Business trades strike for tourism

The general sentiment of the hills about the VAT is clearly shown through a placard conveying the massage `No to VAT, yes to tourism`. The placard was displayed outside of the Glenary’s, the famous confectioners of Darjeeling. The strike which has been started today to oppose the Value Added Tax in West Bengal has little effect in Darjeeling and it would last for one day only in Hills.

`The general sentiment against the strike in Darjeeling had influenced our decision to cut down the three-day affair to one,` said Brijmohan Garg, president, Darjeeling Chambers of Commerce. Mr. Garg also said that they have brought out a rally in the town starting from Chowrastha to convey the massage that they are against of VAT but the tourist season has started and due to the strike tourists will face several problems and they don’t want to bother tourists who came here to enjoy their holidays. Bank and all other emergency services are open there in Darjeeling. The one day strike didn’t completely cover the hospitality industry. The shops are open in Kalimpong with black flags planted atop roofs as a mark of protest. But the traders will down their shutters for the next two days. The strike effects more or less in the other parts of North Bangal. In Siliguri sub-division the strike effects the main market but all the medicine shops and some restaurant are remain open. Milk and Water supply remained unaffected. All the shops are closed there in Jalpaiguri excepts some vegetable and fish shops who are doing there business. In Cooch Behar the vegetable and fish markets are remain open but they will down their shutter tomorrow. There was a little violence occur in Malda. According to Biswajit Das, the secretary of the Federation of Chambers and Commerce and Industry in North Bengal, they are happy for the success of strike and they sincerely regret the inconvenience caused to the public.

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