A NEW DAWN

 By ASOK BHATTACHARYA, MINISTER, MUNICIPAL AFFAIRS, GOVERNMENT OF WEST BENGAL

The 107th Constitution Amendment Bill, 2007 has recently been introduced in parliament to incorporate the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution. This is presently under consideration of a standing committee of parliament, chaired by Sushma Swaraj.

The demand for the creation of an autonomous local government for Darjeeling’s hill areas was raised periodically by the communists, the Gorkha League and even by the Congress. Nearly two decades have passed since the constitution of the DGHC. During this time, it was governed by the Gorkha National Liberation Front and, in the last 2 years, Subash Ghisingh has acted as its caretaker. In 2005, a Principal Memorandum of Settlement was signed between the Centre, the state government and the DGHC. It decided that steps would be taken to constitute a new council for Darjeeling Hill Areas under the Sixth Schedule. A constitutional amendment was necessary to implement this. It was further agreed that elections to the newly-constituted council would be held within six months of the constitutional amendment. Since it is a constitutional amendment bill, it requires the support of a two-third majority in parliament.

Jorethang Maghe Sankranti Mela

Photos by Roshan Pradhan, Sombarey, Sikkim

 

The circular stone structures in the middle is called Gato, used essentially a as grinder. For example, grinding maize into smalled pieces for dish like ‘makai kho baat’ . The surrounding ‘dooko’ are used for collection of fodder. In the side one can see a flat structure made of bamboo stripes called kokro (cradle) . It is said that the cradle of that type should be completed in one day from cutting bamboo to finishing it.

Old religious book from Chisopani Gompa and weapones in the back

Glacier experts ready for Sikkim Glaciers

Zemu Glacier

Gangtok, Jan. 17: The Sikkim government today formally set up an eight-member commission to conduct a study on Himalayan glaciers and the impact of snow meltdown in the state.

“Sikkim is the only state in the country to have taken the initiative,” chief minister Pawan Chamling said during the inaugural meeting here.

S.I. Hasnain, senior fellow, Centre for Policy Research, New Delhi, heads the panel, which has experts from ISRO too. Sikkim has 84 glaciers, extending to 691sqkm and a snowfield of 251sqkm. These glaciers act as natural reservoirs and supply water to the major river systems in the state.

After its study, the committee will suggest measures on glacier management and draw up an action plan that will be submitted by December.

Railway offers hill packages

Siliguri, Jan. 17: The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) will introduce tourism packages centred around the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR) with special focus on Kurseong and its surrounding areas.

“The packages have been designed after a survey of the region and its tourism trends,” said Lakeshwar Saikia, the regional manager of the IRCTC, a fully-owned subsidiary of the ministry of railways. “Bookings will open on Saturday.”

Saikia added: “Since Darjeeling is the most popular of the hill stations, tourism is centred around it, but our packages are designed in such a way that tourists get to stay in smaller towns like Kurseong, which, too, have a lot to offer. We have tied up with West Bengal Tourism Development Corporation for accommodation in its lodges.”

The six-day-seven-night packages, starting from and ending in Kolktata, will be available in three variants — tea, heritage and nature trails. Tours will usually start from Kolkata on Friday by the Darjeeling Mail, which leaves Sealdah station at 10pm. The return from New Jalpaiguri (NJP) station will be by the same train. The tourists will be back in Kolkata the next Friday.

Trek trail through gardens - Goomtee on must-see list soon

Kurseong, Jan. 17: A trek trail starting at 4,000ft, a century-old bungalow, picnic on the banks of the Mahanadi and folk songs to round up the day. All this and more are being lined by the management of Goomtee Tea Estate for tourists visiting the garden, 7km from here.

The nitty-gritty of the project is yet to be worked out, but work is on at full swing to complete it at the earliest.

The 4.5km trek trail will end at Majua Tea Estate at 6,500ft. Both the gardens have the same owner.

Workers of the two gardens are likely to benefit because some of them will be recruited as guides for the trekkers and employees waiting on the tourists at the rest house in Majua and the bungalow in Goomtee. The old bungalow located above the garden factory has already been turned into Goomtee Resort.