National Geographic, Lufthansa and Hindustan Times Contest declaring Gorkha traditional weapon as ‘infamous’

Contributed by Ms Jyoti Thapa

Darjeeling Himalayan Railway – Kurseong to Darjeeling, Animated Feature

By David Drake

Gorkha Janmukti Morcha Torch Rally

We do not know how to protect our heritage! Victoria Hospital in Darjeeling is the latest example!

All Photos by Barun Roy

The Victoria Hospital was the first charitable hospital and dispensary to be started in Darjeeling in 1864. It was started in the building lately utilized as the Police Lines. In 1888 it contained 12 beds only which, obviously, were quite inadequate. To meet the ever increasing demands of an expanding population building work to the north of this structure was started, which on completion in 1903 increased the accommodation of the new hospital to 70 beds. In 1905 over 10,000 outdoor patients were attended to, while the operations which were performed numbered 390. It is in charge of a Medical Officer subordinated to the Civil Surgeon of the Station; while the care of the invalids devolves on the Sister in charge. No account of this hospital would be complete without reference being made to the services of the late Rai Nibaran Chandra Sen Bahadur, the Medical Officer, who during his tenure of a number of years raised the efficiency of the staff as well as by his personal influence obtained funds for the erection of the cottage attached to the building.

This is how India treats her Soldiers!

Contributed by Upendra Pradhan

Greater Sikkim is our only way out! Bomzan

Mira Chettri bags bronze in 18th Asian Taekwondo Championship

GANGTOK, May 07: Sikkim Amateur Taekwondo Association’s (SATA) star Mira Chettri,  has won a Bronze Medal in the 18th Asian Taekwondo Championship held from April 26 to 29 at Zinju, China.  Mira is trained by SATA’s chief coach Trilok Subba and coaches Dawa Tamang and Jyoti Pradhan. A gold medallist in the national games, Mira defeated Philippines in the first fight and Japan in the second fight. She also defeated Macao, China in the quarter final. In the semi final, she lost with the world’s strongest opponent South Korea with only one point and finally satisfied with a Bronze Medal (Light Weight category).

A press release issued by the organising secretary of SATA Trilok Subba, the president of SATA YB Thapa has expressed pride over Mira’s victory and for the laurels she brought to the State and the Nation.  Mr. Thapa has also encouraged all the upcoming Taekwondo players to follow the footsteps of Mira. Trilok Subba has said that with Mira’s victory, SATA dream of winning an Asian Medal since 1989 has come true. Mr. Subba further informed that SATA is looking forward to play for the World Championship and Olympic Medals.

All the executive members and players of SATA have also congratulated Mira Chettri.  Meanwhile, SATA has plans to organize a programme to felicitate Mira on May 12 at Indoor Gymnasium, Paljor Stadium at 4pm. All the members, parents and Taekwondo lovers are welcomed to celebrate the function. Mira will be reaching Gangtok on May 5. She has 1gold and 3 silver medals under her belt. Mira, who represented India in the 18th Senior World Taekwondo Championship in China, 2007 has also won a Silver Medal in National Championship, Chennai in 2006.

“Gorkhaland by 2010″ Bimal Gurung

SILIGURI, May 7: The demand for a separate state of Gorkhaland received a much needed shot in the arm with the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) renewing its commitments towards achieving this long-standing aspiration of the people of the Darjeeling Hills.

GJM president Bimal Gurung revived the demand for Gorkhaland at a massive public rally held at the Indira Gandhi maiden here today, which was attended by over three lakhs supporters from all over the Darjeeling Hills and the Dooars area.
Yesterday, the Morcha had officially revived the demand for a separate Gorkhaland by sending a memorandum to West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee.

In the memorandum, the GJM said that the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council that came into being 1989, through a tripartite agreement, has become redundant, as it has failed to fulfil the aspirations of people. The people of the hills would not settle for anything less than a separate Gorkhaland state, the memorandum stated. Addressing the rally, Mr. Gurung said that the demand for Gorkhaland was a “legitimate demand” and it was because of the West Bengal Government that the “andolan” had suffered resulting in the demand taking so long to be fulfilled. “It is because of leaders like Asok Bhattacharya that the Gorkhaland issue had taken a back seat. They do not want a Gorkhaland at any cost and would see to it that the aspirations of the people of the Hills were never fulfilled. Now, all this is over. The people want Gorkhaland and we will achieve this dream of ours at any cost,” Mr. Gurung said. “Gorkhaland will be a reality by 2010,” he declared.
Speaking on the incident of May 2 during which the Morcha women party workers were beaten up by the CPIM party workers here, Mr. Gurung gave the West Bengal Government seven days time nab the culprits or else he would send 10,000 of his supporters “to do the needful.” He also threatened to carry out an indefinite strike across the Darjeeling Hills if the culprits were not arrested in the given time period.
In his address, Dr Harka Bahadur Chettri, the Central Committee member of GJM said that the history supports the theory that Siliguri was never part of the West Bengal and therefore the demand for its inclusion in the proposed state of Gorkhaland was valid and historically accurate.

Asok says CM open to talks

SILIGURI, May 8: The state urban development minister Mr Asok Bhattacharya today said that chief minister Mr Buddhadeb Bhattacharya would soon invite the Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha leadership for a dialogue. “The state government is resolved to sort out the Darjeeling Hill political crisis through negotiation,” the minister said.  However, the minister at the same time said that the CPI-M would demand immediate arrest of the GJMM general secretary, Mr Roshan Giri in connection with the recent seizure of suspected RDX from Mallaguri in Siliguri. “There is evidence that Mr Giri is involved in subversive activities in Siliguri,” Mr Asok Bhattacharya said.

Reacting to the minister’s allegation Mr Giri said from Darjeeling that the allegations were baseless. He demanded the minister’s role in the seizure of the explosives instead. The minister said that though there is incontrovertible evidence of an intimate connection between the GJMM with several terrorist anti-national outfits like the KLO, Ulfa, and Bodoland Tiger Force, the chief minister is eager to open dialogue with the Hill-based party.  “We are for peace in the Darjeeling Hills to facilitate speedy development of the region. Yet, to make the proposed dialogue meaningful the GJMM leadership must eschew its hostile approach towards the state government,” Mr Bhattacharya added.

Making specific charge against Mr Giri, Mr Bhattacharya said that the state had evidence in its possession confirming that Mr Giri was involved in transporting suspected RDX in Siliguri.  “Mr Giri frequented the house in Mallaguri from where the suspected RDX was seized recently. A woman leader of the GJMM is also involved in subversive activities in the town.  An FIR has been lodged against them at the Pradhan Nagar Police Station by some local people. Action is expected soon,” Mr Bhattacharya said. [The Statesman]

Morcha to seek help from Sikkim & SDF

SILIGURI, May 8: The Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha would soon approach the Sikkim chief minister Mr Pawan Kumar Chamling and the ruling Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF), to seek help in the ongoing Gorkhaland agitation in the Darjeeling Hills, the GJMM president Mr Bimal Gurung said today.  “We would send a formal letter to the Sikkim chief minister and the SDF, seeking help for the Gorkhaland agitation. The letter would be dispatched in the next two days,” Mr Gurung said.

Vowing to carry forward the agitation until the statehood goal was achieved, the GJMM president also urged the Gorkhas living across the various states to join in the Gorkhaland struggle. “This is our last fight for realising the separate statehood demand, which would eventually establish our identity in India. Hence, we urge upon all the Gorkhas ~ those serving in the police, the Army anywhere in India, to come forward and join the struggle at least for once,” he said. Mr Gurung reiterated that the whole of Darjeeling district and the Dooars, would be paralysed if the administration failed to book the assailants of the GJMM cadres in Siliguri on 2 May. He had issued a seven-day deadline for the purpose yesterday. [The Statesman]

BSNL suffers huge losses in Sikkim

GANGTOK, May 8: The Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) in Sikkim has an outstanding amount of Rs 8.45 crore to be collected as bills from the state government and private parties for the past 10 years.
The huge outstanding amount is due to the rapid growth of mobile phones and disconnection of landline phones in the state over the past 10 years. “We are still sending reminders to the government offices for the payment of the old bills,” said Mr SN Roychowdhury, general manager Telecom, Gangtok.

“We could not chase bills from the private companies and organisations because 90 per cent of the private companies have closed,” he added. “The BSNL cannot disconnect the public service agencies like police, fire services, hospital, government secretariat, Raj Bhawan, chief minister’s and ministers’ residences,” said Mr Roychowdhury admitting that the BSNL was suffering huge losses in the state. When asked why the BSNL has not been able to provide mobile phone service to Nathu La although the Chinese have on the other side of the border the BSNL official said: “We could not provide the service because the Army has not allowed us for security reasons.” [The Statesman]

NBU: Former VC denies charges of fund embezzlement

SILIGURI, May 8: Reacting to the charges of financial irregularity made against him by a section of the North Bengal University Teachers’ Council recently, the former vice-chancellor of the institution Prof. Pijush Kanti Saha denied the charge and affirmed that everything related to the expenditure of university fund was above board.

“Some elements are trying to spread slander against me and other responsible officials of the university with malicious motives,” Prof Saha said. Co-accused in the charge, Mr Dilip Kumar Sarkar, the NBU Registrar refused to comment on the matter. “I would talk on the matter after taking permission from the vice-chancellor,” he said. Describing the demand for a special audit into the spending of fund under ‘confidential accounts’ as “illogical and absurd,” the former NBU vice-chancellor said that there was no provision for special audit into the ‘confidential account’ in accordance with the university law. “Internal audit was duly done in that matter as into every financial aspect of the university. Everything was found to be perfectly in order,” he said.

FIRs to fight Morcha deadline to cops

Siliguri, May 8: The CPM today dug up three FIRs lodged in the hills and plains against some Gorkha Janmukti Morcha leaders and urged police to act on them. [Inset: Bengal urban development minister Asok Bhattacharya at the CPM newsmeet. Picture by Kundan Yolmo]

Observers said the move was in retaliation to the Morcha’s seven-day deadline to the police for arresting three CPM leaders in connection with the incidents on May 2 when supporters of the hill party were assaulted in Siliguri. The Morcha had set the deadline yesterday at its public meeting here.

“On April 9, a day after explosives were found in a house in Mallaguri, a resident of the area, Amal Khawas, lodged an FIR with the Pradhannagar police station. In it, Khawas said the owner of the house, Ganga Majhi, was an active Morcha worker and its leader Roshan Giri frequently visited the house,” said Jibitesh Sarkar, a senior district leader of the CPM.

“Khawas also stated that the explosives were brought here by the Morcha members as part of a plot to eliminate local CPM leaders,” claimed Sarkar, who is one of the three CPM leaders whom the Morcha wants arrested.

Gurung on hunt for backers

Siliguri, May 8: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha wants neighbouring Sikkim and Gorkhas across the country to back its demand for a separate state. Not only that, it is time the celebrities whom the Morcha had once cheered, reciprocated, party chief Bimal Gurung said. [Inset: Gurung at Pintail Village. Picture by Kundan Yolmo]

“I will write to Pawan Chamling, the chief minister of Sikkim, who is also the president of the Sikkim Democratic Front, to support us,” said Gurung.

This is the first time since its formation that Gurung is going public about seeking Chamling’s support. This afternoon, while addressing journalists at Pintail Village, 4km from here, he said: “Through a letter to Chamling, we will appeal to all residents of Sikkim to extend their support to our cause,” Gurung said.

The Morcha leader will also appeal to Gorkhas living across the country to support him. “I will also approach celebrities like soccer star Bhaichung Bhutia and Indian Idol 3 Prasant Tamang. When they score a goal or win a competition, we celebrate. Now it is their turn to reciprocate,” he said.

Instant tea auction to take on private sales

Siliguri, May 8: The Siliguri Tea Auction Centre will introduce instant auctioning by May-end or early June to counter private sale of tea, which accounts for nearly 50 per cent of the production in the region.

In instant auctioning, the cycle of production-sale-payment gets over in two weeks. Experts said this would allow planters to sell tea when the prices are high, as they do in private sales. The entire process through regular auctions takes around six weeks.

“The governing body of the auction centre has passed the decision (about instant auctioning),” said S.K. Saria, the chairman of the Siliguri Tea Auction Committee (Stac). “We are working out the modalities based on suggestions from all sections of the industry. Since it is a new concept, some sections have expressed apprehensions.”

A meeting of the governing body will be called in a day or two before implementing the scheme in “May-end or early June”, Saria said.

The Stac chairman added that instant auctioning would initially be run on a trial basis for a month or two. “It will run alongside regular auction and will be entirely optional.”

Instant auctioning does away with the elaborate sampling process where samples are sent even to buyers on the far end of the supply chain. Now, planters will send 4kg of sample to the broker, who will circulate it to local traders on the basis of which bids will be made. “The sale will be held three days after the samples are issued,” Saria said.

“In the regular system, buyers enjoy a prompt (time by which payment has to be made) of 13 days. In instant auctioning, this will be seven days (see chart). So a planter will get his money within two weeks of bringing the tea for auction, unlike the six weeks in the regular system,” said Anand Agarwal, a seller-member of the governing body.