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West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has lauded a high-powered committee's report on the Gorkhaland issue. "Right from outset there had been plethora of problems as for Terai region and Darjeeling like infrastructure such as communication links of road that was lacking. Incidentally, tourism happens to be Darjeeling's prime source of income and those concerned with the industry of travel, tourism and hospitality have appreciated the move of our government to ensure sustainable economy of this region," Banerjee told media here. She also appealed to stakeholders to abide by the panel's report. "Whatever the commission that was entrusted to oversee the issue, decided in right direction. And, neither the state government nor the central government, and even the Gorkhaland Morcha movement, had anything say in it. It was unbiased," added Banerjee. Her comments come even as Gorkha Janmukti Morcha and its allies warned of holding highly charged agitations and stirs across the province over the committee's allegedly 'skewed' recommendations. Headed by retired Justice Shyamal Sen, the committee was established to identify and earmark areas for the proposed Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA). In its report, the committee has advocated the inclusion of only five areas into the GTA, as against the GJM's demand. The Gorkhaland movement that began in 1980s had ended with a truce between the then Gorkha leader Subhash Ghising and New Delhi , after he accepted limited autonomy in 1988 with a new Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council (DGHC). A renewed demand for a separate Gorkhaland region, which would include Darjeeling and some contiguous areas of Jalpaiguri District, has created fresh turmoil over the past few months. The Gorkha population in West Bengal is estimated to be around a million.

Mamata lauds high-level panel report on Gorkhaland row