Foundation stone for Rs 66.20 cr drinking water proj laid in Darj

Darjeeling: Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) Chief Executive Anit Thapa laid the foundation stone for a Rs 66.20 crore drinking water project under the Jal Jeevan Mission’s “Har Ghar Jal” initiative. The project aims to provide potable water to 1,620 households in the Bijanbari Block of Darjeeling.

This project is aimed at supplying drinking water to households in the villages of Kainjale, Murmidang and Karmi. It is part of the broader Jal Jeevan Mission initiative and is expected to address long-standing water scarcity issues.

Addressing the gathering, Thapa urged elected representatives to fulfill their responsibilities and emphasised on the importance of working systematically. He remarked: “The elected representatives must perform their duties diligently and work closely with engineers. Blaming others after a failure is not right. When the system works, everything else falls into place. Responsibility must lie where it belongs, such as with the Panchayat in local matters.” Highlighting the need to adapt to changing times, Thapa encouraged a structured approach to governance. He said: “Everyone must work to their capacity and with proper planning. This necessitates systematic efforts at both the block and panchayat levels.”

“One can work without engaging in blame games or disputes. Confrontations achieve nothing and I will work in collaboration with the government. Simply pointing fingers doesn’t lead to progress,” added Thapa.

Condemning a misleading social media post that sought to communalise the SARAS Mela recently inaugurated by the Chief Minister, Thapa clarified: “The SARAS Mela is a significant annual event organized with Self-Help Groups (SHGs) from across the country, state including our hill communities. However, some social media posts are attempting to give it a Bengali versus Gorkha colour. Such misleading narratives can only hinder progress of our hills.”