Sikkim bears the brunt of Darjeeling agitation

Land locked Sikkim has started feeling the ripple effect of the Gorkhaland agitation. With the National Highway 10, the link road connecting the Sikkim capital Gangtok to the plains of North Bengal,closed, owing to the ongoing indefinite bandh, essential commodities are in short supply. The tourism trade of Sikkim has also been badly affected.

Incidentally Darjeeling Hills are in the grip of an agitation with an indefinite bandh clamped by the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) since June 15.

Further compounding woes, drivers of taxis plying from Siliguri to Gangtok have launched an agitation against vehicles from Sikkim alleging that Bengal vehicles are not being allowed to ply on NH 10 owing to attacks by picketers whereas Sikkim vehicles are plying with escorts.

"We are not being provided any security by the West Bengal police. If we want to ply to Sikkim we are being stopped and attacked. Sikkim vehicles are plying to Siliguri on the other hand" complained Ratan Das, a driver.

The taxi drivers of Siliguri have already started feeling the pinch of the Hill unrest. Many parts of Siliguri witnessed demonstrations against the Sikkim vehicles. In Siliguri the Sikkim vehicles were stopped from plying by agitated protestors.

"With the Sikkim drivers afraid of plying to Siliguri, there is a shortage of essential commodities including vegetables and fuel in Sikkim. Fuel tankers are also not plying. However the Government of Sikkim has assured us that if the situation demands, Sikkim Nationalised Transport vehicles will be pressed into service to bring in the essential commodities into Sikkim" stated Kailash Agarwal, General Secretary, Sikkim Chamber of Commerce.

Out of the 120km of the NH10, 54 km lies in Sikkim (from Rongpu to Gangtok,) the remaining stretch lies in West Bengal which is in the grip of the ongoing Gorkhaland agitation. At present 2 convoys (8am and 11am) along with escorts are running from Rongpu to Siliguri and 2 convoys (2pm and 5pm) are plying from Siliguri to Rongpu with escorts.

"Tourism has been badly affected because of the ongoing unrest. This year we had record tourism. All the hotels were booked to capacity till July. However with the present unrest there has been large number of cancellations. Most of the hotels are empty. Sikkim and Darjeeling are part of a tourism circuit" stated Baraf Namgyal Bhutia, Vice President, Travel Agents Association of Sikkim.

In 2008 the Supreme Court had directed the Union, Sikkim and West Bengal Governments and others to ensure that the NH31A (now named the NH10) is kept open and outside the purview of all bandhs. According to 2009 figures for a day of closure of the NH10, Sikkim stands to lose Rs. 7 Crores in the way of trade and commerce (including tourism.)

Pawan Chamling, the Chief Minister of Sikkim had recently written to Union Home Minister Pawan Chamling in support of the creation of the separate state of Gorkhaland. In 2011 the Sikkim Assembly had passed a resolution in support of the creation of Gorkhaland.

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