Why no action plan for sustainable dev of Hills: TMC MP asks Centre

DARJEELING: TMC MP Shanta Chhetri has raised the question as to why there is no specific action plan by Himalayan States Regional Council for Sustainable Development for Darjeeling Himalayan region in the Rajya Sabha.

Raising the issue in the Zero Hour on Wednesday, MP Shanta Chettri stated that the Himalayan States Regional Council for Sustainable Development has deliberated on the implementation of five reports released by NITI Aayog on Inventory and Revival of Springs in the Himalayas for water security; Sustainable tourism in the Indian Himalayan region; Shifting cultivation – towards a transformational approach; Strengthening skill and entrepreneurship landscape in the Himalayan region and Data for informed decision making.

"In this regards I humbly urge the august house to seek a detailed explanation from the honourable ministry of planning, why nothing so far has culminated into ground reality and no benefits or development has taken place under the Himalayan States Regional Council for Sustainable Development in the Himalayan region of Darjeeling?"

Incidentally the "Himalayan States Regional Council for Sustainable Development in the Indian Himalayan Region" has been constituted by the NITI Aayog.

This comes on the heels of Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also raising a similar issue during her recent tour of the Darjeeling Hills.

Banerjee addressing a Government programme had stated that the Union Government has been depriving the Darjeeling Hills.

"I have written multiple times to the Centre requesting a special economic package for Darjeeling Himalayan region as they give other Himalayan regions but the plea has fallen to deaf ears" Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had stated earlier.