Wednesday, August 10 2005 16:59 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: The Supreme Court has asked the Centre and the State Governments of Sikkim and West Bengal to come up with a solution to avoid frequent blockades of National Highway 31A due to political reasons and disturbances in the two neighbouring states.

Issuing notices to the Ministry of Home Ministry of Surface Transport, Defence Ministry and two State Governments, a Bench comprising Justice Y K Sabharwal and Justice G P Mathur has sought reply from them on steps taken for setting up of council under Article 263 of the Constitution for better coordination between the states on the issue.

The Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by a social worker, O P Bhandari, said due to frequent strikes and bandhs imposed by the political parties in Darjeeling District, life along the NH31A, the only link Sikkim has with rest of the country, comes to a halt affecting supplies not only to the people of the state but also to Defence forces guarding the sensitive and strategic borders with China, Nepal and Bhutan.

Senior advocate R K Jain said the PIL has been filed following threats by a new political outfit, Sikkim-Darjeeling Joint Action Forum, operating from Darjeeling, to close down the highway to carry forward its agitation.

The PIL alleged that the West Bengal Government was apathetic towards the people of Sikkim by taking no steps to make NH31A free from blockade since 1985 when GNLF started the agitation.

The frequent blockades were affecting tourism industry in Sikkim, the PIL said adding the state, which had recently been included in the North Eastern Council, did not have much industrial activity and its revenue depended on tourism.