 acres. A thorough Forest Departments. This disparity should be survey has been made in an area of 50 acres. ln abolished and rent charged by the Forest Dep:nt­ the beginning of the work an average of 33 per ment should l1e at the Khasmahal rate. cent. of the plants were found to have been infected. By eradication and destruction of diseased plants the incidence of the disease has been reduced considerably. A survey made in 1960-61 revealed that only a few plants showed symptoms of the disease occasiOnally. The diseased plants were destroyed immediately. 14,000 disease-free seedlings were raised in this cent.re since 1956 and 7,000 seedlings were distributed up to 1960-61. A good number of the seetate Agricultural Farm at Kahmpong. (e) In the Third Five-Year Plan it has been proposed to increase the area under cardamom by distributing disease-free cardamom seedlings and manures to the intending cardamom growers and also by granting liberalised loans of Rs. ~50 per acre. The specific measures that are proposed tQ be adopted ·under the Third Plan for increasing the area under cardamom and stepping up production are shown below: (1) Supply of disease-free seedlings The disease-free seedlings produced under the cardamom research sdheme will be ~urther multiplied in the State Farms and Thana !•'arms with a view to distribute them to the growers on 50 per cent. subsidy. (2) Fertilisers The application of fertilisers to cardamom will be popularised and the fertilisers will be supplied on the usual loan basis. , (3) Loan Loan of Rs. 150 per acre will be advanced to cardamom growers under liberalised loan rules for expanding the area under cardamom in the hills of Darjeeling district. (4) Demonstration Intensive propaganda and demonstration will be carried out for showing the improved meth'o<\s of cultivation of cardamom, adequate manuring, and control of diseases and pests. · During the entire period of the Third Plan 200 acres are proposed to be developed under new plantation. The rate of licence fee for ·cardamom fields charged by the Kbasmahal Depal'tment is Rs. 10 per acre per annum while that decided to be charged by the Forests Department is Rs. 20 per acre per annum. The oa:rdnmom fields in the hill subdivisions of Darjeeling, Kalimpong and: Kurseong are required to be properly controlled in order to check landslips. In deciding on the rate of licence fee to be charged for these cardamom fields the cost involved in the control of the said fields by the Forests Department was duly taken into consideration. Hence the disparity in the rate of the licence fees. * * * Recommendation of the Darjeeling Enquiry Action taken and other comments Committee. 16. No water-rate iii. charged by the Forest 16. Arrangements for adequate · water-supply Directorate. In the Northern Circle, however, the for irrigation purposes should be made and the Directorate charge a Fixed Demand Licence of agriculturists of the district should be encoumged Rs. 3 per annum fol' each drainage channel irres­ to adopt improved and scientific method through pective of its length including "Kulos" for demonstration farms and agricultural melas. watering cardamom fields from "Jhoras" in the When small canals are dug by the cultivators them­ Reserved Forest. It is not possible to reduce this selves from "Jhoras" on the forest land for licence fee or to waive it altogether. irrigating their fields and the· Forest Depa"tment Demonstration Centres do not incur any expenditure for the purpose, no In the Second Five-Year Plan there was a water tax should be levied by them from thP scheme for setting up demonstration centres on cultiyators as at present.. cultivators' holdings with supply of seeds, manure and implements at 50 per cent. subsidy from Government. The targets for establishment of demonstration centres and achievements in the district of Darjeeling during the first and the second years of the Second Five-Year Plan were as follows: Targets. No. of DcJD.onstratlon Centres. Yean. 6-acre 6·acre 2-acre 2·acre Total. DOW old DOW old plota. plots. plots. plots. 1956-67 20 12 50 44 126 1957·58 19 15 50 80 11, 13

Achievements.

No. ot Demonstration Ccnt.roa. Yeara.· ---. 6 ...,. 6.. .,. 2-noro 2-acro Total. now old now old plot.e. plota. plota. plota.

1956-67 20 0 60 22 IOI

I057-58 I9 IO 62 10 100

On and from the third year of the Second Plan, i.e., 1958-59 it was decided to open every year 1,000 new demonstration centres having a plot of 2 acres of land each in the whole of the State. Of the above targets, 48 demonstration centres were to be opened in the district of ·Darjeeling each year. 'l'hese targets were fully achieved excepting in the year 1960-61. In that year, there was a short-fall of 4 due to the unwillingness of the owners of the centres to participate in the scheme. In the Third Five-Year Plan provision has been made for establishment of 5,000 2-ncre demonstra­ tion centres in the whole of the State. Out of these, 240 demonstration centres are to be set up in the district of Darjeeling. Agricultural fairs and exhibitions Agricultural fairs and exhibitions are held annually in each of the three Ranges of the State. The Deputy Director of Agriculture in charge of the Range selects the districts where such fair or exhibition is to be held in any particular year. The district of Darjeeling is one of the districts of the Northern Range and the Deputy Director of Agriculture of that Range normally decides when an annual exhibition is to be held in that district. Moreover, a livestock-cum-agricultural fair is held annually at Pedong in the district of Darjeeling. Under the Small Irrigation Schemes, in the Darjeeling district, seven schemes were executed in the yoor 1957-fi8, two in 1958-59 and twelve in 1959-60 . • • Recommendation of the Darjeeling Enquiry Action taken and other Comments Committee 17. Green vegetables and potato seeds are sent 17. During the war the militacy: ~uthorit_ie_s in large quantities in season by special arrange­ established a vegetable farm at DarJeelmg whrcn ment with the railway. The bulk of the oranges supplied green vegetables for civilian cons'!mption exported from ~iliguri railway stat.ion1 ho:we-:er, also. Green vegetable farms ca-.;t be established ~o come from Sikkim and not from DarJeehng district. the economic advantage of the hill people. It will be possible to supply green vegetables and dairy At the instance of the Central Warehousing Corporation investigation as to the possibility of products from Darjeeling t? Cal~utta situo\ted at a distance of 300 miles only If refrigerated rans are setting up a cold storage at Siliguri was under­ taken by the State Warehousing Corporation and introduced and cold storage facilities are provided it was found that it would not be profitable at at Siliguri. '!'he construction of ropeways c ver present to set up such a cold storage there. As some portions of the hill acres and over the Ganges at Dhulian till the Farakka Bridge is constructed such, the proposal for construction of a c_old storage at Siliguri by the Central W arehousmg will also cut short the time for the movement of Corporation has been dropped. The Department these commodities to Calcutta. The .lforesaid of Agriculture and Food Production has, however, measures will also solve the problem of disposal a scheme in the Third Five-Year Plan for setting of the orange which is one of the iniportant cash up a cooling chamber near about the railway crops of the district. Government should •:xpl'>re station at Siliguri in order that the difficulties these possibilities. which are being ex~erienced by t~e peo~le at present in transhipment of their perishable commodities, viz., oranges, pine-apples, vegetables, etc., at Siliguri may be removed, There are already two privately owned aerial ropeways in the district of Darjeeling, namely, the Darjeeling-Bijanbari !!erial ropeways and the Kalinipong-Riyang aerial ropeways. No proposal for the construction of ropeways over any other portion of the hill areas of the Darjeeling District or over the Ganges at Dhulian is under the consideration of the State Government at present.

0 14: Recommendation of the Darjeeling ·Enquiry Action taken and other comments Committee 18. A Flower Board has since been set up and 18. The h,ll areas of Darjee&g are famous the matter is being pursued by them. Til] now for hundreds of varieties of flowers some of which Rs. 2,100 worth of flowers grown in the hills have are rare. 'l'he question of marketing of such been sold in the Calcutta market through the Board. flowers should be given special consideration. • • •

19. With Tibet now forming a part of China 19. With the financial assistance from the it is doubtful if the present supply of wool from Indian Council of Agricultural Research, a sheep that country will continue for a long time. It. breeding sub-station has been set up at may therefore be examined if the otherwise un­ in Kalimpo':'g with a view to evolve better type productive hills of Darjeeling bordering on Sikki-,I of sheep smtable for the area, cross-breeding with· and Ti!>et cannot be utilised for sheep rearing au.-! Scotch Black Face Rams of U.K. The improved shee~; farming. Government should request the rams to be produced in that centre, as well as ewes, Uttar Pradesh Government to send one of their will be distributed amongst the hill people of the experts to examine the feasibility of starting >heep area. To encourage the hill people to take to farms in Darjeeling on the lines of the oue sheep rearing in a more scientific way, the farmers e

20. 1'ea is the principal industry of the district . 20 .. Regardinll: the tendency to gradual dete­ but the greatest handicap to this industry is the riOratiOn of quahty of tea, as stated by the Enquiry large surplus population in the tea gardens. Due Committee, It may be stated that of late there to the presence of this large surplus popu!~.tion has been some improvement in this regard. the gardens have to engage a larger number of labourers than is actually necessary and economic. Regarding the recommendation to start a Tea· The surJ~lus population should be drawn •. way to cottage mdustry. The recent tendency of the College for training of Managers and Assistant Managers of Tea Estates, it' may be stated that ne~ entrants in the. te~ trade in trying to get a the suggestions appear be prima facie desirable qmc~ return on their mvestment at the .Joat of to quahty has proved to be a menace to the .•tabilitv but mere aw'!rcl of a diplomu by such a College would not go to make an efficient Garden of. ~hi~ . fore~gn exch~nge earning industry. To mmmuse this threat It is necessary to ensure that Manager. Gnrden Managers have to work their Managers and Assistant Managers of the tea way up from suborclinate posts to attain that gnrde!'s are men of requisite qualifications ar.d position. Besides, such a College should have a expenence. For appointment to these poats the ~ull-fleclged Tea Estate attached• to it f

22. Cinchona is the other industry of the district ~2. These recommendations had already been which has not only no scope for further expansio!l anticipated and Government have since undertaken but is also proving to be a losing concern to the a larl!'e project for switching over to more remu­ State Government who have a monopoly in it. nerative anrl alternative crops, like Ipecac, After the second world war the demand for quinine Rowulfia, Tung, etc. The surplus labour of the has greatly fallen. Due to the shrinkage ~f the entire Rango Cinchona Plantation has already market there are about 3,000 surplus labourers in been taken oyer by the Medicinal PlantA Direc­ the cinchona plantations in the district. The torate and if the latest annual target of 40,000 lb. problem of this surplus labmir can be solver! to of Ipecac roots be ncliieved, the present heavy some extent by their absorption in the medici an I loss on quinine production will be largely com­ plants scheme recently undertaken ·by f:tovE~rn­ pensated. Government have already sold 42,000 ment. The Cinchona Directorate and the Medicinal lh. of semi-purified quinine snlph. to Messrs. Plants Directorate should co-ordinate in the ttJattar Carnegie of U. K. and it is hoped that, with the of recruitment of labourers. The possibility of tmplementation of the latest distribution arrange­ finding a bigger foreign market for medicinal ments with Messrs. Dey's Medical Stores, Ltd., the herbs and plants may be explored. nosition will considerably improve. Government have succeeded in exporting 2,800,000 lb. of surplus bark (Cinchona) at a price which is considered to be advantageous in the context of the present world price-level and which has brought in nearly Rs. 15 lakhs worth of foreign exchange. Similar cultivation of alternative crops has also been taken up in other plantations to speed up absorption of surplus Cinchona labourers. At present there is, practically, no surplus labourer in the Cinchona plan ~a tions. During the Third Five-Year Plan, the State Government have already taken up cultivation of some new crops and extension of Ipecac cultivation which, when fully implemented, are expect­ ed to provide new avenues of employment for the hill people. 16

Recommendation of the Darjeeling Enquiry Action taken and other Comments Committee 23. As regards the question of opening a direct 23. After the partition the tourist traffic to passenger transport service from Siliguri to Darjeeling was greatly reduced with the conse­ Calcutta and the reopening of n train service from quential hardship to the hill people who used t<• Calcutta to Siliguri via East Pakistan, notes under depend much on the tourists. There is already a paragraphs 12 and 14 bdore·may be seen. As Tourist Reception Officer at Darjeeling working regards the question of introduction of concessional under the Ministry of Transport of the Govern­ fares, the matter was taken up with the Indian Air ment of India. But more intensive publicity to Lines Corporation but they expressed inability to attract tourists to the hill stations of this district do so as their cost of operation had increased considerably owing to rise in price of all commo­ seems to be called for. As already observed the dities. The following steps have so far been taken question of reopening of the route between Calcutta for promotion of tourism in Darjeeling and places and Siliguri through East Pakistan should be given serious consideration. The possibility of opening near about: of a State Bus route between Calcutta and Siliguri (1) The State Government have set up a local may also be explored. The Indian Airlines Cor­ Touris~ ..Advisory C?mmittee with the Deputy poration. grant special concessional fares for Commtsswner as Chatrman and some prominent journeys between Delhi nnd Srinagar, Delhi and officials and non-officials as members of the

Amritsar, Joypur and Jodhpur and a few other Committee. They have been functioninno0 since places. Government should take up the question 1959. . of extending this concessional fares to journeys (2) The State Government have recently decided between Dum Dum and Bagdogra in the interest that a Regional Tourist Office-cum-Tourist Bureau of the tourist traffic. In order to attract tourists wi.ll be opened ~t l!arjeelillg with one Assistant in larger nunv'her Government dak bungalows and Director of Tourtsm-m-Charge. He will be assist­ youth hostels in the interior of the district should ed by one Information Assistant and other staff. also be thrown open to them on payment of reason­ Th~ Government of I~dia have also tentatively able charges and there should be a Central Office at demded to hand over their Darjeeling Tourist Darjeeling for reservation of accommodation in Office to the State Government. It is hoped that tho"e bungalows. t!te change over will take place in a few months' ttme. (3) The Government of India have produced two films on Darjeeling proper and another on "A Journey along the Teesta Valley". The State Government have also produced one film on ".A Journey to Darjeeling by road from Calcutta." ( 4) It has been decided with the concurrence of the Government of India to build one Low Income Group Rest House at Tiger Hill at a oost of ~s .. 2.50 lakhs and another Rest House at Dar­ Jeelmg. Tow!! at a cost of Rs. 1. 75 lakhs during the Thtrd Ftve-Year Plan period. The cost of the Rest House at Tiger Hill will be met equally by the. State at;td Central Governments on a 50: 50 basts. It IS proposed to spread out the cost as under: Year State share. Central share. 1961-62 .25 lakhs .25 lakhs 1962-63 .50 lakhs .50 lakhs 1963-64 .50 lakhs .50 lakhs 1.25 lakhs 1.25 lakhs

A provisi?n for Rs ..25 lakhs has accordingly be~n ~ad~ m the current year's budget which will brmg m 1ts turn another Rs. .25 lakh from the Centre. The cost of the Rest House at Darjeeling will be met entirely from the State resources and the phased programme is as follows : · Year. Rs. (in lakh). 1961-62 1962-63 .76 1963-64 1.00 1.75

Beisdes_, there are two· more proposals, viz., oonstructwn of a Rest House-cum Tourist Office at ~alimpong at a cost of Rs. 1,20,000 and construc­ tion of a .building for the Regional Tourist Office­ cum-Tourist Bureau at Darjeeling at a cost of Rs. 1 lakh. These schemes

(5) The State Government have decided to build a jeepable, if not a motorable, road from Mnne­ bhanjan to at nn estimntod cost of Rs. 40 lakhs during the 'fhird l'ive-Year Plan period. . When sttch n roatl is constructed, Darjeeling distrid will nttruct a \"crv !urge number of visitors, both foreign nnd hulinn; who will hnve the facility of driving straight to Snndnkphu from Darjeeling. (6) A big notice board contnining nll information about arcmnmodation, trnnsport, places of interest, etc., will soon be set up at the entrance of Darjeeling Town. (7) Radio talks on the ynrious plnces of tourist interest in West Bengal are being broadcast from time to time and there \\'ill be some tn lks on Darjeeling and other plnces in that district. (8) Two luxury cars are being acquired by the State Government for taking foreiiJn tourists only from Bagdogra to Darjeeling. Thts is being done for making the journey of the foreign tourists, who are used to better cars, comfortable . • • • Recommendation of the Dar)eeling Enquiry Action taken and other Comments Committee 24. Six Development Blocks are now funetion­ 24. There are four Block Development Centres ing in the district of Darjeeling. Due to mlminis­ functioning in the district of Darjeeling. Out of trative reasons, temporary vacancies might hnve these four, three have been converted into Com­ occurred in the posts of Block Development Officers munity Development Projects. It has transpired in certain Blocks, hut such vacancies have generally in course of our enquiry that two Block Develop­ been filled up as quickly as possible. Block Deve­ ment Officers are managing the four Development lopment Officers are now posted in five Develop­ Blocks. Two posts of Block Development Officers ment Blocks in Darjeeling district and there is a are lying vacant and the district is going without vacancy in the Rangli-Rangliot Block in place of a District Development Officer for a long time. the officer recently transferre

Recommendation of the Darjeeling Enquiry Action taken and other Comments Committee 25. In the schematic budget of Development \!.~. In the hills the main dilierence between a Blocks, the provision under the head "Irrigation" drinking water scheme and an irrigation scheme is mainly "loan" except for a small proportion lies in the size of the pipes. In Development which is "non-loan" and meant for grant of Bloeks the rate of local contribution for drinking subsidy to loaneea on proper utilisation of the loan. water scheme is 10 per cent. whereas the rate for The irrigation schemes so far sanctioned in different irrigation scheme is much higher. The people J3locks under the N.KS./C.D. programme provide being very poor they have not been able in most for grant of loan to an individual or a Co-operative cases to pay their contributions for irrigation Society for irrigation purposes. The loan is re­ scheme. As a result the Development Blocks have coverable in five years. There is provision for not been able to extend much irrigation facilities grant of subsidy at 25 per cent. of the loan in all to the people. Government should examine the cases except where purchase of pumping seta is possibility of reducing the rate of local contribu­ involved, provided the loan money is properly ticm for irrigation scheme to 10 per cent. as in utilised within a specified period. There is, there­ drinking water scheme. fore, at present no question of sanctioning irriga­ tion schemes out of non-loan fund with 10 per cent. local contribution as in the case of the Rural Water Supply Scheme. In all districts except Purulia and the hilly areas of Darjeeling the rate of local contribution for irrigation schemes is 50 per cent. while in the hilly areas of Darjeeling the rate of • contribution is 33-lf3 per cent.· It is not possible to increase the subs1dy any further as the Government of India may not agree to any further increase in subsidy. • • • 26. It has been represented to us that due to 26. Terms and conditions for execution of the poverty of the people they are unable to contri­ wor!< under the Local Development Works bute 50 per cent. of the cost of drinking water P:oJects are fixed by the Planning Commission. schemes under local Development Projects out.side F1fty per cent. local contribution on such the Development Blocks and as a result some of projects is a condition fixed by them. In the past, the schemes are not being implemented. Govern­ the Planning Commission had been moved on ment should consider whether in deeerving cases several occasions to relax this condition and all~w the rate of local contribution for such schemes may taking up a project with a lesser contribution. not be reduced to 25 per cent. Of late, the Government of India have agreed that in difficult or backward a1·eaa, State Governments may permit Zilla Parishads and District Develop­ ment Committees to modify the proportion of public contribution suitably. It will now be possible to sanction Government aid to drinking water supply wojech' in difficult and ·backward areas even if the prescribed public contribution is not forth-coming. No local contribution, however, is required for water supply schemes undertaken by the Tribal Welfare Department. 19

Recommendation of the Darjeeling Enquiry Action taken and other Comments Committee 27. 'rhis recommendation does not seem to tuke 27. The charges of electricity at Kalimpong are into account certain relevant considerations. exorbitantly high. Moreover the present company Under section 4(1) of the Indian l~lectricitv Art, is not in a position to cope with the demand of bhe 1910, the Rtate Government have the po'wer \u growing town. In the circumstances Government revoke a licence and make it over to the State may consider if they should take over tlu; company Electricity Board, only when certain Rlatu· as the availability of power at reasonable rates will ' tory responsibilities are not being disrhnrgod facilitate the growth of various cottage industrieR properly. The rnte structure of an undertaking and the general development of the town. is rigidly controlled under the Sixth Schedule to the Electricity (Supply) Act, 1948, and although the rates in Kalimpong are rather high (us is bound to happen in such an out-of-the-way place like Kalimpong, where electricity is being gene­ rated by n djesel set, for which the cost of oil fuel, and trasport charges for the same are steadily mounting), the State Government have no power to reToke the li<,eU<'e on that account, lw<•uuse the "reasonable return" (a• laid down under the Supply .A.ct) has not yet been exceeded. More­ over, even if the State Electricity Board takes over this undertaking and produces electricity on the same diesel generating set, they would not be in n position to reduce the rates. If and when the • J aldhaka Hydro-Electric Project is completed and feeder lines u.re taken up to Kalimpong, the situa­ tion is likely to improve. Regarding the other suggestion of supply of electric power at a reasonable rate to the con•umers for the growth of various cottage industries and for general development, thiH will .be considered in consultation with the West Bengal State Electri­ city Board. It may be noted that the Board w1ll be in a position to consider the question of supply to the areas not covered by any of the existing private licensees . • • • 28. The hill people are very sports-minded. The 28. Proposals for developing a plnyground-cum.­ construction of a stadium with adequate facilities stailium at Darjeeling have been under considera­ for bhe di:ll'erent sports organisations and clubs tion by the Government of 'Vest Bengal for several should be taken up as early as possible. The years past. Several sites were selected and each di:ll'erence of opinion as regards the location of the of them had to be abandoned for one reason or stadium should not he allowed to delay the matter another. and the Deputy Commissioner should bring the local people together and take an early and finn! The site has now been finally selected at the dePision. Lebong and Mineral Spring Ten Estate off Darjeeling-Lebong Road. Resumption proceedings have been started under the West Bengal E•tntes Acquisition .A.ct in respect of lands which will be utilised for the studium-C7tm-pluyground. CO"-· struction works for the levelling of the ground have already been undertaken and are in good progre"8. 20

Recommendation of the Darjeeling Enquiry Action taken and other Comments Committee 29. (1) According to the fundamental rights as 29. In course of our enquiry complaints were provided in Part III of the Constitution, there shall made to us that there was not sufficient number of be equality of opportunity for all citizens in the hillmen in various services in the district. On a matter of appointment to Government services. scrutiny of the figures supplied by the Deputy It has however been provided in Article 16(4) of Commissioner, Darjeeling, and other departments the Constitution that the State may make a provi­ it was however found that the representation of sion for the reservation of appointments or posts hillmen in the services in the district was not in favour of any backward class of citizens, which, inadequate. in the opinion of the State, is not adequatelv represented in the services under the State. · At present hill boys are not generally able to compete with the boys from the other parts of the (2) Article 335 of the Constitution provides State for the various State Civil Services. We feel· that the claims of the members of the Scheduled that some reservation may be made for them for the Castes and Scheduled Tribes shall be taken into period of five years in some of those services like consideration, consistently with the maintenance the W.B.C.S., W.B.J.C.S., W.B.P,S., Assistant of efficiency of administration, in the making of Registrar of Co-operative Societies, etc. This appointments to services and posts in connection matter may be further examined by Government. with the affairs of the Union or of a State. In In the matter of recruitment to non-gazetted posts accordance with this provision of the Constitution, and inferior posts the local candidates possessing the Government of West Bengal have reserved 15 the requisite minimum qualification should be given per cent. and 5 per cent. of the vacancies in preference. · certain services and posts under this Government, which are to be filled up by direct 'recruitment, for members of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes respectively (vide Finance Department Memo. No. 308F., dated 5th February 1953). This Government have also provided for the relaxation of the maximum age limit prescribed for entry into Government service, in favour of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes by 3 years in respect of gazetted appointments and by 5 years in respect of non-gazetted appointments.

(3) Among the hill people of the Darjeeling district there are both Scheduled Castes and Sche­ duled Tribes. The aforesaid concessions are admis­ sible to them.

Experience has, however, shown that in spite of the reservation and relaxation of age limit, a sufficient number of qualified candidates from the Scheduled Tribes are not forthcoming, whether from Darjeeling district or elsewhere, to fill the vacancies reserved for them. The question how to secure adequate representation of the hill people in the vacancies reserved for them has recently been considered by this Government carefully. The various departments were consulted and the consensus of opinion is that while there may not be any objection to a slight lowering of the qualifications in respect of age and desirable additional qualifications, it will not be possible to lower the minimum basic educational or technic!ll qualifications in the interest of maintenance of efficiency of administration. The Government of India were consulted and they, too, have not allowed any relaxation in the minimum qualifications required for recruitment to posts under the Central Government in favour of the Scheduled Tribes. It has, however, been decided by this Government that the prescribed upper age limit should be further relaxed by five years in favour of the Scheduled Tribes, in addition to the relaxation by five years normally admissible as stated in sub-paragraph (2) above, and such of the reserved vacancies as could not be filled up through normal competitive examinations, should be filled up by selection from amongst Scheduled Tribes through the Public Service Commission after advertisement. (4) As regards non-gazetted posts appointment to which is made by the District Magistrates or other authorities in the districts, Government have issued directions that preference will ·be given to persons who have knowledge of the locality, topo­ graphy, economic condition of the district and of the people and the crops in the district. The Deputy Commissioner, Darjeeling, has reported that 21

in practice, recruitment for non-gazetted and inferior posts in the Darjeeling district almost invariably goes to hillmen, and thnt adequate reservations nnd snfeguards exist for Scheduled 'l'ribes and Scheduled Cnstes. (5) It may not be out of place to mention herE that apart from the normal development pro­ grammes and schemes, there are specific schemes for the welfare of the hill tribes of the Darjeeling dis­ trict administered by the Tribal Welfare Depart­ ment and large sums pf money are spent for these schemes. Scholarships in post-secondary stages are awarded to all hill students belonging to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. Deserving ·students -of other educationally backward classes in the Darj~elin~ district are nlsn a wnrded scholnr­ ships and stipends. During 1959-60 a sum of Rs. 1,24,000 was spent for this purpose. It may also be noted that, in addition to this, a sum of Rs. 20,000 (approximately) is spent every year by the Director of Public Instruction for the educational advancement of the Backward classes nf the Darjeeling district. It is expected that under the auspices of these schemes for educational advancement, the hill people of Darjeeling will become in due course sufficiently equipr.e•l wi I h educational qualifications so that there Will not be any difficulty in getting the required number of qualified candidates for filling up vacancies in Government services and posts. (6) Comments under paragraph 34 may also be read in this connection. 22

Recommendation of the Darjeeling Enquiry Action taken and otlter Comments Committee 30. Of late there has been a growth of a spirit A development scheme for the promotion of of regionalism among a certain section of the hill students' tours is already in operotion. It is open to the students of Darjeeling district to participate people. 'rbis is an unfort~nate developmen:t and will do no good to them. It IS true that the hillmen in this scheme. have some special features· of their own but .it will be a retrograde step to place over-emphasis on these features and to overlook the fact that they have many more important things in common with the people in the rest of the country. In fact the whole course of Indian history is one shining example of unity in the midst of diversity. If the hill people want to prosper and to go a.bead with the rest of the country they can never afford to forget this lesson. ~l'hey must certainly retain the · best of their special qualities and at the same time adopt and assimilate the best of others, but this they will never be able to do unless they discard parochialism w.bich is one of the greatest obstacles to the cultivation of the correct sense of values. In order to foster the feeling of oneness among the hill people we suggest that Government should arrange to take out school and college going hill boys and girls on tours to different parts of West Bengal and India-to places of old historical interest showing the country's glorious past as well as to new places where she is building great dams, electrical plants, factories, etc., .holding out the promise of a no less glorious future when she will be able to take her place &ide by side with the most progressive nations of the world. During a year between three to four hundred such boys and girls may be taken out on such tours in convenient batches under the care of competent teachers. This will make them realise the greatness of their country and the unity' of its people and will urge them to stand against all ideas of parochialism. • • • 31. In order to remove from. the minds of hill 31. Instructions have already been issued that people any feeling of being neglected by the in order to develop closer contact with the hill authorities and to establish closer contact between people and to personally acquaint themselves with them and the administration the Ministry with· a their demands, needs and grievances, Ministers and skeleton sta:ff should move to Darjeeling at least high officers of this Government should go to Dar­ once a year. jeeling as often as possible, vide Home (Political) Department's Memorandum No. 5498P., d'ated the 8th October 1949. A few Cabinet meetings are also held at Darjeeling once every year and a large number of officials visit the district at the time and get an opportunity of studying the problems at first-hand . • • • 32. A Board composed of a few district legisla-­ 32. There is already a District Development tors and local leaders enjoying the confidence of Council, composed inter alia of M.L.A.'s, M.L.C.'s, the va:ious sections of the people should be set up M.P.'s and local leaders in the fields of Social to adVIse the Deputy Commissioner on matters of Welfare, Education, Medicine, Agriculture, Co­ cultural and economic upliftment. The Board operation, etc., to consider schemes of economic s~ould ordinarily meet quarterly and its functions upliftm.ent and to advise the Deputy Commissioner-. 'Will be purely advisory. Composition of another Board in the district for more or less the same purpose seems to be unnecessary . • • • 33. Govern~ent should select Darjeeling, 33. This st~ggestion is acceptable and is being. whenever possible, aR the venue for official all­ generally folowed. India meetings and conferences to be held in West Bengal. 23

Recommendation of the Darjeeling Enquiry Action taken and other Comments Committee 34. Of the Nepali people, three cast~s, namely, 34. In course of our enquiry it has come to Damai, Iiami and Sarki, have alretuly h"''n ,J,mlnred our notice that there is a persistent demand that the as ScheduleHimalayas (other examined by Governnwnt. than those specified in the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled 'fribes Order), have all along been treated as educationally backward classes and getting the benefit of various educational conces­ sions and stipends, etc., from the Backward Classes Education Fund administered by the Education Department. As regards the recommendation for declaring all other Nepalese as bnckwnnl classes (presumably in terms of Article 340 of the Constitution) it may be stated that in view of the basic policy of the State directed towards the establishment of a caste-less society, a new orienta­ tion has· been proposed to be given by the Govern­ ment of India to the question of determination of other backward classes and this Government is generally in agreement with the viewH of the Government of India in this regard. Pursuant to this decision, an ad hoc survey, at the instance of the Government of India, is being carried out by the Registrar-General for determination of suitable criteria for determining the "other backward classes". Criteria like occupation, living condi­ tions, educational standard, etc., are beiuJ.I" taken into account in this connection as the Government of India are of the view that such backward classes should not be determined on the basis of caste or community. The question of declaring all other Nepalese as backward class would not, therefore, arise in the present circUD).stances . • • • 35. .As the overwhelming majority of the people 35. A reference has already been made under in the hill areas speak Nepali, the district should Article 347 of the Constitution for the !'resident's . be recognised as a bilingual one and both Nepali direction that the Nepali language shall also be and Bengali should be recog·nised as the district's recognised for official purposes in the three hill regional languages. subdivisions of the Darjeeling district.

• • . . 36. The hill allowance of Government servants 36. Necessary order restoring compensatory whioh was discontinued from 1st April 1955 should allowance suitably in Darjeeling has already been be re-introduced as the cost of living ther11 is higher issued, vide Finance. (Audit) Department's Memo­ than at other places in West Bengal. randum No. 2162-F., dated the 26th June 1958. The matter is being further examined by the Pay Committee . • • • 37. We recommend that a small Committee be 37. Most of the recommendations of the Com­ set up to pursue the implementation of such of the mittee have been accepted and acted upon by the recommendations of this Committee as may be Government. However, a Rmall committee with the accepted by Government. Home (Police) Minister as the Chairman and the Chief Secretary and the Development Commissioner as the members is being set up to deal with the other points.

[A translation of this brochure is being published in Bengali and Nepali.]

WBGP-61 }2-3986B.IM