Darjeeling, Dec. 9: The Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council (DGHC) has accused the district administration of encroaching on its jurisdiction, and has threatened to launch an agitation on the issue.

I.N. Pradhan, DGHC councillor and GNLF Kurseong branch committee president, has objected to the digging of a football ground at Mithaidara in Tindharia. This was reportedly being done on the instruction of the block development officer.

Pradhan said: “A contractor engaged by the office of the block development officer for construction of a wall near the Mithaidara ground, has dug up the surface of the football field engaging heavy machines. This has damaged the entire ground. No permission was sought from the DGHC and this is an encroachment on the council’s jurisdiction.”

The leader said the ground belonged to the DGHC and the common people were also suffering as no sporting activities could be carried out on the field. The construction of a wall next to the ground, for which the soil was dug from the football field, is being conducted under the MP Local Area Development Fund. Incidentally, the Darjeeling MP, S.P. Lepcha, also belongs to the CPM.

The football ground happens to be the playground of the local primary school, which has further complicated the issue.

The state government had handed over around 21-odd departments to the DGHC after the formation of the council in 1988. The education department was one of these.

Kurseong block development officer Tenzing Choden Bhutia said her office was conducting an inquiry into the status of the land.