Darjeeling: The Darjeeling Municipality faced flak from the local populace over a decision to come up with a structure at the Mall.
The social media was flooded with criticism, demanding that the pristine environment of the Mall be preserved and such events should be held elsewhere.
Finally, the Darjeeling Municipality removed the structure. It has instead decided to hold a 10-day “Tourist Welcome Festival,” to depict the local culture, using canopies.
The Councillors from the Opposition camps have threatened that they will protest against any such programme at the Mall.
On Monday the workers had started erecting the Pandal in the middle of Darjeeling Mall. The pandal was to house stalls for a “Darjeeling Tourist Shopping Festival” organised by the Municipality. This sparked protests from
some organisations.
“Mall should be left as it is. People come to relax here. Elders come to sit and chat. Tourists enjoy the open space. We don’t need stalls here. It will just inconvenience the public,” claimed Rajesh Gurung, Convenor, Lakshya Samuha, addressing media persons. They claimed that the Municipality was planning to shift an Expo (trade fair) that used to be held in the Town Hall premises to the Mall.
On Tuesday, as the debate raged, Ajoy Edwards, President, Hamro Party went up to the under-construction stalls and staged a sit-in protest.
“We should try to save the last breathing space of Darjeeling. I was shocked to see that it had been dug up and bamboo poles put up to erect a pandal for stalls. My request to the Darjeeling Municipality that they should preserve Chowrasta (Mall),” stated Edwards.
Dipendra Thakuri, Chairman, Darjeeling Municipality claimed that it was a festival to welcome tourists.
“We had made the plans a long time back but could not announce it recently owing to the MCC. We were just planning to welcome the tourists and showcase the rich cultural heritage of Darjeeling. Why is everything being politicised? The people who are protesting used to hold similar programmes earlier. We will now have a 10-day festival using canopies,” added Thakuri.
Locals have demanded to declare Mall, Chowrasta and Nehru Road leading to the Mall a vending-free zone.