The hill community, largely considered reticent when it comes to speaking out against those in “authority”, are slowly getting vocal and coming forward to question authorities.

Over the past several months, many people are raising issues of wrongdoings by various development boards with people from even distant villagers speaking out against authorities.

On Tuesday, a group of people under the banner of the West Bengal Bhutia Joint Action Committee issued a statement detailing their charges of incomplete work undertaken by the West Bengal Bhutia Development Board in the hills.

“We have been looking at the work undertaken by the Bhutia development board since 2020 and these are our findings,” said Dawangla Bhutia, working president of the joint action committee.

According to the committee members 22 beneficiaries from Sonada, 38 from Mirik, 10 from Maneybhanjyan and 22 from Lamahatta have not had their houses fully completed by the Bhutia board.

“The construction of a concrete road in Sonada and drinking water scheme at Sukhiapokhri and Rambhang have also not been done,” said Dawangla. They have also questioned the quality of work of 17 other projects.

The committee members have furnished details like work order number, project costs and the name of the agency that was to execute the works.

The committee members have alleged wrongdoings to the tune of Rs 2 crore. “This is only the first list,” said Dawangla.

The committee also gave this list to Darjeeling district magistrate S. Ponnambalam.

Lt Col (retd) Dadul R. Bhotia, vice-chairman of the Bhutia board, when contacted, said he too wanted an independent inquiry on the issue.

“I have no clarifications to provide right now. I am hoping for a detailed investigation from the district magistrate’s office or any independent agency. As far as I am concerned, everything is there on the ground and proper norms have been followed,” said Dadul.

The chairman’s term in the Bhutia board, which was formed in 2015, expired last year and since then Dadul is looking after the administrative matters of the board.

Many believe that the hills are witnessing a welcome change where people are questioning authorities. “In the past, leaders, the workings of the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council and Gorkhaland Territorial Administration were never questioned. People would not come out with details like this. This development is a welcome change,” said a hill resident.

The state government is looking at reviewing each project in all 16 development boards since inception, including geo-tagging project work.