State govt halts ‘patta’ process in GTA area

Darjeeling: A notification issued on Tuesday by the Land & Land Reforms department, Nabanna has instructed the District Magistrates of Darjeeling and Kalimpong to withhold survey and other works related with respect to the scheme for distributing ‘pattas’ in tea gardens in the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA)area until further orders.

The order comes within hours of a letter written by GTA Chief Anit Thapa to the Chief Secretary, Government of West Bengal on Monday requesting him to halt all ‘patta’-related works.

“I request you to put on hold works relating to the Scheme for distributing homestead pattas in tea gardens under L&LR and RR&R Department’s notification 3078- LP/IA-03/17 in GTA area until further notice” read the state government notification, signed by the Deputy Secretary.

“Leadership never acts against people’s will. Earlier we had made a commitment to get ‘patta’ for the workers and we did so in consultation with the government. Now when there is resentment, we requested the government to halt the exercise, as survey is the first step for the ‘patta’ process. Henceforth the process has been halted,” stated Thapa.

The department of Land and Land Reforms, Government of West Bengal in an order (Memo Number- 3078- LP/IA-03/17 dated 01-08-2023) to the District Magistrates of six districts of North Bengal has sent a proposal for granting homestead patta (land right document) on surplus/ unutilised resumed land of tea garden to the eligibility beneficiaries through a scheme. Homestead pattas will be granted to the eligible families upto the extent of 5 decimals of land. For the selection of beneficiaries, priority will be given to families headed by female members.

With this notification, the Hill Opposition parties have been crying foul. On numerous occasions, L&LR personnel trying to conduct surveys in tea gardens to identify vacant or unused land, have met with stiff resistance. They stated that it is a ploy by the state government to take away land more than 5 decimals at present in the possession of the workers including agricultural land.

On Monday, Thapa in his letter to H K Dwivedi, Chief Secretary, Government of West Bengal had requested the state government to grant ‘pattas’ (land right documents) to the people for the land “as it is in their possession currently” that includes their agricultural lands too. He had urged the government to put on hold the ongoing survey of the tea garden land until the issue is resolved, “respecting the sentiment of the people.”