BREAKING NEWS! GNLF youth wing to welcome SRC

Darjeeling, 9 January: In a major development at this moment, Ajay Edwards GNLF youth coordinator has in a meeting held here decided that GNLF Youth wing irrespective of the Central Committee stand of GNLF will formally welcome State Reorganisation Commitee tomorrow in what is being seen by many as ideological shift in the Gorkha National Liberation Front. The Central Committee and GNLF President Subash Ghisingh is unavailable for comment.

Ratna Priya Pradhan

Today’s Cartoon

SRC fuels Gorkhaland Hope

The Telegraph, Darjeeling, Jan. 8: A nascent proposal to set up another states reorganisation committee has breathed fresh life into hopes for Gorkhaland, prompting some supporters of statehood to hit the streets in Darjeeling and burst crackers.

The Telegraph had reported in Tuesday’s Late City edition that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was toying with a proposal to form the Second States Reorganisation Commission to look into demands for new states.

Mass support for Prakriti Giri

People Campaigning for Prakriti Giri at Chowrasta, Darjeeling

Gangtok, Jan. 8: After Prashant Tamang, who won the Indian Idol title sponsored by a television channel last year, the Darjeeling Hills and Sikkim is now gearing up to express a similar support for Prakriti Giri, one of nine contestants of the dance show Chotta Ustad, a talent hunt show being televised on Star Plus. Prakriti Giri is a 12 year-old-girl from Darjeeling participating in the competition and has earned appreciation from stalwart like Shaan and Shreya. People in Sikkim are planning to make a concerted effort alongwith those from the Darjeeling Hills to extend support to Prakriti as they did in the case of Prashant Tamang. Street plays are being planned in Gangtok to appeal the masses to vote for Prikriti Giri and efforts are on at places like Namchi, Geyzing and Mangan to whip up support for the girl.

GJM supporters stage a rally

Kurseong, Jan. 8: Encouraged by the UPA government’s decision to form a state reorganisation commission for the proposed Telengana, Vidharbha and Gorkhaland statehood demands, the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) supporters organised a rally across the Darjeeling hills today. The rallyists chanted slogans in support of Gorkhaland and against the proposed Sixth Schedule status for the Darjeeling hills. They also thanked the BJP and the UPA government. Commenting on the development, the GJM, Kurseong branch chief and central committee executive member, Mr Pradeep Pradhan, said that the decision of UPA government to form the SRC would be formed, for the Telengana, Vidharbha and Darjeeling (Gorkhaland) proposed states is an achievement of the GJM. “Credit must also go to the GJM chief, Bimal Gurung, for convincing the Centre on the subject,” he added. Pradhan informed that the SRC would decide on Darjeeling Hills after taking several factors into consideration.

Junior docs withdraw ceasework

Siliguri, Jan. 8: Junior doctors of North Bengal Medical College and Hospital (NBMCH) withdrew their ceasework this evening and will resume duties from tomorrow.

The decision to withdraw the agitation was taken after a meeting between the protesting doctors and the medical college authorities in the afternoon.

“The authorities were positive in their response to some of the demands that we raised last week,” said Prashanta Sarkar, the secretary of the Junior Doctors’ Council of NBMCH.

About 150 junior doctors were on ceasework since Saturday, after they were accused of beating up a visually challenged expecting mother. Removal of illegal structures on the hospital campus, replacement of the current security guards and the presence of senior doctors in all the departments to monitor the work of the juniors were some of the demands that were raised.

Job hope in SSB sports meets

Siliguri, Jan. 8: The Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) is organising sports meets in villages on the India-Nepal border to improve relations with residents and identify good athletes who can be recruited in the paramilitary force.

“By organising such meets, we will have better interaction with the villagers in the border areas,” said H.C. Pandey, the deputy inspector-general of the Ranidanga sector headquarters of the SSB. “Besides, we will be able to search out local talents, who can be inducted in the force.”

Sikkim missing out on winter chill

The Telegraph, Gangtok, Jan. 8: The second month of winter is here, but Sikkim seems to be missing out on the chill associated with short, dark and dreary days of the Himalayan state.

All the chill seems to have accumulated along the Gangetic plains in the northwest. Most parts of northern India, including Delhi, are reeling from a severe winter spell with temperatures on some days almost touching the zero mark and all because of the western disturbances there.

Adviser rap for failed schemes

Siliguri, Jan. 8: The adviser to the Supreme Court-appointed right-to-food commissioner, Anuradha Talwar, today came down heavily on the Tea Board for not starting an extra 100 days’ work scheme at Kanthalguri and Ramjhora gardens.

The decision to allot more work under the scheme, apart from the existing relief programmes for closed estates, was taken in August.

Talwar, who is on a two-day visit to Jalpaiguri district, said: “Tea Board officials had promised to chalk out a pilot project offering extra 100 days work apart from the existing NREGS (National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme) in Kanthalguri and Ramjhora estates.”