The Bengal government has ordered an inquiry to find out whether a newly constructed shopping complex stands on the land of Kalimpong Girls’ High School which is situated in the heart of the hill town.
The commissioner of the directorate of school education has issued a notice, mentioning the constitution of a committee for the investigation. The subject of the notice was titled “construction of a massive shopping complex on the land of Kalimpong Girls’ High School”.
Darjeeling BJP MP Raju Bista said he had approached the Bengal governor and the education minister on the Kalimpong building in April. The notice refers to the letter written by Bista on April 22, 2023.
“Following my visit to Kalimpong in April, I reached out to the Hon’ble Govenor. Hon’ble Minister-in-charge, School Education WB, and Hon’ble Minister Public Welfare Department requesting for a detailed investigation into the construction of a massive shopping complex named ‘Big Will Mart’ in Kalimpong town,” Bista said in a written statement.
While obliquely hinting that politicians of Kalimpong were involved in the project, the Darjeeling MP said he sought to know whether the transfer of the land for the construction of the shopping complex had been approved by the education department, the amount involved and if the department had conducted a public hearing.
Sources in the administration said the inquiry had started.
A source said the committee was trying to find out the ownership of the land.
“There were legal issues over claimants of the land which originally belonged to the Church of North India. There was a court order, following which some portions of the land were vested in the government,” said a source.
The school was set up by the Church in 1890 and is now a minority institution.
The source said the Church had many plots in different parts of Kalimpong and the entire process of vesting the land in the government was completed around two years ago.
“The probe team will again make a field visit and go through the record of land rights. The team will also look into the history of the school land records,” said the source.
The sources said the focus of the committee would be to ascertain whether the land where the complex had come up technically belonged to the school, Church or any other party. “We will accordingly submit our finding to the higher-ups as early as possible,” the source said.
Commercial shops have come up on the ground and first floors of the complex, while the two other floors are being used by the school.
The school management couldn't be contacted by this newspaper for a reaction to the formation of the inquiry committee.