News

Parliamentary Standing Committee Scathing Findings on Darjeeling and Dooars Tea Industry – Recommends Legislative Action for Ensuring Parja Patta Rights and Other Reforms

The report takes note that “the tea garden workers in Darjeeling hills, Terai and Dooars do not have land or ‘Parja-Patta’ (land rights) on their ancestral tea growing lands. To dwell on their ancestral homes, they must send at least one family members to work for the tea company. On failure to send a family member for work, they lose their rights to live on their ancestral lands. Since the land rights are vested with tea company, there have been instances when the aged workers having no children were denied the right to even repair their houses on their ancestral lands.”



Mirik Lake (Sumendu Lake) is Turning into a Sewage Dump

Mirik Lake also known as the Sumendu Lake is probably the first such artificial lake in the entire Hills. Made to attract tourism, which it has been able to do, the lake has become one of the most popular tourist attractions in this region. Many people here in the hamlet are dependent on tourism, as Mirik neither has fertile soil for agriculture nor there being many other means of employment.





Kurseong Man Arrested on Sexual Assault on a Minor Charges

We have been informed that following the incident, the child narrated everything to her mother. The parents then went on to raise the issue with their neighbours, who shockingly chose to settle the case internally and to forgive the accused culprit.



Independence Day Glory – Samsing Fari Busty Shows the Way

India today completed its 75th Independence Day and as always, everything in India is a festival. Today was no different. Small villages, towns, urban centers celebrated this grand day with much fun fervor, and enthusiasm and Darjeeling hills were no different This Ground report is from one of India’s such villages where change is happening silently.