Right to Emergency Care

Mahakala Temple at Darjeeling

The three Shiva Lingas at the Mahakala Temple, Darjeeling

Photo by Barun Roy

The day Dhirdham Temple was nearly swept away!

In August 1950, a massive landslide swept away a huge part of land beneath the famous Dhirdham Temple situated at Darjeeling. It was indeed a miracle that the temple still remains standing today!

Photo reproduced with permission from

Fallen Cicada – The Unwritten History of Darjeeling Hills by Barun Roy

Dhirdham Temple was built in 1939. Constructed by Rai Saheb Purna Bahadur Pradhan, the temple is situated below the Darjeeling Railway Station.  The temple architecture was inspired by the famous Pashupatinath Temple at Kathmandu in Nepal. There is a statue of Lord Shiva outside the main temple. It depicts “Pancha Bakram Tri Netram” which means five different facial expressions of Lord Shiva in different moods and the third eye. Aarti is held every day at 08:00 hrs and 18:00 hrs.

Deadlock over power sharing in Nepal

KATHMANDU: Political parties in Nepal – who agreed to abolish the monarchy and set up a republic – were yesterday squabbling bitterly over power sharing in a new government. Since the former rebel Maoists surprisingly swept April elections for an assembly to write a new constitution, the question of the make-up of the next government has severely tested an alliance of seven parties. [Photo: A political rally at Kathmandu. Source: Getty Images]

The alliance orchestrated massive street demonstrations that forced the unpopular king to restore democracy in April 2006. And it more or less held during the interim governing period. But co-operation is no longer the word on everyone’s tongue. “We are stuck in bad deadlock,” senior Maoist ideologue C P Gaujrel told AFP.

“We feel that the Nepali people have given us the right to lead the government and country,” he said. “But the Nepali Congress and other parties are finding it hard to leave the government that they are in.” The Maoists won 220 of the 601 seats up for election, double the amount taken by the pre-election favourites, the Nepali Congress. “Since the Maoist party emerged as the single largest party, the other political parties are making meaningless demands. It’s sheer double standards,” Gaujrel complained.

The former rebels, who fought a bloody civil war for a decade to topple the monarchy, say they deserve the prime ministerial and presidential positions in a new government. But others disagree.

“We are demanding that a non-Maoist take the post of constitutional president so that we can balance power,” Congress general secretary Ram Baran Yadav told AFP. The Maoists cannot be allowed to rule alone as they have not yet fully made the transition from terrorist outfit to mainstream political actors, the senior Congress official said.

BJP interfering in internal affairs of Nepal: CPN-M

Kathmandu, Jun 3: Accusing the BJP of interfering in Nepal’s internal affairs, Communist Party of Nepal-M (CPN-M) leader Ram Bahadur Thapa has said the latest remarks by the India’s main opposition party were ”purely anti-Nepal”.

‘By making these remarks the BJP has “directly intervened in Nepal’s internal affairs,” the Nepal News quoted Mr Thapa, an influential leader of the Maoists, today as saying. [Photo: BJP Activists in South India. A Hindustan Times Photo]

News reports said that the BJP had termed the Maoist rule in Nepal ”fraught with dangerous consequences for India” and had also dubbed as ”negative step” the turning of the Hindu country into a secular republic. The party also claimed that with just one-third popular votes, the CPN (Maoists) cannot form a government.

”The new government to be formed under Maoist leadership in Nepal is against India’s interest and also poses security threat to India,” reports quoted senior BJP leader and former external affairs minister Jaswant Singh as saying in New Delhi. The Maoist leader said that by making such statements BJP has only laid bare India’s “expansionist dreams”.

“The BJP doesn’t have the right to speak on Nepalese matters,” Mr Thapa said, adding, “all should be aware that it (BJP) was in favour of monarchy (in Nepal) in the past too and its latest remarks have clearly shown what it wants here.” Mr Thapa said that the party would come up with a viewpoint on this by holding both internal and external meetings.

SECOND OPINION: Nepal’s new monarch

By Jug Suraiya

Even as Nepal celebrates its rebirth as a republic, with the thoroughly discredited Gyanendra joining the ranks of the unemployed as ex-king, the Himalayan nation might pause to ponder if it is throwing the baby out with the bathwater. Or rather, throwing the monarchy out with a particular monarch, putting paid to 240 years of the Shah dynasty.

Gyanendra exemplified Mark Twain’s observation that “All kings is mostly rapscallions”. Indeed, as a monarch, Gyanendra proved to be more rapscallionly than most.

Suspicions still persist about the behind-the-scenes role he might have played in the royal massacre which brought him to his throne of blood.

His cavalier contempt for multiparty democracy and his totally inept handling of the Maoist insurgency ensured that his tenure on that throne would not be prolonged. Gyanendra’s out, and serve him right. Good riddance to bad royalty.But while getting shot of a kleptocratic king, does Nepal have to jettison the institution of a constitutional monarchy which- duly chastened and with proper restraints put on it- could not only act as a stabilising sheet anchor for the country as it had done in the past but also prove a lucrative source of tourism revenue? A rare and endangered species in the 21st century, monarchies can be gold mines if properly showcased.

The British monarchy is a textbook example. Having chopped off Charles I’s head in 1649, the English demonstrated that they had a short way with regents who got too big for their thrones. That salutary lesson imbibed, England’s monarchs, and their associates, have learnt to earn their sceptre and crown by playing to the gallery and providing popular entertainment for the public.

Indeed, it could be said that the British monarchy is the longest running live sitcom in the history of showbiz. Charles II (who succeeded the luckless Charles I after Oliver Cromwell’s dictatorial interregnum) was an object of lively gossip thanks to his two well-known mistresses, one French and the other English, the actress Nell Gwyn who when mistaken for her Gallic counterpart would exclaim “No, not the French whore- i’m the English whore!” to enthusiastic patriotic applause.

Despite the tight-corseted primness and prudery associated with the age named after her, Queen Victoria elicited good cheer in her far-flung colonies as evidenced by the nursery rhyme that Indian ayahs would croon to their young charges many years after independence: ” Thora roti, thora cha / Queen Victoria bahut achha/ Thora roti , thora jam/ Queen Victoria very fine man!”

“Take action against erring teachers” Wake up call from CM to HRDD

Gangtok: Chief Minister Dr. Pawan Chamling “has expressed his extreme displeasure over the reports that some teachers are not attending their duties” which, he said, “is highly deplorable and has to be thoroughly verified and strict action taken as per the Service Conduct Rules”.

CM was speaking at a meeting recently held at Mintokgang which was chaired by him. The meeting was attended by Chief Secretary, Mr. N.D. Chingapa, Additional Chief Secretary cum Finance Secretary, Mr. T.T. Dorjee, Development Commissioner & Principal Secretary, Animal Husbandry and Food Security and Agriculture Development, Secretary, Human Resource Development Department (HRDD), Director, Fisheries and Principal Secretary to Chief Minister.

Some other specific tasks were also short listed by CM for HRDD. One, distribution of text books to different schools has to be reviewed by the department which has to also ensure their timely distribution. All the pending and arrear payment of scholarships and cost of text books already supplied have to be cleared by the department on priority basis. Two, explore possibilities of shifting Pelling Senior Secondary School to a suitable site to avoid the disturbances being created by hotels and other commercial establishments mushrooming around the present location of the school.

Three, strictly enforce government directive to speak only in English from Class VIII onwards in all the schools of Sikkim. Four, survey suitable sites, duly keeping in mind the public interest, for establishment of a college at Gyalshing and another in North Sikkim; properly study suitability and feasibility of the selected sites and submit a report to the government within a month. Five, submit a standard estimate for construction of play grounds and gender based toilets in different schools; urgently submit an estimate of the total requirement of such infrastructures.

NBU Diploma Course in Tea Management

Gangtok: University of North Bengal is conducting Post Graduate Diploma Course in Tea Management (PGDTM) since 1995 with active assistance from Tea Industry and The Tea Board. “Over a decade our students have proved their worthiness in managerial capacity in different tea plantations and as executives of agro industries of North Bengal and Assam”, says Dr. Mayush Sarker, Academic Coordinator of the University.New batch admission process has commencedfrom 14 May, 2008, it is informed.

Landowners renew protest for rehab package

SILIGURI, June 3: The controversy surrounding the acquisition of land for a new township at Kawakhali in Siliguri is back.  Alleging non-implementation of the compensation package promised to the land losers, the Kawakhali Purajhar Bhumi Raksha Committee has decided to launch an agitation from tomorrow. The Kawakhali Purajhar Bhumi Raksha Committee, which is a platform of the landowners at the proposed township site, had in August 2007 reached a compromise formula with the Siliguri Jalpaiguri Development Authority, paving way for land acquisition.

But now, even after the lapse of nearly a year, the SJDA is yet to materialise the promised rehabilitation package, which has angered the Bhumi Raksha Committee largely. To protest against the delay in implementing the rehabilitation package, the Bhumi Raksha Committee would bring out a protest rally in Siliguri tomorrow and demonstrate at the SJDA office, Pradhannagar in the town.

“When we dropped the anti-land acquisition movement in August 2007, the SJDA had promised us of implementing the agreed compensation package within three months. The package, among other things, included the setting up of a rehabilitation colony for the land-losers near the acquired site. But rehabilitation work has not progressed an inch even almost a year later. We have started doubting the SJDA’s intentions,” said Mr Harashit Biswas, general secretary of the Bhumi Raksha Committee.

The Bhumi Raksha Committee further alleged that the state government agency was also harassing the landowners while releasing the award compensation against the acquisition. “In some cases, they are denying award to the concerned landowner on judicial pretexts or by creating a controversy stating the landowner owns lesser land,” Mr Biswas alleged.

‘CPM rule, a reign of terror’

SILIGURI, June 3: The Jalpaiguri district Congress and the Trinamul Congress today alleged that the CPI-M had let loose a reign of terror in several parts of the district following what they called the ‘debacle’ of the CPI-M in the 18 May panchayat election. “If the administration fails to rise to the occasion and put a halt to the torture the Opposition would organise a mass-movement through out the district,” the Jalpaiguri Congress and Trinamul Congress leaders threatened.

Giving details of the ‘CPI-M atrocities’ the Jalpaiguri district Congress president Mr Biswaranjan Sarkar said that the areas most affected by the political vendetta by the CPI-M were Nagrakata, Alipurduar, Mahakalguri and Jalpaiguri Sadar. “At Nagrakata a Congress activist Kanai Oraon was murdered. Four days ago, the CPI-M activists demolished at least 27 dwellings of Congress sympathisers in Alipurduar. All the household items, including utensils and clothes were burnt. Panick-stricken people have been fleeing the areas since the incident. The atrocities are being repeated in other areas of the district too,” the Congress leader alleged.

Labeling the same torture allegation against the CPI-M the acting Jalpaiguri TMC president Mr Chandan Bhoumik said that the ruling party was reducing the rule of law and democratic system to a mockery. “If the CPI-M terror continues we would go for a mass-movement,” the Trinamul leader threatened.

Lashing out at the district administration, the Congress leader Mr Sarkar said that while the CPI-M goons were attacking the poor people the administration was strangely inactive. “We contacted the additional district magistrate and the additional superintendent of police and prayed to them to do something. But they dutifully obeyed the CPI-M command and as usual, remained passive,” Mr Sarkar alleged. He also threatened mass-agitation if the CPI-M tyranny continued.

The CPI-M Jalpaiguri district secretary Mr Manik Sanyal, however, brushed away the Opposition charges, terming them as ‘concocted stories’ meant for inciting the common people against the CPI-M. “Our party has gracefully accepted the panchayat verdict. But the Congress and the Trinamul Congress activists have been terrorising the Left Front sympathisers in the areas where they received a drubbing in the recent panchayat poll,” the CPI-M leader counter alleged. [The Statesman]

NBSC organises science drama compeition

SILIGURI, June 3: The North Bengal Science Centre organised a science drama competition today in conjunction with the Paschimbanga Vigyan Mancha in its Siliguri premises. Prof Raghunath Ghosh, the Dean of faculty of arts, commerce and law, North Bengal University, inaugurated the competition. Five schools from Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri districts participated.

Explaining the concept behind the science drama competition Mr Rajib Nath, the project co-coordinator, North Bengal Science Centre, Siliguri, said that a special message of science as a means of cleansing common misconceptions through the effulgence of scientific knowledge was the object of the science drama. “There are several media through which the knowledge of science can be propagated. Here drama is used as a medium to bring home a special message of science on life,” Mr Nath said.

Inaugurating the programme, Prof Raghunath Ghosh said that mental pollution was the most dreaded of all pollutions plaguing mankind. “The only instrument to confront the problem of mental pollution is objective knowledge,” he observed. Hyderpara Buddha Bharati High School, Siliguri, came first in the competition, while Banarhat High School and the Nilnalini Vidyamandir were declared second and third respectively in the competition. [The Statesman]

HIV positive dies following fear of social boycott

SILIGURI, June 3: Ostracised by his family members at Hatkhola, Alipurduar in Jalpaiguri district, a 35-year-old HIV positive man died at the Jeshu Ashram in Siliguri today. According to Mr Swapan Bhaduri of the Alipurduar Red Cross Society, the deceased, Rathin Dutta (36), a daily wage earner, was confirmed HIV positive at the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital on 16 May. He was admitted at the NBMCH but his wife and two daughters had him discharged on 28 May due to financial crisis and took him back to their ancestral home in ward number 11 of Alipurduar Municipality.

But on their return, the victim’s elder brother, Ravi Dutta did not allow their entry. Ravi, who works as a part time cook in festive seasons, apparently did so fearing a social boycott. Following the denial, the family spent the night in the veranda of a closed shop. Learning about the incident the next day, the Alipurduar branch of the Red Cross Society intervened and compelled the elder brother to accommodate the family in their ancestral house on 29 May. But the HIV patient was shifted to the Jeshu Ashram at Matigara in Siliguri the same day.

However the man died of fever at the Jeshu Ashram at about 8:30 a.m. this morning. “The Ashram authorities called us this morning and informed that the patient has expired. We have brought the body back to Alipurduar and it would be cremated tonight,” said Mr Swapan Bhaduri, secretary of the Red Cross Alipuduar unit. [The Statesman]

Varsity silent on college cut-off bias

North Bengal University

Siliguri, June 3: North Bengal University authorities were today tight-lipped on the higher cut-off marks introduced by some Siliguri colleges for candidates applying to first year courses from outside the subdivision.

Nupur Das, the secretary of the NBU undergraduate council, said she was not authorised to say anything. Registrar Dilip Kumar Sarkar, the principal information officer and the spokesperson for the university, too, said he could not talk to the media.

Questions have been raised as to whether the discrimination is a legal solution to ease pressure on colleges and if it is against varsity and UGC norms.

Repeated attempts to contact vice-chancellor Arunava Basumajumdar failed. “The VC is busy with the ground-work for the visit of a UGC team,” said Shankari Chakraborty, an NBU employee. “He does not want to make any statement to the press,” she added.

However, student unions across party lines have come down heavily on the discriminatory attitude of the colleges.

Sudip Sengupta, the state president of the SFI, the CPM students’ wing, said such measures were uncalled for. “If colleges in Calcutta adopt such a policy to safeguard the interests of local students, then a large number of candidates from north Bengal will be deprived of better academic opportunities,” he said. “Such a thing should not be allowed to happen and the university must intervene.”

Bail for Sikkim bridge contractor

Gangtok, June 3: Government contractor T. Lachungpa, who was arrested in connection with the bridge collapse in East Sikkim, was today granted bail to allow him to go to Delhi for medical treatment. The incident on May 29 had killed four workers and injured around 25.

Lachungpa, also the chief convener of the Sikkim Himali Rajya Parishad, had been arrested from Manipal Central Referral Hospital (CRH) on June 1. He was admitted to the hospital at 5th Mile here because of injuries — three broken ribs and accumulated fluid — suffered in the same incident.

Today, Lachungpa’s counsels, K.T. Bhutia and Bhaskar Pradhan, moved a bail petition in the district and sessions’ court (East and North), saying that their client had to be taken to Delhi since the CRH had certified that he should be under the treatment of a thoracic (chest) specialist. The facility was not available at the hospital, they said.

The chief judicial magistrate (East) had passed an order yesterday to produce Lachungpa in court. When police reached the CRH to take him to court, doctors in the hospital refused to release the contractor.

The superintendent of the CRH had also certified that the patient should avoid any movement.

Expert tips for Darjeeling Tea

Lama inaugurates the Ekta Diwas celebrations in Kalimpong on Tuesday. Picture by Chinlop Fudong Lepcha

Kalimpong, June 3: The vice-chancellor of Sikkim Central University, Mahendra P. Lama, has suggested a seven-pronged strategy to turn around the fortunes of the tea industry in the Darjeeling hills and make it more labour-centric.

Addressing members of the Hill Employees’ Association here today, Lama, who is an expert on South Asian economy, said production of the famed Darjeeling Tea has come down from 15 million tonnes to around 6-7 million tonnes.

“Surely, the fault must lie somewhere; either with the owners or the trade unions,” the vice-chancellor said.

Lama suggested a seven-point programme starting with worker empowerment by giving them shares. “The most expensive tea is from Darjeeling and the poorest workers in the world are also from Darjeeling. How can that happen?” he asked.

Absence ire leads to closure

A class being held on the school verandah on Tuesday. Picture by Biplab Basak

Siliguri, June 3: Absence of teachers leading to erosion of students’ strength prompted a group of disgruntled residents of Sukantanagar in Jalpaiguri to lock the primary school in the locality today.

The Karalarchar No 1 Primary School, on the banks of the Karala, had 250 students in its four classes even a couple of years ago. “But only 70-odd students now study. The remaining have either gone to some other school or have dropped out,” said Gossain Chandra Sarkar, a resident.

“It is because of teachers’ apathy, their prolonged absence and coming to school late that has ruined the institution. We have locked it today and want the appropriate authorities to take necessary steps to monitor the school,” Sarkar added.

The school has five teachers, including two women. “Most of them do not come to school while some arrive late. The students roam around, play and come back home after attending a class or no class at all,” another resident said.

Dinesh Chandra Mallick, the headmaster, however, denied the allegation. “Some of the teachers might be late for a few days but otherwise classes are held regularly. The decline in number of students is a cause of concern for us but as most of them are from poor families, the dropout rate is high,” he said.

Morcha protest spreads fast

Siliguri, June 3: Supporters of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha in Bagdogra have backed the party’s demand for permission to hold a public meeting in Naxalbari. Eleven of them began an indefinite hunger strike at Bagdogra’s Panighata More today to protest against the administration’s refusal to grant permission.

Yesterday, another batch of 11 supporters had done the same in Naxalbari in the Terai. Two members of the Kamtapur Students’ Organisation, the student wing of the Atul Roy-led Kamtapur Progressive Party (KPP), joined them today.

The KPP Atul Roy faction is supporting the Morcha’s demand for a new state comprising the Darjeeling hills, Siliguri, the Terai and the Dooars.

“Our members are determined to continue the hunger strikes until the administration gives us permission to hold the meeting. They are ready to die for the demand,” said Indra Kumar Pradhan, the convener of the Terai committee of the Morcha.

“We have decided to wait and watch till tomorrow. If the administration still denies us permission, we will launch another hunger strike at Darjeeling More near Siliguri,” Pradhan added.

New pay plan for hill staff

B.L Meena

Darjeeling, June 3: The DGHC has proposed an alternative pay packet for the 8,000-odd ad-hoc workers of the council, but the employees’ union has decided to stick to its demand of permanent jobs instead of the existing six-month contracts.

The current contract of the staff ends on June 30.

A source said the alternative arrangement includes paying basic salary and dearness allowance to ad-hoc employees belonging to Groups A, B and C according to the norms of the Bengal government. For Group D employees, the council wants a daily wage of Rs 128.21, the source added.

The ad-hoc workers from Groups B, C and D are currently paid between Rs 2,000 and Rs 3,000. Under the new arrangement, the lowest salary will be more than Rs 2,000, although daily wage (which is what the Group D staff will get) usually follows the no-work-no-pay model.

Power shutdown for reservoir repair – Govt SOS to NHPC on dikchu guard wall

Gangtok, June 3: The National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) will shut down its 510mw Teesta Stage V power plant tomorrow to carry out immediate repairs on the damaged wall of its reservoir in Dikchu. [Inset: The portion of the guard wall that has collapsed. Picture by Prabin Khaling]

“For the past few days, because of heavy rainfall, the Teesta had been bringing in a large amount of silt from its upper catchment areas. This was being deposited in the reservoir near the sluice gates of the dam. We will flush out the silt so that the water level goes down,” said the project chief of NHPC, D. Bandyopadhyay, when contacted over the phone in Balutar, 28km from here.

The wall collapsed when it failed to bear the pressure of the rising water because of siltation. Bandyopadhyay said the silt deposit was 10 metres high.

“We will also restore the damaged wall for we are concerned about the safety of the people in Dikchu. For that purpose we require a 24-hour shutdown of the power plant,” the project chief said.