IT Forum dissolved; Rashi banned in Siliguri

Signaling what was a long drawn rivalry between IT Dealers Association of
Siliguri (ITDAS) and IT Forum-the two local IT associations, the latter has
finally been dissolved paving the way for a unified IT dealers association. The
decision to dissolve IT Forum came during a recently held meeting between local
IT dealers.

“Through this step we are trying to form North Bengal IT Traders Organization
(NITO) and will be trying to involve dealers from Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri. At
a later stage, however, we may also try to include IT dealers from Sikkim in
NITO. However, the idea is still at a nascent stage,” said Gautam Agarwal of
Computer Land.

About 100 dealers affiliated to the former IT Forum and common members of IT
Forum and ITDAS attended the meeting. During the meeting all issues in the
region related to IT trading were addressed. Thereafter a common referendum
would be held seeking to merge the two associations. However, it may be noted
that senior ITDAS members were not present at the meeting.

Dealers affiliated to both the associations stated that the two rival
associations were being used as a platform for personal ego clashes, hence the
move to create a common association has now gained considerable momentum among
the nonaligned dealers in the region.