Chamling directs for infrastructural development

Gangtok, Jul 13: Sikkim Chief Minister Pawan Chamling has directed the officials to identify land and develop a township around Sherathang trade mart constructed recently to facilitiate border trade between India and China.

Presiding over a meeting of senior officials here, Mr Chamling directed the Commerce and Industries department officials to create a township around Sherathang and Thengu with proper hotels and car parks.

The meeting also discussed the Army's request to conduct the bilateral trade three days a week instead of four and decided to insist on maintaining the status quo for four days trade a week.

The meeting also directed the forest department and the district collector to conduct a land survey between Gangtok and Nathu la and put the vacant land under the disposal of the state government to meet the requirements of various departments.

The tourism department was also directed to submit a proposal for the construction of a 100-bedded infrastructure on way to Nathu la for travellers and a guest house at the Sherathang trade mart.

The Power and Energy department was asked to close down the loss making power units at Upper Rongnichu, Jalli and Rongyichu and transfer the man power to two proposed unit at Rongli and the Urban Development department was asked to explore the possibilities of recycling garbage and converting them into fertilisers.

The Commerce and Industries department was also asked to initiate steps for the establishment of a food park over a 30 acre plot and to identify suitable plot to establish a state of the art flower garden to host the international flower show in 2008.

UNI