Govt determined to maintain normalcy in Darjeeling

West Bengal government today said it was determined to maintain normalcy in Darjeeling hills and would distribute food to people who were finding it difficult to get it due to the indefinite bandh called by the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) over separate statehood demand.
"We are ready for any eventuality. We want that normalcy return (in Darjeeling hills)," Home Secretary Basudeb Banerjee told reporters here after reviewing the situation in the Hills at a meeting with the DM and SP at Darjeeling during the day.
Banerjee said he found no difference between the bandh being observed by the GJM and the two-day 'janata curfew' that started in the hills from today.

"We will inform the situation to the chief minister and the Calcutta High Court," he said.
The Home Secretary also held discussions with North Bengal Development Minister Gautam Deb and Food Minister Jyotipriya Mullick at Siliguri.
It was decided in the meeting that food would be distributed to people through 11 booths to be opened from tomorrow in the three hill subdivisions of the district.

Deb said the booths would be opened at police stations, police outposts and panchayat offices.
On the GTA meeting called by its chairman on August 16, Banerjee said, "There was also a telephonic call from them".

He hoped that a solution would emerge soon.